The best analysis on why Bush keen that Iraqis must accept this joke constitution, called “
Parallel to the Constitution, a Petroleum Law has been drafted, to be implemented following the elections of December/January. According to sources in the government, although some details are still being debated, it specifies that Iraq’s currently producing fields should be developed by the state-owned Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), but all other fields should be developed by private companies.
Few days and the Iraqi constitutional referendum will be started, the government announces a new measures including curfew, weapons ban, border closings and other security measures.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabr said:
“We will protect those who say yes and those who say no,’’
Times Online reported a story linking Iraqi police with ethnic cleansing:
One clue may lie in the alleged presence of Iraqi police officers when the men’s killers came to take them away. According to witnesses, about 40 police vehicles and four-wheel drives from the interior ministry stormed the district.
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Ladybird,
I don’t really see what this has to do with voting “no” on the constitution.
You are right that ethnic cleansing of the Sunni Arabs is a significant threat in Iraq. The Sunni Arab areas have tolerated terrorists who targeted Shi’a and police forces and their families. If police and Iraqi defense forces — who have put everything on the line to serve their country — are beginning ignore Sistani’s call “not to hit back”, frankly I’m not surprised.
I don’t like it, but I don’t think many of the Sunni tribal leaders and most of the religious leadership have any right to complain. They sowed to the wind, and they might well, unfortunately, reap the whirlwind.
Paybacks aBitch, ain’t it. Sunni’s should prepare for a trimming.
Coincidence or Not:
Commies hate democracy. Uknow when the little people get to vote.
Baathists hate democracy. Uknow when the little people get to vote.
SplodyDopes hate democracy. Uknow when the little people get to vote.
Islamo Faschisti hate democracy. Uknow when the little people get to vote.
Majority rules and the Sunnis better git used to it or else.
LB,
Why is the potential partial privatization of the oil industry an issue for this constitutional referendum?
It might be a good topic for separate thread. People can discuss the benefits/drawbacks of partial privatization. We can compare investment levels, productivity, revenue increase/decrease, etc. There are a lot of facts out there.
Ladybird, why do you fear private companies?
Why would you want corrupt governments companies doing it all. They will only benefit the people and families of those in power, and will cause more and more corruption.
Madtom & Charles
I will answer you 2moro, it is late here and I had a problem with my OC the whole evening
I have noticed that Ladybird always has some reason for not answering questions about Iraq “until tomorrow” and like democracy promised by the Baathists tomorrow never comes. Does she (he?) really know ANYTHING about the country or is she just under orders to slag off the USA with any refrence to Iraq she can con dig up in the day’s news and forget about what it all means? The latter, I suspect.
Ladybug, try China’s example on state versus private companies — it’s very instructive, if you have any interest in being instructed…
State control of energy brings the grateful people: Chernobyl and lines the pockets of the politicians.
Official: Many Sunnis favor constitution
And there you have it, we’ll just have to sit back and see what happens next…
“I wouldn’t call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible, dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical, controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment can hardly be described as democracy either.“
–Edward Zehr
You are totally right, I don’t know anything about the country and I am just learning. I need to look in the map to check where is Iraq.
LadyBird, Iraq should learn a lot from Bolivia’s experinces
Recovering Bolivia’s Oil and Gas
By OSCAR OLIVERA
____________
Does anyone here know how many foreign companies there are who develop oilfields in the U.S, UK and Norway? And where are these foreign companies from?
And are there any restrictions for foreign companies operating in these countries to develop oilfields, gas and water? If yes what are they?
Others– “Why is the potential partial privatization of the oil industry an issue“
“why do you fear private companies?”
If they vote in a communist system, who are we to judge? I personally think communal resource ownership will be the best chance for profits to be properly distributed across the private sector. Someone mentioned China as an argument in favor of private ownership of the oil, but the new Iraq won’t be anything like totalitarian China if the democratic process is successful there.
I suspect that she has a life outside of the blog, unlike some people who shall remain Hank… I mean nameless.
“Does she (he?) really know ANYTHING about the country or is she just under orders to slag off the USA”
I suspect that you are projecting your own guilt. It a common psychological phenomenon.
“State control of energy brings the grateful people: Chernobyl and lines the pockets of the politicians.”
Don’t forget about the Three Mile Island meltdown. Too many selective memories around this place.
Jeff– “And there you have it, we’ll just have to sit back and see what happens next…”
Whether they like it or not, the recognized government is going to include the democratic process in some fashion. It may not be a western-style democracy, but it will be interesting to see what happens regardless. I hope the Iraqis handle the situation properly, but weak democracies aren’t much better than any other form of government at fending off totalitarian rule. We are likely to end up back in Iraq another 10 years after we vacate the place.
LadyBird– “I need to look in the map to check where is Iraq.”
Head towards Afghanistan and then bang a right. ;-)
Well, Ladybug, perhaps you could share some of your vast knowledge with us for once. I await with interest your contribution on privatisation in the Iraq economy.
This is nothing about privatisation but more to do with theft.
Iraq: The carve-up begins
http://www.thelondonline.co.uk/theline/article.php?articleID=437
Tom Burgis
Thursday 23 June 2005
As the costs of the Iraq occupation spiral, British and American oil companies meet in secret next week to carve up the country’s oil reserves for themselves. Tom Burgis reports
The Iraq war has so far cost America and Britain £105billion. But the financial clawback is gathering pace as British and American oil giants work out how to get their hands on the estimated £3trillion worth of oil.
Executives from BP, Shell, Exxon Mobil and Halliburton, Dick Cheney’s old firm, are expected to congregate at the Paddington Hilton for a two-day chinwag with top-level officials from Iraq’s oil ministry. The gathering, sponsored by the British Government, is being described as the “premier event” for those with designs on Iraqi oil, and will go ahead despite opposition from Iraqi oil workers, who fear their livelihoods are being flogged to foreigners. The Met will be on hand to secure the venue ahead of the conference.
“This is a networking opportunity for UK businesses involved in Iraqi oil,” explained Dr Hussain Rabia, managing director of the consultancy Entrac Petroleum Ltd. “We have the moral support of the UK government. They’re bringing the guys over from Iraq, offering them visas. We expect all the big oil companies to be there,” he said.
Delegate numbers are described as “confidential”. Shell spokesman Simon Buerk would not confirm that a representative of the company would be attending, but said he “wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were”.
“We aspire to establish a long-term presence in Iraq,” he said. “We have been helping the [Iraqi] Ministry of Oil and engineers with training.”
Those who have purchased their £1,200 tickets can expect access to executives from Iraq’s oil ministry, including Salem Razoky, the director general of exploration.
But Iraqi oil workers are furious about the conference. “The second phase of the war will be started by this conference carving up the industry,” said an outraged Hasan Juma’a, head of the Iraqi General Union of Oil Employees. “It is about giving shares of Iraq to the countries who invaded it — they get a piece of the action as a reward. The British government will back this action in order to pay its debt in Iraq.“
Hasan, who represents 23,000 skilled oil workers, fears that deals struck at the conference will see profits from Iraq’s massive oil reserves — the second richest in the world — lining the pockets of multinational corporations at the expense of the Iraqi people.
Previous form suggests his concerns are well founded. Under the initial wage table drawn up by Paul Bremer’s provisional Baghdad government in September 2003, oil workers were to receive a minimum monthly pay packet of £25. After a threatened union strike, it was raised to £38. And, Hasan insists, “Iraqi oil workers are good enough to rebuild without any need of help. ”
Greg Muttitt, a researcher with Platform, an independent environmental think thank, agrees. “The decisions on how to carve up Iraq are being made behind closed doors in Washington, London and Baghdad.
“This conference is a key part of the plan to help multinational companies get stuck in once those arrangements are in place. It’s a corporate feeding frenzy — they’re not writing the recipes, they’re tucking in their napkins.”
Yahia Said, an Iraqi research fellow in global governance at the London School of Economics, commented:
“Iraq’s oil is very cheap to extract. In the lack of transparency and with Iraq under occupation, people suspect oil companies are up to foul play. But those companies wouldn’t yet dare sign a contract under the present government because it lacks legitimacy. But the oil companies are eyeing each other — this conference is like a dating game.”
Mike, mein kamarad/tovarich/tongjr: What about the theft by Saddam Hussein’s family of the Iraqi people’s assets? Your answer is to let the State deal in these resources as though (1) it was competent; or(2) it wasn’t crooked or(3) is a synonym for the people. Where have you BEEN since 1917? You think the present Iraqi government is a puppet of the Americans? And yet you say privatisation is theft? Who is it in Iraq at present should own and operate those assets then? Don’t tell me — the “insurgents”!!!
Hank– “What about the theft by Saddam Hussein’s family of the Iraqi people’s assets?”
I’ll let my mom respond to that. “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
“let the State deal in these resources as though (1) it was competent; or(2) it wasn’t crooked or(3) is a synonym for the people.”
I guess your assertion is that the US has set up an incompetent and crooked government in Iraq. I probably wouldn’t have gone that far with it, but I’m glad to see you are coming around.
“Who is it in Iraq at present should own and operate those assets then?”
You have been so indoctrinated under a corporatist mentality that you can’t even conceive of the concept of community ownership of resources can you?
Well certainly not the USA as they do at the moment.
But you don’t have an answer, do you Michael?
Jon wrote:
Jon, no — you miss the point again. Saddam and family WAS the State. My question was what do you DO when the State is a family of thieves?What’s your solution — you don’t have one, right?: libertarian party = assertion of superior moral integrity based on hot air.
If uyou simply equate the saddam state with the American state on the basis of your “mom’s” maxim that “two wrongs don’t make a right” — you’re just a silly billy and have no constructive solution — unlike the oil companies who know how to make money for iraq
.
“you miss the point again”
No, you miss the point. The impressions on both sides, real or perceived, are going to majorly effect the outcome of this engagement. The US has not remained beyond reproach.
“My question was what do you DO when the State is a family of thieves?”
You treat it like the crime that it is instead of the holy crusade it was made out to be. Sadly, Bush unsigned the US from the world court, so this wasn’t a possibility. And the result is that this looks to be imperialism. And you haven’t shown me anything to change that impression.
“you don’t have one, right?”
See above.
” libertarian party = assertion of superior moral integrity based on hot air”
It’s sad that you place no value on moral integrity. It’s this lack of values that has led the US to be in the position it currently finds itself.
“you’re just a silly billy”
*snicker*
“unlike the oil companies who know how to make money for iraq”
You meant to say “off of” instead of “from”, didn’t you?
So… I will make a major concession to the right. The US is giving Iraq the best chance possible to develop a free state… as long as the population will join the process. However, the US has alienated people on all sides, so my assertion is that widespread cooptation is highly unlikely. The US has now probably either entrenched itself for the next 25 years or will be financially forced to abandon Iraq before stability is reached. To turn the situation around, the whole character of the occupation needs to be changed and more world support needs to be brought in. The US needs to muzzle its people and ensure that they conduct themselves to the highest possible standard. And the US needs to leave the oil in the ground. Nobody is going to trust the US after the past 4 years so we have to make ourselves unimpeachable.