CIA March 2003 oil map of Iraq

The oil majors met at the Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit from 2 – 4 September 2007 in Dubai to discuss “the future of Iraq’s abundant energy resources.” Attending were US puppets, described as “some of the most important figures from Iraq’s energy sector.” Also attending were the waiting vultures, BP, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Lukoil, Statoil, Marathon Oil, Total, Shell, Kuwait National Petroleum, Annadarko, Schlumberger, ABB, ONGC, General Electric, Cummins Power, Mitsui, Aegis, ArmorGroup, Janussian, Control Risks Group, Unity, Hart, Olive Security, GardaWorld and Triple Canopy.

The history of the Iraq Oil law is sordid. An outstanding article by A.K. Gupta, The Great Iraq Heist, outlines the US imperial ownership of Iraq via Bush Executive orders, through his Arch-Deacon-of Hades, Paul Bremer.

Paul Bremer (right) with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Baghdad. PHOTO: Jason Reed / AP-Pool / AP

 Since March 2003, a series of executive orders by Bush, UN documents, and regulations and orders issued by Iraqi Proconsol Paul Bremer have put the U.S. in absolute control of the state of Iraq, its oil industry and monies, all while lifting barriers to repatriating profits . …

On the same day UN resolution 1483 passed, May 22, Bush signed Executive Order 13303 granting blanket immunity to any U.S. corporation dealing with Iraqi oil through 2007 . Researcher Jim Vallette, who stumbled across the order in the Federal Register, says it “unilaterally declares Iraqi oil to be the unassailable province of U.S. corporations.... In other words, if ExxonMobil or ChevronTexaco touch Iraqi oil, it will be immune from legal proceedings in the United States.” …

So in a little more than two months the Bush administration staked claim to and received UN approval to every significant asset and resource Iraq has in the world, established sole power over how to spend Iraq’s oil money, and indemnifies its corporate cronies from liability.

One can thus see the urgency emanating from the White House concerning “Benchmarks” – resulting in ‘troop surge,’ an Allawi (?) coup, and various “reports” on the ‘situation in Iraq, all differing but the main thrust being failure.

Index Research started documenting these developments, first in March 2006, in PNAC: Rebuilding America's Defenses - A Biopsy on Imperialism; Part II: "Special Interests" - The Persian Gulf (07.03.06) . This included the vitally important Platform document by Greg Muttitt, Crude Designs. 

CRUDE DESIGNS, BY GREG MUTTITT, NOVEMBER 2005

From this period on, mainstream media had no excuse to represent the “sharing” Iraq oil agreement without also demonstrating that Iraq actually had NO ‘share’ in her own oil. However, this omission is exactly what happened - and frequently continues to happen.

Index Research continued to document the daily Iraq oil crisis as the situation became more acute in The Iraq Oil Crunch: Index Timeline , which tracks the drama through 12 May 2007.

The Iraqi parliament is said to be meeting again, after a month’s recess, on Tuesday.

Appendix ONE follows the development of the oil crisis from 12 May until the present moment, with oil companies and the US government waiting for the kill. This desperate country, destroyed by the US government with the help of "the coalition of the willing" deserves its own oil. Now.
 

APPENDIX ONE: IRAQ OIL CRISIS 12 MAY - 3 SEPTEMBER 2007

Leading Iraqi Labor Leaders to Tour U.S. During their visit, they will address members of Congress, labor audiences and the general public about the impact the U.S. occupation has had on the labor movement and daily lives of working people in Iraq. They will speak about reconstruction and will explain why the labor movement is opposed to the proposed hydrocarbon law favored by the Bush administration and oil corporations which would put foreign oil corporations in effective control of 2/3 of Iraq's undeveloped oil reserves. They will also describe the likely consequences if the occupation continues, what might occur if it abruptly ends and prospects for a stable, democratic, non-sectarian future for Iraq.
Their tour is cosponsored by U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).
Washington, DC: June 4-7
Los Angeles: June 7-10
San Jose, Santa Cruz: June 10
Berkeley/San Francisco: June 11-12
Boston: June 13-15
New York City: June 16-19
Philadelphia: June 19
Chicago/Milwaukee: June 20-23
Washington, DC: June 24-26
Atlanta: June 27-28

Iraqi Oil Workers address US Congress
Iraq occupation Focus No. 69. ‘Hasan Jum’a Awwad, Head of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, has urged Congress “not to link withdrawal with the oil law”. In an Open Letter, he wrote: “Everyone knows that the oil law does not serve the Iraqi people, and that it serves Bush, his supporters and the foreign companies at the expense of the Iraqi people who have been wronged and deprived of their right to their oil despite enduring all difficulties. The general public in Iraq is totally convinced that Bush wants to rush the promulgation of the oil law so as to be leaving Iraq with a victory of sorts, because his project is failing every day and the occupation is collapsing in all parts of Iraq.” ‘

Iraqis resist U.S. pressure to enact oil law
13.05.07. LA Times. It has not even reached parliament, but the oil law that U.S. officials call vital to ending Iraq's civil war is in serious trouble among Iraqi lawmakers, many of whom see it as a sloppy document rushed forward to satisfy Washington's clock.

US Imperial Ambitions Thwart Iraqi’s Peace Plans
12.05.07. J. Holland, Alternet. Iraq’s resistance groups have offered a series of peace plans that might put an end tohe country’s sectarian violence, but they’ve been ignored by the U.S.-led coalition because they’re opposed to foreign occupation and privatization of oil.

Petition. Oppose the Theft of Iraq’s Oil.
The Iraqi Parliament will soon vote on a US-backed law that could hand too much oil revenue and control to foreign corporations. The Iraqi Parliament will soon vote on a US-backed law that could hand too much oil revenue and control to foreign corporations. A Sunni, Shia and Kurd Parliamentarian are planning to stand together and present this petition to the Iraqi Parliament. They want us to help them show that the world supports Iraq's right to its own oil and its own future. Sign petition to help Avaaz.org reach 100,000 signatures before they present it.

Kucinich to Speak for Full Hour on House Floor on Iraq Oil Law -- Watch C-Span
23.05.07. David Swanson, Op Ed. This will be the first time in Congress that there has been a full discussion of the covert efforts to accomplish privatization of Iraq's oil through the supplemental spending bill.

Video. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich: "Privatizing Iraq's Oil is Theft!" 7 Min. Rep. Kucinich explained how the proposed Bill, now pending before the U.S. Congress, via its benchmarks, will provide for the privatization of Iraqi oil. It requires the regime in Iraq to pass a law called, "The Hydrocarbon Act." If they refuse to do so over a billion dollars in reconstruction funds will be blocked by the Bush-Cheney administration, he claimed. - Unless the scheme is stopped, Rep. Kucinich predicted, we will be looking at an Iraqi War "going on forever!"

Deadline looms on unseettled oil issue
25.05.07. Washington Times.

Curse of Oil and Iraq’s Disintegration
25.05.07. Dr. Mustafa Alani, Arab News/uruknet. ...During the last four years, news about the escalating violence in Iraq has dominated media headlines across the world. Media reports have been full of the news of violence in the by now well-known hotspots like Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi, and Diyala. However, there is very little news about the violence endured by Iraqi people living in other regions and cities of the country. The daily violent struggle in the two oil-rich cities of Kirkuk and ! Basra has a special meaning for Iraqi people and is of significance for the state (...) Basra has been effectively out of the central government’s control since the invasion of the country, and it is unlikely that government’s authority can be restored in the near future. The Baghdad government is paralyzed, and unable or unwilling to stop the sectarian "cleansing" in Basra, or the ongoing fight for control of the province and its resources. The rival Shiite political groups, small and big — many depending on support coming from across the international borders — are working hard to secure some formula that could guarantee a partial or complete separation of Basra from the rest of the state. A de-facto separation is now in existence, which means that Basra and its oil wealth are at the mercy of ambitious and ruthless local warlords who have no consideration for or attachment to the country or its national interests...

What Congress Really Approved: Benchmark No. 1: Privatizing Iraq's Oil for US Companies
26.05.07. Ann Wright, Truth out. Retired Army Colonel Ann Wright says the supplemental bill Congress passed to continue funding the Iraq war is really about "stealing Iraq's oil - the second largest reserves in the world. The "benchmark," or goal, the Bush administration has been working on furiously since the US invaded Iraq is privatization of Iraq's oil. Now they have Congress blackmailing the Iraqi Parliament and the Iraqi people: no privatization of Iraqi oil, no reconstruction funds."

“On Thursday, May 24, the US Congress voted to continue the war in Iraq. The members called it "supporting the troops." I call it stealing Iraq's oil - the second largest reserves in the world. The "benchmark," or goal, the Bush administration has been working on furiously since the US invaded Iraq is privatization of Iraq's oil. Now they have Congress blackmailing the Iraqi Parliament and the Iraqi people: no privatization of Iraqi oil, no reconstruction funds.”

When Oil and Water Mix
26.05.07. Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich, ICH. ‘ America's relentless drive to dominate the Middle East and its oil, blends well with Israel's insatiable appetite for water and unstoppable expansion. It is said that oil and water do not mix - but when they do, it becomes a lethal concoction with no easy solution. The fatal blend engulfing the Middle East today seems to have no end in sight other than darker clouds showering more innocent blood.’

JUNE 2007

Was Iraq invaded to boost oil prices? Value of Exxon reserves rose by $666bn
01.06.07. S. Ross, ICH blog.

Iraqi Oil Workers On Strike
04.06.07. Downing St.org. Workers began the strike at 6.30 this morning by shutting two 14" pipelines carrying oil and gas products inside Iraq.

Congressman Kucinich to Receive Statement By Iraqi Oil Workers Union
05.06.07. Common Dreams. U.S. Government's Role in Privatizing Iraqi

Iraqi Oil Ministry Hopes To Have Oil Law Signed Within 1 Month
05.06.07. Reuters. The Iraqi government said Tuesday it hopes the country's hydrocarbons law will be signed soon

Oil Strikers Met by Iraqi Troops
07.06.07. UPI / Truthout. On the third day of an oil strike in southern Iraq, the Iraqi military surrounded oil workers and the prime minister issued arrest warrants for the union leaders, sparking an outcry from supporters and international unions.

Iraqis to U.S. Congress: Back off oil law
08.06.07. Earthtimes. WASHINGTON, June 8 Iraqi union leaders met with a U.S. congressman they say is their biggest friend in Washington, urging a united front against Iraq's draft oil law.

Faleh Abood Umara, general secretary of the Iraq Federation of Oil Unions, and Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, president of the Electrical Utility Workers Union, called the proposed law a theft of Iraq's oil.

U.S. Ignorant of Iraq Oil Law
15.06.07. B. Lando, Monsters and Critics.

Nobel Laureates Condemn Iraq Oil Law. US.
20.06.07. UPI. Six Nobel Peace Prize Laureates weighed in on the proposed Iraq oil law, worried Iraq's citizens will lose out, and urging the United States to back off.

Iraq oil law deadline approaches
20.06.07. ameinfo. The Iraq National Oil Company would have exclusive control of just 17 of Iraq's 80 known oil fields, leaving two thirds of yet to be exploited areas open potentially to foreign control.

Iraq parl't to sit longer to focus on key laws
23.06.07. Reuters. Iraq's parliament voted on Saturday to cut its summer holiday by a month to give lawmakers more time to pass a package of laws Washington views as key to fostering national reconciliation between Iraq's warring sects. The move is likely to be welcomed by the United States, although the draft laws have yet to be presented to parliament for debate. Analysts say the Shi'ite, Kurd and Sunni Arab political blocs have shown little willingness to compromise on key issues.

Six Nobel Peace Prize Recipients Oppose Iraq Oil Law
26.06.07. A. Juhasz, US Labor Against War. 'While the Bush administration has repeatedly claimed that the war in Iraq is not about oil, U.S. oil corporations are poised to take control over the 115 billion barrels of known oil reserves - 10 percent of the world total. The Bush administration's proposed new oil law for Iraq, set to go before Iraq's Parliament this month, would transform Iraq's oil industry from a nationalized model to a commercial model that is much more open to U.S. corporate control. Its provisions allow much (if not most) of Iraq's oil revenues to flow out of Iraq and into the pockets of international oil companies. At NWI's First International Conference women from the US and Iraq educated participants on the perils of this proposed law and the Nobel Peace Prize laureates signed the following statement. ...'

JULY 2007

Maliki’s government on verge of collapse
01.07.07. Kareem Zair, Azzaman / uruknet. The government of Nouri al-Maliki is not only losing its control of the country but also its role as a representative administration. .. The coalition holds 44 seats in the 275-member parliament.

Iraq takes step closer to landmark oil law
03.07.07. Reuters. Iraq's cabinet approved changes to a draft hydrocarbon law on Tuesday and sent it to parliament for immediate debate, taking a big step towards meeting a key political target set by the United States.

Sadr bloc joins Sunnis in rejecting Iraq oil law
05.07.07. AFP / aljazeera. Followers of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Thursday joined a growing chorus of Sunni Arab, Kurdish and Shiite opposition to a draft oil law backed by Washington.

Those So-Called Oil Contracts in Iraq
06.07.07. JEAN GERARD, Counterpunch. 'So-called "oil contracts" have been on the table of the Iraqi Parliament for months, and the fluff of lies printed about them in U..S. media is nauseating. Every report I have been able to find in the general media has been long on inferences and short on facts. The result is that the average American knows nothing about them, and even those of us who try to follow important policy matters cannot find out more than the simple assertion that there are such things as Production Sharing Agreements, and that their signing is one of the "benchmarks" the US has put up as a requirement for our withdrawal of military forces.'

Iraqi lawmaker quits energy panel over oil law
07.07.07. Reuters. A member of Iraq's parliamentary energy committee quit on Saturday in protest over a draft oil law, which Washington hopes will [help ease] sic violence between Iraq's warring Shi'ite and Sunni Arabs.

Oil law to plunge country into more chaos
09.07.07. Saad Abbas, Azzaman/uruknet. Disappointment will be the only fruit that we are going to reap from the new oil law as we did from all other U.S.-sponsored 'milestones’. Instead of "a gift to all the Iraqi people" as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki described the draft oil law his government approved a few days ago, there are clear signals that the bill will turn into 'poison’ for Iraq as a nation. It is an oppressive bill that Maliki and his ministers signed and passed to parliament for approval.

Opposition to America's Oil Grab Is Unifying Iraqis
12.07.07. Alternet.
Video Iraq: Mixing Oil & BloodA controversial new Middle East oil law could lead to the "disintegration" of Iraq as a nation state. Two of the region's most respected commentators, including the co-author of the new Iraq Oil Law and a former oil minister, have each expressed their "gravest concern" at what they believe could happen within their country if the law is approved in its current form.

KBR

KBR Shares Hit New Highs on New Business.
13.07.07. AP / Forbes. Already last month, KBR was one of three companies awarded respective $5 billion contracts from the Army to provide food and shelter to U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. ... On the military side of the business, the U.S. Navy on Wednesday awarded KBR an $8.5 million contract boost for additional services for personnel at two Iraqi oil platforms. The company will perform the work in waters off the coast of Iraq through November 2007.

Bush's optimism is impossible to square with the situation in Iraq.
13.07.07. P. Cockburn, Independent. Oil pipelines are sabotaged by insurgents and punctured by thieves. "In just one stretch of pipeline between Baghdad and Baiji, we found 1,488 holes," the Oil Minister, Hussein Shahristani, told the Iraqi parliament, speaking of a importantpipe that brings oil product to the capital from Baiji refinery. He added: "It doesn't function as a pipeline... it's more like a sieve."

MPs want to put draft oil law to referendum.
14.07.07. Azzaman. Iraqi legislators opposing the new draft law for the exploration of oil and the distribution of oil revenues say its passage should be determined by the Iraqi people. ... The fields of Basra ( (where UK troops are) and Missan hold more than 65% of the country's proven reserves estimated at 115 billion barrels.

Benchmark Bogie: A guide to the stuggle over Iraq's Oil.
14.07.07. A. Juhatsz, Alternet. "The law would change Iraq's oil system from a nationalized model -- all but closed to U.S. oil companies -- to a privatized model open to foreign corporate control. At least two-thirds of Iraq's oil would be open to foreign oil companies under terms that they usually only dream about, including 30-year-long contracts. (For details of the law, see my March 2007 New York Times Op-Ed, "Whose Oil Is It, Anyway?") ... With few exceptions, the American press has adopted the adminstration's language and continually and virtually exclusively refers to the oil law as a revenue sharing measure -- ignoring completely the fact that Iraqis would only be able to share the revenues left over after the foreign oil companies received their very sizeable cut." (Ed: this sentence is also applicable to The Guardian-who should know better. In two recent articles, they have not mentioned the US 'cut" of Iraqi oil. .)

Fight for control: Iraq oil under pressure.
15.07.07. H. Steward, Observer. Long before coalition troops arrived in Iraq in 2003, anti-war campaigners warned that George Bush's real motive was to grab its oil reserves. While the violence continues to rage, workers in the devastated country's energy industry are warning that America and Britain are pressing Baghdad to hand over control of its oil industry to foreign multinationals.

Iraqi lawmaker quits energy panel over oil law.
16.07.07. US Labor Against War. Usama al-Nujeyfi told a small news conference that the proposal would cede too much control to global companies and "ruin the country's future". He vowed to work to defeat the draft in parliament.

Hundreds of Iraqis Protest Oil Law in Basra.
16.07.07. US Labor Against War. Basra, Iraq Today hundreds of Iraqis, led by the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU), took to the streets of Basra to demand that the Iraqi Parliament reject the proposed Oil Law. [1] Simultaneous demonstrations took place in Amara and Nassiryya. Local governate officials made statements in support of the demonstration and, along with the governor of Basra, have committed to sending letters to the Minister of Oil supporting the Union's demands. ...
Forbes described the demonstration as "Dozens of people demonstrated in the southern city of Basra ... " without mentioning the other demonstrations.

Iraq Kurd PM: Swift Oil Law Approval.. See also Bombs kill at least 85 in Kirkuk - Iraq police (16.07.07, Reuters).

US politicians unite on anger over Maliki.
17.07.07. MSNBC. "We have given them their opportunity," she (Mrs. Clinton) said. " They cannot expect to have any more of our aid [sic} unless they begin to do what they must do to take care of themselves. ... An interim US progress report on the war last week declared that Iraq was failing to make satisfactory progress towards a series of political goals, including a law to ensure fair {sic] distribution of oil revenues among rival factions. ... But with Iraqi lawmakers on vacation in August, the chances of a political breakthrough before September appear slim.

"Iraq oil law 'benchmark' likely to be missed, official says.
17,07.07. UPI. The (U.S.-made) benchmark for Iraq's government to pass an oil law is "unfortunate" and will likely be missed, a senior Iraqi official said. "The political environment here (in the United States) impinges directly" on what happens in Baghdad, especially talk of withdrawing troops, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

Iraq's new coalition: the insurgents.
18.07.07, Seumas Milne, Guardian / uruknet. Seven of the most important Sunni-led insurgent organisations fighting the US occupation in Iraq have agreed to form a public political alliance with the aim of preparing for negotiations in advance of an American withdrawal, their leaders have told the Guardian. In their first interview with the western media since the US-British invasion of 2003, leaders of three of the insurgent groups - responsible for thousands of attacks against US and Ir! aqi armed forces and police - made clear that they would continue their armed resistance until all foreign troops were withdrawn from Iraq, and denounced al-Qaida for sectarian killings and suicide bombings against civilians (...) Leaders of the three groups - who did not use their real names in the interview - said the new front, which brings together all the main Sunni-based armed organisations except al-Qaida and the Ba'athists, has agreed the main planks of a joint political programme, including a commitment to free Iraq from all foreign troops, rejection of any cooperation with parties involved in the political institutions set up under the occupation, and a declaration that all decisions and agreements made by the US occupation and Iraqi government are null and void...

Iraq: Oil Workers Mount Protest in Basra.
20.07.07. infoshop. The executive bureau of Basra's trade unions organized a large demonstration on Monday, where hundreds of workers called for reconsidering the oil and gas law and the government's recent decision to increase fuel prices.

Iraq Unions Vow Mutiny over Oil Law.
20.07.07. UPI.

Iraqi PM urges parliament to cancel or limit summer break to pass laws seen as crucial by US.
21.07.07. Newspress.

Iraq Oil : Iraq's Ministry of Oil to receive training program from USTDA.
22.07.07. Portal Iraq. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is funding a $2.5 million multifaceted training program for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil that addresses the issues of management, technical/engineering and human resources development.

Resisting the plans to control Iraq's oil.
20.07.07. S. Assaf, trinicenter. Iraqi union leader Hassan Jumaa Awad recently visited Britain to raise awareness of the US's attempts to grab hold of his country's oil resources. The US wants to get it hands on Iraq's oil wealth and is pressuring the Iraqi government to pass a law that will mortgage the country's future, says Hassan Jumaa Awad, the leader of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions.

Iraq oil law stalled after break, MPs say.
23.07.07. Earthtimes. BAGHDAD, July 23 Two Iraqi parliamentarians say the controversial law governing Iraq's oil won't be voted on until at least after a planned August recess.

Shahristani: Iraq oil unions not legit.
25.07.07. Earthtimes. Iraq's [US]oil minister said Iraq's oil unions are not legitimate and have no more standing in the debate over the oil law than an ordinary citizen.

Iraq: Oil and Gas Legislation, Revenue Sharing, and U.S. Policy.
(updated) 26.07.07. CRS Report

Iraq is a mass of contradictions; Oil is at the Center.
28.07.07. B. Lando, alternet.

Iraq parliament adjourns for summer recess without passing key laws.
30.07.07. The Jurist.

Iraq Oil Law in Limbo.
31.07.07. Herald sun / anti-war.com.

Steel Workers Union Leader Writes Congress About Labor Rights and the Oil (theft) Law in Iraq.
31.07.07. The following letter was sent to Congressional and Senatorial leaders by Leo Gerard, President of the United Steel Workers union. This union also represents the oil industry workers in the U.S.

Iraq Oil Ministry: No Dealing with Unions.
31.07.07. B. Lando, alternet.

AUGUST 2007

Pres. Sweeney's Letter to Prime Minister of Iraq About Labor Rights.
02.08.07. US labor against war. US Labor Against the War urges its affiliates, all labor organizations, and individual workers to let the government of Iraq know that the world is watching and will not allow them to continue violating labor rights of Iraqi union members with impunity. But we must also tell the U.S. Congress that its support for a "benchmark" calling for adoption of the Oil (theft) Law makes it an accomplice in this crime.

Good news from Baghdad at last: the oil law has stalled.
03.08.07. J. Steele, Guardian. The panic and distraction of the security crisis should not be used as cover for handing Iraq's wealth to foreigners. the administration - particularly the vice-president, Dick Cheney - and the oil lobby are enraged that the oil law is stalled. The main reason is not that the Iraqi government and parliament are a lazy bunch of Islamist incompetents or narrow-minded sectarians, as is often implied. MPs are studying the law more carefully, and have begun to see it as a major threat to Iraq's national interest regardless of people's religion or sect.

This is the second bit of good news from Iraq. Civil society, trade unions, professional oil experts and the media are stirring on the oil issue and putting their points across to parliament in the way democracy is meant to work. The oil unions have held strikes even at the risk of having leaders and members arrested.

Top Iraq MP: No Oil Law Under Occuptaion.
03.08.07. UPI.

Iraq's wealth in the balance.
04.08.07. Hussein Abdallah, Al-Ahram Weekly/uruknet. The present draft Iraq oil law is virtually guaranteed to betray the vital interests of Iraqis, writes Hussein Abdallah

Iraq [sic] imposes 'Saddam style' ban on oil union.
05.08.07. H. Stewart, Observer. 'This means the union has lost any negotiating rights as regards their terms and conditions, as well as in regard to discussions of the oil law,' said Sami Ramadani of Naftana, the UK-based support committee for the union, who is himself an exile from Saddam's regime. 'The union is definitely defying this, and it has the support of the workers: that's its strength.'

The struggle for Iraq's oil flares up as Kurds open doors to foreign investors.
07.08.07. Guardian. With the Bush administration pressing the Iraqi government to pass a new hydrocarbons law, there are widely voiced assumptions that it will bulldoze the oil industry into privatisation, and that foreign firms - meaning US ones - will unfairly reap the rewards. A survey published yesterday by a group of British and American NGOs suggested most Iraqis oppose plans to open the oilfields to foreign investment.

Iraq says no to oil theft.
07.08.07. John Hilary, uruknet. The population of Iraq want some say in how their country's oil reserves are developed. We must support them. Only two things seem to bridge the sectarian divide in today's Iraq. One is football, as shown in last week's celebrations among Sunnis, Shias and Kurds when the national team beat Saudi Arabia to win the Asian Cup. The other is oil - or, to be precise, how best to use Iraq's massive oil reserves in order to build some form of future prosperity on the ruins of occupation and civil war. / A unique public opinion survey has just been published which asked respondents from all sections of Iraqi society whether they feel the country's oil sector should be opened up to development by multinationals such as Shell, BP and Exxon, or kept under the control of Iraqi public sector companies instead. Eight in 10 believed that wise use of Iraq's oil could still provide some prosperity for them and their children in the future.

Iraqis oppose oil development plans, poll finds.
War on Want. Further setback for US / UK as Iraqis reject oil privatisation. 63% of poll respondents said they would prefer Iraq’s oil to be developed and produced by Iraqi public sector companies rather than foreign companies.

It's Time To Withdraw Iraq's Oil Law.
07.08.07. B Lando, Alternet. Iraq is a bloodbath. Why is Washington in such a hurry to get an oil law passed?

Iraq leadership in disarray as ministers quit Cabinet.
08.08.07. timesonline. Iraq leadership in disarray as ministers quit Cabinet. Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, is battling to survive a political crisis after losing almost half his Cabinet to boycotts and resignations after a spate of disputes over policy and performance. / In the latest blow, four secularist ministers who are loyal to Ayad Allawi, a former interim Iraqi leader, withdrew from Cabinet meetings, less than a week after the main Sunni bloc quit. Both groups blamed a failure by Mr al-Maliki to respond to demands for political reform.

Total and Chevron agree to work together in Iraq.
09.08.07. businesstimes. Two of the world’s biggest oil companies have signed an agreement to work together on projects in Iraq in the first clear sign that Western energy companies are preparing to enter the country.

Red Rag to US bull?
Iran, Iraq to build oil pipeline.
09.08.07 presstv.

Oil and occupation.
9-15,07, G. Nassar, ahram.org. The occupation of Iraq would give the US control over the Caspian Sea, the site of much of Iran's oil. It would enable the US to extend its influence from Darfur to West Africa and from East Timor to the Gulf, and perhaps even control China's oil needs. The US has a grand plan, and central to that plan is the protection of Israel's security. The latter has been one of Washington's top priorities for 60 years.

What Unites Iraqis: Blocking Western Petroleum Companies From Seizing Control of Their Oil.
09.08.07. J. Holland, Alternet. Despite ethnic bloodshed in Iraq majorities of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds are united in their disapproval of the oil laws that Washington and Big Oil are pushing.

Hundreds of experts discount Iraq Oil law.
09.08.07. UPI.

9[US-]IRAQ hopes to call open race for its oil in September.
09.08.07,. Reuters. ... Some analysts have said [Condi's]oil major ConocoPhillips, which holds 20% in Lucoil could help the Russian company receive the contract."

US and French Oil Conglomerates Share the Spoils of War.
10.08.07. David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle, with an introduction by Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research

Iraq experts: referendum on oil law.
10.08.07. UPI.

Howard warns Maliki: act or face pullout.
11.08.07. Sign [Bremmer} oil contract ... or else ...

The Iraq Oil Ministry: In the Service of the Oil Companies?.
11.08.07. R. Jacobs, Znet.

will UK troops leave when this is finished?
Al Basrah Oil Terminal Renovation Project Nears Completion
11.08.07. Grant Sattler, Gulf Region Division, blackanthem. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invested $67.5 million to rehabilitate the export facility 50 km offshore in the Arabian Gulf. Currently, one and a half million barrels of crude oil a day leave Iraq via tankers on-loading at ABOT. That volume is roughly half of the terminal loading capacity of 3 million barrels per day achieved with the upgrade./ Iraq’s economy is dominated by crude oil export accounting for 97 percent of the government’s revenue. The GRD has been working to improve the country’s ability to get its crude oil to world markets through renovation of key components of the oil infrastructure. The $1.7 billion effort has been funded by the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, but is only a fraction of the $8 billion needed, according to a Coalition Provisional Authority estimate./ Prior to renovation ABOT illustrated the condition of the entire Iraqi oil infrastructure. Designed and commissioned by Brown and Root in 1974, the 30-year-old technology was in serious disrepair from decades of under funding, lack of preventive maintenance, and war damage from the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and the Gulf War. ... Anderson said, “The Corps came out with [construction contractor] AFI and [Parsons Iraq Joint Venture] on Phase 1 to do a refurbishment of the loading arms and the rigging. The functional part of the arms weren’t in real good shape.” In fact, an April 2003 assessment found the loading arms to be operating at only a quarter of their design rate and leaking excessively.

Cheney, Putin, and the Battle for Iraqi Oil
13.08.07. Jonathan Cutler, uruknet. ---If the US invasion of Iraq was motivated, in part, by the desire to prevent Russia from winning access to Iraqi oil after the collapse of UN sanctions, then Cheney is being well served by his Shiite friends in Iraq. I first made that argument in an April 2007 post entitled, "The US-Russian War in Iraq" in which I suggested that the details of the draft hydrocarbons law tended to leave Russian-backed companies–especially Lukoil–out in the cold. Last we! ek, Sistani-backed oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani confirmed Russian fears. In meetings with Shahristani, Russia sought to use the promise of debt relief to win better terms for Lukoil. According to Kommersant, that plan to make debt relief conditional appears to have crumbled...

The Bipartisan Guarantee of More War in Iraq
15.08.07. Chris Floyd, ICH. 'We invaded your country. We occupied your country. We wrote your constitution, in which the arbitrary decrees of our colonial viceroy were imposed as fundamental law. We looted your money. We armed your sectarians. And we are going to keep a large number of troops in your country, come what may. But we aren't going to baby-sit you anymore. No, if you don't get your act together -- and sign the goddamned Oil Law already -- we are just going to withdraw to our permanent bases and watch you kill each other. -- That is the sum total of the leading Democratic candidate's position on Iraq.'

Prominent Iraqis criticise oil law
15.08.07. Ahmed Janabi, aljazeera. A statement, signed by 419 Iraqi oil experts, economists and intellectuals, expresses grave concern that the newly proposed law would deprive Iraq from its most vital resource, oil and give foreign companies domination over Iraq's wealth.

Iraq oil law up in Sept., official says
16.08.07. eathtimes. WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 A top official in the Iraqi Embassy in Washington expects the oil law to top Parliament's agenda when lawmakers return to session at the start of next month.

Tomgram: Michael Klare, Tough Oil on Tap
16.08.07. Tomgram / Michael Klare. The New Energy Pessimism; On Tap: The Tough-Oil Era ; A Demanding World ; The Missing Trillions.

Iraq gov't summit won't discuss oil law
17.08.07. eathtimes. "The summit will not discuss the oil and gas draft laws and the deBaathification law," he said.
Both laws are prickly in Iraq's fragile and terse political climate. Various factions can't agree on how much access foreign and private companies should have to Iraq's reserves, as well as how strong the central, regional and local governments should be in deciding how the reserves are explored, developed and produced.

Iraq delegation to Syria to talk about oil
17.08.07. earthtimes. "Talks with the Syrian side will concentrate on discussing the security and oil fields and activating former agreements in the security and economic fields, as well as the Syrian desire to import crude oil from Iraq," Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani told the Voices of Iraq news agency. "The talks will also address fixing the oil pipeline between Iraq and Syria, which needs maintenance and protection."

Sesktak Warns Iraqi Oil Law Contains ‘Undue Ability Of U.S. Oil Companies To Control Iraqi Profits’
18.08.07. thinkprogress.org. with video & transcript

Why Iraqis oppose U.S.-backed oil law
19.08.07. David Bacon, sfgate. Workers think foreign firms will take over ’ Across the political spectrum in Washington, members of Congress are now demanding that the Iraqi government meet certain benchmarks, which presumably would show that it's really in charge. But there's a big problem with the most important benchmark: the oil law. It is extremely unpopular in Iraq.

Oil giants rush to lay claim to Iraq
20.08.07. hindu.com. The world’s oil majors will descend on two key conferences about Iraqi oil next month, seizing their last chance to jockey for position before the expected passing of the country’s hydrocarbon law sets off a scramble for its vast energy resources. .. All the big players will be there, including BP, Shell, Exxon and Chevron, as well as minnows such as Addax Petroleum, some of which have operations in Iraq. David Horgan, Managing Director of Petrel Resources, an Irish explorer with a presence in Iraq since 1999, said: “All the oil companies have been salivating at the prospect of Iraq for years.

Western oil group eyes assets in Iraq
23.08.07. NBC/legitgov.org. A large western oil company has offered $700m for oil assets in Iraqi Kurdistan owned by DNO, the small Norwegian oil company. The offer signals that international oil companies are willing to put significant amounts of money into Iraq in spite of the security problems and lack of a legal framework. DNO refused to name the company, but industry executives speculated that Royal Dutch Shell was a possible bidder.

The Problem Isn't Mr. Maliki
24.08.07. The New York Times | Editorial. "His government's deep sectarian urges have also been evident in the continuing failure to enact legislation to fairly share (sic) oil revenues." NB: In spite of all the available information above, the NY Times still appear to remain ignorant of the oil problem in Iraq.

Allawi's Muscle: The CIA-Controlled Iraqi National Intelligence Service
24.08.07. tpmmuchraker.com. Alleged billion dollar thief Hazem Shaalan isn't Ayad Allawi's only infamous friend. Allawi is also a close ally of the head of Iraq's largest intelligence service -- a man who takes his billions from Washington, not Baghdad.

Allawi Lobby Contract Just One Among Many
25.08.07. Spencer Ackerman - TPM Muckraker / uruknet. "It's not just Barbour Griffith & Rogers, and it's not just Ayad Allawi. Ten different U.S. firms are registered through the Department of Justice's Foreign Agents Registration Act database as having active contracts with various Iraqi factions." The 10 firms are listed.

Bush, al-Maliki and the Press
27.08.07. A. DiMaggio, Counterpunch – ICH. Chronicle of a Coup Foretold? Consider the most recent example of disdain for Iraqi national sovereignty: the U.S. attempt to overthrow of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The attempted coup has been received rather well in slavish, sycophantic coverage throughout the American press. The axiom presented amongst U.S. political and media elites is lucid enough: the United States retains the "right" to impose any "necessary" changes in other countries' political and economic structures, all in the name of promoting the greater good. The greater good in this case? ˇ preventing civil war and societal meltdown.

Iraq Has No New Oil Law, and No Gas
27.08.07. aliveinbagdad.org. While US officials on all sides criticize the Iraqi Parliament’s failure to pass an oil law, no one is asking a more critical question to the government’s local credibility and functionality, where is all the gas?

Is Allawi's Bloc Back in the Government?
28.08.07. Iraqslogger.com. After "Resignations," Three of Ex-PM's Five Ministers Attend Cabinet Meeting.

Analysts: Lobbyists Must Name Allawi's Backer
29.08.07. C. Davidson, iraqslogger.com. DC Lobbying Firm's Initial Statements to Justice Dept. Inaccurate, Incomplete

Maliki: I won't resign, can't be forced out
29.08.07. McClatchy.

Shell And Dow Prepare $2.1 Billion Iraqi Petro
29.08.07. forbes. Anglo-Dutch oil company Royal Dutch Shell is reportedly in talks with Dow Chemical to develop an Iraqi petrochemical plant for $2.1 billion, in a likely attempt to gain a strong foothold prior to the hoped-for opening up of the country's broken oil industry. But analysts believe the project itself has little hope of being profitable.

Iraq's resources
29.08.07. IHT. Over the years the media (not the bloggers!) has been strangely silent concerning the commercial oil deals made in Iraq during the occupation. . Now the truth is evident as the United States pulls out all the stops to manipulate the Iraqi Parliament to pass an oil law in September that would give control of Iraqi oil to foreign interests, in particular, U.S. oil companies. . While the vast majority of those who opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq speculated that the real reason to invade had to do with control of Iraqi oil, they had no proof. . Over the years the media has been strangely silent concerning the commercial oil deals made in Iraq during the occupation. . Now the truth is evident as the United States pulls out all the stops to manipulate the Iraqi Parliament to pass an oil law in September that would give control of Iraqi oil to foreign interests, in particular, U.S. oil companies. . For decades, Iraqi oil was nationalized and the extraction/production was run by Iraqis. This new legislation gives much control of Iraq's vital natural resource to foreign oil companies, notably American ones closely associated with the Bush/Cheney administration. Wake up, Americans. Understand the real reasons behind this war. Stand up, Iraqis. Do not allow your government to give away your natural resources under foreign pressure.

Approval of Iraq's oil law in sight
29.08.07. reuters - presstv.ir.

Why did Wikpedia vanish the al-Maliki's exile?
29.08.07. Mike McKinnon, uruk.net. The question for tonight is who edited Nouri al-Maliki's entry at Wikipedia? Recently, we learned that the CIA and Fox "News" were among those editing entries at Wikipedia. If you go to the Wikipedia entry for Nouri al-Maliki, you find something very interesting (...) Wikipedia offers a history archive of each page. I went back to 2006 when he was becoming prime minister and this was the topic listing then: 1 Early life 2 Exile 3 Return to Iraq 4 Pri! me Minister nomination 5 References 6 External links Do you see the second item? "2. Exile." It's followed by "3. Return to Iraq." What happened to those? They've been "disappeared."...

Behind Allawi's Bid for Power
29.08.07. NBC-newsweek. The former Iraqi prime minister speaks out on how he hired a well-connected Washington lobbying firm to help pave his attempt to oust the current government. Who’s footing the bill?

US-Allawi Coup May Be On Its Way
30.08.07. Arianna Huffington, HP – ICH.
As we all await the Petraeus Report on the state of the surge, we may also need to be anticipating the Allawi Coup.

Iraq leftists protest key oil bill
31.08.07. AFP. Dozens of Iraqis protested in central Baghdad on Saturday against the expected debate in parliament later this month of a draft oil law Washington deems a cornerstone of reconciliation efforts. The demonstration was called by left-wing groups opposed to moves to open up Iraq's oil and gas sector to Western firms in the same bill that aims to reassure Sunnis that earnings will be fairly shared among the country's divided communities.

VIDEO
Hassan Jumaa, President of Iraqi Federation of Oil Union. Hassan describes the Union's campaign against the proposed Hydrocarbon Law, which will see much of Iraq's oil wealth fall into the hands of foreign oil companies.


SEPTEMBER 2007

Some see 'coup' as Iraq's best hope
01.09.08. Chicago Tribune. Ex-premier Allawi building political bloc to challenge al-Maliki. In the lobbies of luxury hotels and the apartments of exiles, an assortment of Iraqi politicians has been spending the summer vacation plotting a new Iraqi coup - a non-violent, parliamentary coup to be sure, but a coup nonetheless, that would oust (US Puppet )Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, declare a state of emergency and install a new (”democratic?” ) government.

Oil firms to submit $1bn Iraq development plan
02.09.07. Reuters – uruk.net. Addax Petroleum and Genel Enerji expect to submit a $1 billion development plan within weeks to Iraq's Kurdish region for their joint venture TTopco's Taq Taq oilfield, a TTopco executive said Sunday. … The region had put new deals on hold while it waited for Baghdad to pass a controversial new federal oil law which stipulates who controls the world's third largest oil reserves and how revenue is distributed.

Iraq's parliament reconvenes on Tuesday

Iraq parliament faces storms over Baathists, oil law
02.09.07. AFP - uruk.net. Iraq's parliament reconvenes on Tuesday for what is expected to be a stormy session over allowing members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party back into positions of power and to tackle a key oil law. Bitterly-divided lawmakers return to the national assembly after a month-long holiday Washington had urged them not to take, just days ahead of a crucial progress report on Iraq to the US Congress. Washington sees resolution of the Baath party issue and the passage of the oil law as benchmarks to measure Iraq's progress towards political reconciliation that will eventually allow a withdrawal of US forces from the war-ravaged country...

Bush in Iraq! (03.09.07)

Brits leave Basra Palace - but they will still be at Basra airport, so many press reports are misleading. (03.09.07)

UPDATES

 

Greenspan: ‘The Iraq war is largely about oil 17.09.07. LA Times. The former Federal Reserve chairman makes the comments in his new book, out today. Greenspan clarifies Iraq war, oil link 17.09.07. Reuters / Washington Post. Clarifying a controversial comment in his new memoir, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said he told the White House before the Iraq war that removing Saddam Hussein was "essential" to secure world oil supplies, according to an interview published on Monday.

Chevron, Total Submit Study On Iraq s Majnoon Devt - Oil Min
18.09.07. CNN. "The ministry has set up a committee headed by Director General of the South Oil Company, Abdul Jabbar Lauby, to study the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding with the two companies," the statement said. However, if a memorandum of understanding is signed with these two companies that doesn't imply they have been promised the right to develop the field, the statement noted.

Iraq war is all about oil
20.09.07. suntimes. Alan Greenspan in his book said, "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows. The Iraq war is largely about oil." I think we should fly an Exxon Mobil flag at military funerals just for the sake of honesty.

 

STILL Uneducated Media Dept. Iraq parliament to discuss key oil law 20.09.07. Reuters. Iraq's parliament should start in early October to debate an oil law, needed to regulate how wealth from world's third largest oil reserves will be shared [ sic by its sectarian and ethnic groups, the deputy speaker said. Bush [Cheney ] Says He's Keeping Eye On Kurdish Oil Deal 20.09.07. rferl.org. Bush has repeatedly said the point of his surge strategy in Iraq is to give the Iraqi government the security it needs to seek reconciliation in the divided country. One part of that effort was a national oil law that would let all Iraqis share the revenues of their country’s most valuable natural resource. That law has been a long time coming and is still stalled in Iraq's parliament. … "Our embassy also expressed concern about it [Hunt deal}. I knew nothing about the deal. I'm -- I need to know exactly how it happened," Bush said. "To the extent that it does undermine the ability for the government to come up with [an] oil revenue-sharing [ sic ] plan that unifies the country, obviously I'm -- if it undermines that, I'm concerned." [ The US specifically built a wall to DIVIDE Iraqis ]

The UN and Iraq, AGAIN
21.09.07. karlmarxwasright / uruknet.
Regarding another flashpoint, the contentious Kirkuk referendum. It appears the Kirkuk referendum will NOT go forward this Fall as initially planned, avoiding immediate military conflict with the US economic ally, Turkey's, "Islamic," AKP government whose "passion is to sell state companies." Meanwhile, the Hunt deal with the KRG is being opportunistically excoriated and seized upon, while Sadr becomes Iraq's Baghdad and Basra Czar and the "internationalization" and privatization, i.e., sell out and sell off, moves forward inexorably, as above. The nominal puppet "central Iraq government" in Baghdad will reign supreme, necessitated by the multinationals and necessary for the international enterprise "lets make a deal."

 

PLATFORM NEWS MPs warn UK government on Iraq oil meddling Notes for Editors [1] EDM 1180 Iraqi Oil: Tabled by Katy Clark MP on March 20th 2007 [2] Kim Howells (Foreign Office Minister of State), in response to parliamentary question (PQ) by Alan Simpson MP 19 February 2007: “Exchanges have included discussion of Iraq’s evolving hydrocarbons legislation where British international oil companies' have valuable perspectives to offer based on their experience in other countries. Discussions with international oil companies on hydrocarbons legislation have included the range of contract types which Iraq is considering. Lord Triesman (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office), in response to PQ by Lord Beaumont 25 June 2007: “The current draft law is a result of negotiations between representatives of all Iraq's main political parties. The UK has during those negotiations encouraged balanced, technically unambiguous legislation, acceptable to Iraq's main political parties, which will provide a legal framework to facilitate much-needed investment in Iraq's oil industry, domestic and international. Were commercial opportunities to become available after the passage of the hydrocarbons legislation, we would be keen to promote UK companies and their expertise in the oil and gas sector”. See here . Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by PLATFORM also reveal that British diplomats in Baghdad and civil servants in Whitehall have worked with oil company lobbyists, helping them obtain direct contact with Iraqi decision-makers. See PLATFORM's submission to the Iraq Commission here. [3] PLATFORM is a member of a coalition calling for 'Hands off Iraqi Oil' along with War on Want, Jubilee Iraq, Iraq Occupation Focus, Naftana, CorporateWatch, and Voices UK. See more here . [4] Carbonweb.org

UPDATES

Bush urges Maliki to press on with laws
25.09.07. NBC. Despite months of US pressure, the Iraqi parliament has yet to agree a new oil law …

Tomgram: Dilip Hiro, It's the Oil, Stupid
25.09.07. Tomdispatch. Before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, discussion of Iraqi oil was largely taboo in the American mainstream, while the "No Blood for Oil" signs that dotted antiwar demonstrations were generally derisively dismissed as too simpleminded for serious debate. American officials rarely even mentioned the word "oil" in the same sentence with "Iraq." When President Bush referred to Iraqi oil, he spoke only of preserving that country's "patrimony" for its people, a sentiment he and Great Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair emphasized in a statement they issued that lacked either the words "oil" or "energy" just as Baghdad fell: "We reaffirm our commitment to protect Iraq's natural resources, as the patrimony of the people of Iraq, which should be used only for their benefit."

Interview: J. Jay Park on the Iraq oil law
26.09.07. B. Lando, energy-daily.com. J. Jay Park's work on international legal petroleum regimes has taken him around the world. He helped craft Somalia's new hydrocarbons law and has led training sessions for officials in Iraq's Oil Ministry. He also represented Western Oil Sands, a Canadian firm, in its deal with the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government. read the interview

Hunt oil deal creating tension in Iraq: US
27.09.07. AFP / legitgov. A US official on Thursday criticised an oil deal between Texas-based Hunt Oil Company and Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), saying it had "needlessly elevated tensions" in Iraq. Hunt had been advised by the US State Department not to enter the deal before the Iraqi parliament passed a [US-backed] national oil bill that will share out [steal] the country's lucrative oil revenues but it went ahead anyway, a US embassy official in Baghdad told reporters.

Iraq in talks with oil majors for plans
27.09.07. Earthtimes. Iraq's government is discussing oil field development with global oil majors as it attempts to boost production amidst security concerns…. Iraq [puppet] Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said earlier this month in Dubai his government would move forward on signing oil deals despite the lack of a modern oil law. That law is stuck in parliamentary debate. Shahristani would rely on 1980s legislation to dictate deals.

The Iraq oil grab that went awry
27,09.07. Dilip Hiro. Here is the sentence in The Age of Turbulence, the 531-page memoir of former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan, that caused so much turbulence in Washington last week: "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil." Honest and accurate, it had the resonance of Bill Clinton's election campaign mantra, "It's the economy, stupid." But, finding himself the target of a White House attack - an administration spokesman labeled his comment "Georgetown cocktail party analysis" - Greenspan backtracked under cover of verbose elaboration. None of this, however, made an iota of difference to the facts on the ground.
Here is a prosecutor's brief for the position that "the Iraq war is largely about oil".

Black gold turns grey as Western giants prepare to draw from the wells of Iraq
30.09.07. Ewa Jasiewicz, Independent. The big oil multinationals thought the prize was theirs under new production-sharing agreements in the war-torn country. But the 'Iraqi wealth for the Iraqi people' movement is growing amid internecine conflicts and trade union resistance. ‘As the executives toasted one another with cocktails sponsored by Lukoil at the Iraq Petroleum 2007 conference in Dubai earlier this month, ordinary Iraqis were living in a state of emergency. … At the same time, a parallel conference was taking place in Basra under the banner, "Oil wealth belongs to the Iraqi people". … Controversy has raged over the provisions of the new law, with political parties, religious authorities, oil experts and trade unions calling for a referendum and a moratorium on any long-term contracts with foreign groups. Planning minister Ali Baban has pledged to resign if the law is passed; the Association of Muslim Scholars has issued a fatwa against it; more than 100 senior technocrats and experts have written to the government boycotting it; and Iraqi oil unions have not ruled out strike action. … A recent research poll commissioned by US and UK human rights groups found that just 4 per cent of Iraqis felt they had received enough information about the oil law. Some 63 per cent said they believed their oil industry should be developed by state companies, with 32 per cent of those indicating a strong preference. … The type of contracts on offer has also been a source of controversy. Production-sharing agreements (PSAs) were the first to be touted by the law – exclusive long-term deals that Iraq's unions liken to earlier, colonial-era concession agreements. These gave companies virtually unlimited profits, and control over the production, depletion and sale of Iraq's oil.

OCTOBER 2007

Kurds in Iraq strike 4 new oil deals, angering Baghdad
03.10.07. IHT. But the deals have aggravated tensions with the Arabs who dominate the national government, calling into question whether Iraqi politicians will ever be able to work out differences on how to develop the huge petroleum reserves. .. The Kurds' new oil and gas exploration production-sharing contracts were signed with Heritage Oil Corp., a publicly traded Canadian concern, and Perenco SA, a privately held French company. .. "Any contracts signed before the approval of the oil law will be ignored or considered illegal," said the spokesman, Assim Jihad. He added that the ministry would take "rigid steps against those who ignore its orders."


Come to Washington this September for the historic union of the 9/11Truth, Peace and Impeachment movements. March with us as we honor the victims of 9/11 and the thousands of casualties of the illegal wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Call for the end of the bogus war on terror, impeachment of the criminals in the White House and restoration of our civil liberties.

[ America built partition walls in Baghdad, similar to the Berlin or Israeli walls, and then unbelievably voted to divide Iraq into three - thus advertising the fact that there never has been and there is NO "Iraqi" government. But In Iraq, the reality is - as it always is - quite different:

Iraq's National Liberation Front
08.10.07. Ibrahim Ebeid and Husayn Al-Kurdi, al-moharer. By far the biggest story and best-kept secret in the Western media has been the steady development of the Resistance to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. While the attention of the U.S. information services and its accomplices has been fixated on the sectarian violence among various ethnic and religious communities, the Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party has steadily been uniting and cooperating with all in Iraq who show themselves to be committed to ridding their country of occupation and restoring it to the exercise of self-determination and a resumption of its role at the forefront of the Arab struggle against Imperialism and Zionism.

Cheney's Oil Law For Iraq Is Neocolonial Theft
08.10.07. globalresearch.ca. Muriel Mirak-Weissbach. Although a great deal more is at stake in the Iraq war than oil, there can be no doubt that the rich petroleum reserves of the country have stood high on the agenda of the war party since long before the 2003 invasion, and continue to be the focus of policy for the occupying powers.

Sunni insurgents form alliance against US
12.10.07. e. MacAskill, Guardian/ICH. · Political umbrella group announced on al-Jazeera· Statement pledges to continue resistance Six Iraqi insurgent groups took a step towards unifying the factions fighting the US yesterday by announcing the creation of a political umbrella organisation.

Analysis: Hunt, State talked on Iraq oil
12.10.07. B. Lando, UPI. A representative from Dallas-based Hunt Oil Corp. did talk with the U.S. State Department prior to signing a controversial oil deal with Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government, according to an internal department communication obtained by United Press International. Hunt Oil, whose chief executive officer is connected to the Bush administration"> by campaign donations and a seat on an intelligence advisory board, had previously denied the meeting.

Iraq regional oil contracts legal: Kurdistan PM
15.10.07. [JURIST] Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani [official profile] defended the legality of the semi-autonomous Kurdish government's Kurdistan Oil and Gas Law [official statement] in an interview aired on Al Jazeera Sunday, faulting the Iraqi national government in Baghdad for failing to finalize oil revenue legislation.

The Impact of Oil Contracts for the Government of Iraqi Kurdistan
16.10.07. Walid Khadduri, Al-Hayat, uruknet.

Deputy PM says Iraq some way off oil law agreement
17.10.07. Reuters. "Most of the elements of the oil law are in place and if we were to decide to go to parliament and...present it any time soon, we probably can muster the political majority it needs to pass," Salih said. "But...we want this law to unify Iraqis, not to divide Iraqis. We will not want this law to pass (with) 51 percent of the vote. We have to have broad acceptance of this law and we have some work to do in that regard," he added, during a discussion at international affairs think tank Chatham House.

It's the Oil
18.10.07. Jim Holt, The London Review of Books / Truthout. None of this is new material for many of us, but it needs to be said again. “Who will get Iraq's oil? One of the Bush administration's 'benchmarks' for the Iraqi government is the passage of a law to distribute oil revenues. The draft law that the US has written for the Iraqi congress would cede nearly all the oil to Western companies. The Iraq National Oil Company would retain control of 17 of Iraq's 80 existing oilfields, leaving the rest - including all yet to be discovered oil - under foreign corporate control for 30 years.”

A FURTHER (hidden) REASON FOR US WAR IN IRAN?
Iraqi Oil Ministry secures propane deal with Iran
21.10.07. portaliraq / legitgov.org. Iraq's Oil Ministry has secured a propane deal with Iran and is making plans to allocate workers to load and deliver the needed fuel. Tehran and Baghdad signed a deal Oct. 15 to supply Iraq with propane from Iran.

Reliance signs northern Iraq oil contract - source
29.10.07. Reuters. Even as Turkish troops mass on the border of northern Iraq, India's Reliance signed a deal on Monday to explore for oil and gas in Iraq's Kurdish region, a senior company official said. Reliance signed the production sharing contract for two exploration blocks with the semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), the source said.

NOVEMBER 2007


Iraq, With U.S. Support, Voids a Russian Oil Contract
04.11.07. NY Times. Guided by American legal advisers, the Iraqi government has canceled a controversial development contract with the Russian company Lukoil for a vast oil field in Iraq’s southern desert, freeing it up for potential international investment in the future. ... The contract presented a quandary for the United States, which has been accused by some critics of invading Iraq for its oil. There is little evidence to date that the war effort has given American oil companies an inside track to Iraq’s reserves, and the Lukoil deal is the only one involving a major oil company to be reversed since the start of the war.
But as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, the United States has argued vigorously for countries to honor petroleum contracts. In that light, condoning the cancellation of the Lukoil contract could be seen in some quarters as evidence of a double standard.

Oil Minister: Iraq allocates US$2 billion for oil investments
15.11.07. IHT. The allocation was contained in the draft US$48.4 billion (€33.1 billion) budget for 2008 which was sent to parliament this week. "We can also increase investment in the oil sector through bringing in foreign companies," Hussain al-Shahristani told reporters at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries summit in the Saudi capital.
[US/iraq oil minister] Al-Shahristani said Iraq is negotiating with oil majors to sign oil fields development contracts. He would not name them, however.

US bolsters platforms to defend Iraq's oil
17.11.07. Telegraph. The US-led coalition is building a permanent security base on Iraq's oil pumping platforms in the Gulf to act as the "nerve centre" of efforts to protect the country's most vital strategic asset. Work on the Tactical Operations Centre on the Khawr al-Amaya terminal should be finished early next month. MAP.

Reliance’s problems in Iraq are just the tip of the iceberg
17.11.07. hiindu.com. The latest difficulties confronting Reliance Industries in Iraq are just the tip of the iceberg for any foreign contractor hoping to enter Iraq’s oil sector, says Mr Roger Howard, author of ‘Iran Oil’ (www.vivagroupindia.com). As reported earlier, Iraqi Oil Minister said on November 15 that Reliance’s deals with Kurdish Region have no standing. And also that the companies which have signed the contracts with the Kurdish Region may compromise their chances of getting future contracts in Iraq. Reliance has said that the two exploration blocks in the Kurdish Region for which it has signed the agreements are within the legal framework.

Swiss oil company admits to Iraq oil kickbacks
21.11.07. xinhuanet. Swiss oil-trading company VitolSA has pleaded guilty to a larceny charge in connection with paying secret kickbacks to the former Iraqi government under the U.N. oil-for-food program, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. .. Prosecutors alleged Vitol paid 13 million dollars in kickbacks to Iraqi officials in connection with oil purchases from June 2001to September 2002 and allowed false representations to be made to the U.N. that no kickbacks were paid. .. Last week, a leading U.S. oil company [see Condi Rice connections] Chevron Corp. agreed to pay 30 million dollars to settle civil and criminal charges related to secret surcharges paid by third-party merchants in exchange for oil from Iraq in the program.

IRAQ: Oil minister may face fraud charges
22.11.07. Sabah Kamel, Azzaman/uruknet. [U.S. controlled] Oil Minister Husain al-Shahristani has failed to provide final accounts on Iraqi oil revenues to the parliament, the head of the parliament’s economic commission said.

Israel to assess access to Iraq's oil
23.11.07. presstv.ir. The US has asked ISRAEL to assess the possibility of pumping oil from Iraqi oil refineries to Haifa, according to Israeli reports. The Zionist regime views the pipeline to Haifa as a bonus that the US can trade in return for explicit support for the invasion of Iraq.

Iraq nullifies Kurdish oil deals
24.11.07. yahoonews. Iraq's oil ministry has declared all crude contracts signed by the Kurdish regional authorities with foreign companies null and void, a government official said on Saturday.

Stealing Iraq oil at heart of Bush foreign policy
28.11.07. G. Hebert, Chesterton Tribune. Bush's number-one non-military objective is to force the Iraqi Parliament to surrender two-thirds of Iraq's OIL fields to private, foreign OIL companies, allowing corporations such as Exxon-Mobil to virtually STEAL Iraq's most valuable economic resource.

Bush-Maliki Agreement Defies US Laws, Iraqi Parliament
30.11.07. Maya Schenwar, t r u t h o u t. Monday's "declaration of principles" between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki indicates the US will maintain a "long-term" presence in Iraq and involve itself closely in the Iraqi oil trade, backsliding on rules made in this year's two largest defense laws. The 2008 Defense Appropriations Act, which Bush signed into law in mid-November, bars the United States from establishing permanent bases in Iraq and from exerting control over Iraqi oil. The 2008 Defense Authorization Act, which has passed the House and Senate and is expected to be sent to the president sometime in the next few weeks, contains similar language. Under both acts, the US is forbidden "to establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United States Armed Forces in Iraq." Although when Bush approved the Appropriations Act, he released a signing statement exempting himself from several of the law's provisions, the proscription against permanent bases was not one of them. Joseph Gerson, ... said that the rule preventing permanent bases in Iraq can be easily dodged. It's a question of language manipulation, according to Gerson.

Interview: Leading Iraq's oil workers
30.11.07. b. Lando, UPI. "National expertise and resources are capable of enhancing production in the oil industry," Hassan Jumaa Awad, president of the umbrella Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, told United Press International Friday.

VIDEO
3 Videos: Daniel Estulin
author: The Bilderberg Group in a Snowshoe Documentary Film. Discussion on Peak Oil, and much more. Must Watch.

DECEMBER 2007

US envoy presses Iraq to pass laws aiding 'political reconciliation'
02.12.07. Jurist. US Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte [official profile] said Sunday at a news conference in Baghdad that Iraqi lawmakers must take advantage of what he called the "significant results" of the recent security surge and enact laws aimed at political reconciliation. Negroponte, who was US ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005, spoke with top provincial and central government leaders during a tour of nine Iraqi cities this past week. Reflecting a US government agenda laid out earlier this year in Section 1314 of the US Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110-28) [PDF text] Negroponte called on the Iraqi government to enact legislation ensuring the equitable distribution of oil resources and codifying the separation of central government and provincial powers. ... The oil law [JURIST news archive] is one of 18 benchmarks established by Public Law 110-28 to measure US success in Iraq.

"Oil Crusades: America Through Arab Eyes" :: Introduction
02.12.07. Abdulhay Y. Zalloum, mediamonitors. In September 2002 the administration of George W. Bush published its National Security Strategy in preparation for its pre-emptive wars, starting with Iraq. The document stated: “The US national security strategy will be based on a distinctly American internationalism that reflects the union of our values and our national interests.” Robert Kaplan, a well-known neoconservative, put it more bluntly: “We and nobody else will write the terms for international society.”1 But what happens if the marriage of US “values and national interests” is not backed by part or most of “international society”? ... This is the aspect of America that foreigners find hardest to comprehend - the seemingly deliberate choice by government to expose its citizens (especially its weakest) to jeopardy. The United States remains the world’s most productive economy. It outspends all other countries combined on defense. But abroad, the American model is not a popular one, and less so since Katrina. Other developed democracies take medical insurance, decent education, efficient public transport and a social safety net as essential attributes of a just society. Yet America seems determined to eliminate even lesser protections. ... When an economy is in trouble in the American capitalist order a war (whether started deliberately or accidentally) is always useful, particularly if, as we know with the Project for a New American Century, the ground has already been prepared for US global domination.

THE VULTURES ARE STILL WAITING

New oil law needed in Iraq: US Treasury official
05.12.07. Jurist. The Iraqi legislature's failure to pass an oil law [JURIST news archive], rather than the security situation in the country, is preventing international oil corporations from investing in Iraq, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt [official profile] said Tuesday. Kimmitt explained that companies are looking for the law to establish a firm investment framework with clear regulations before moving into Iraq, and are less concerned with security issues, with which the companies are used to dealing.

Russia may dump weakening US dollar in its energy deals
15.12.07. dailytimes.com.pk. It seems that the rejection of the US dollar has become a fashion trend in modern-day business relations. Several major oil and gas exporters have recently announced their plans to use a different currency in their deals with other countries. The heads of Iran, Venezuela and Ecuador expressed such an opinion at the OPEC summit in November. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad particularly stated that Iran needs to replace the dollar because of its ongoing setback. His Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, expanded on the idea and put forward a suggestion to change the dollar for the basket of currencies (apart from the dollar it includes the euro, the British pound, the Japanese yen, the Chinese yuan and the Venezuelan bolivar) to recalculated world prices on oil. Ahmadinejad continued with an idea to set up the OPEC Oil Exchange and the OPEC Bank. See PNAC II for further $ related stories.

Bush, Maliki Break Iraqi Law to Renew U.N. Mandate for Occupation
20.12.07. Raed Jarrar and Joshua Holland, Alternet. A majority of Iraqi lawmakers say renewal requests not ratified by the parliament are illegal.

Iraqi oil delegation in Iran
30.12.07. Tehran times. “The 30-member delegation is composed of decision-makers and consultants in the Iraqi Oil Ministry an