Facts On Who Benefits From Keeping Saddam Hussein In Power
If you, like me, wondered why the war was started without a better
diplomatic effort by our side, maybe this sheds some light.
THE CAME TO ME VIA THE U.S.MILITARY. SEE WHAT YOU THINK
"It's all about oil" is something I keep hearing from many of the
younger
voices back in the U.S. as well as others who chose to ignore pasat
history
and established facts. Well, it being about oil is partially true but
oil
for who? I think a more accurate statement would be that it is all
about
MONEY (Old Europe money). And, if you want to dig deeper to determine
who's
money the U.S's military intervention with Iraq really affects, well
read
the collection of facts provided below. I realize the Heritage
Organization
is (probably) a "conservative" think tank, belt-way bandit and as
such
is
spinning their information to support their existence, but if anyone
can
find a counter set of facts to either disprove or off-set what has
been
collected and provided below I'd like to see it so I can form a more
balanced opoinion.
Bill
Facts on Who Benefits From Keeping Saddam Hussein In Power
by The Heritage Foundation WebMemo #217 February 28, 2003
heritage.org
France
* According to the CIA World Factbook, France controls over 22.5
percent of Iraq's imports.BM__ftnref1
[1] French
total trade with Iraq under the oil-for-food program is the third
largest,
totaling $3.1 billion since 1996, according to the United
Nations.BM__ftnref2
[2] In 2001
France became Iraq's largest European trading partner.
* Roughly 60 French companies do an estimated $1.5 billion in trade
with Baghdad annually under the U.N. oil-for-food program.BM__ftnref3
[3]
* France's largest oil company, Total Fina Elf, has negotiated a deal
to develop the Majnoon field in western Iraq. The Majnoon field
purportedly
contains up to 30 billion barrels of oil.BM__ftnref4
[4]
* Total Fina Elf also negotiated a deal for future oil exploration in
Iraq's Nahr Umar field. Both the Majnoon and Nahr Umar fields are
estimated
to contain as much as 25 percent of the country's
reserves.BM__ftnref5
[5]
* France's Alcatel company, a major telecom firm, is negotiating a
$76
million contract to rehabilitate Iraq's telephone system.BM__ftnref6
[6]
* From 1981 to 2001, according to the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI), France was responsible for over 13
percent
of
Iraq's arms imports.BM__ftnref7
[7]
Germany
* Direct trade between Germany and Iraq amounts to about $350 million
annually, and another $1 billion is reportedly sold through third
parties.BM__ftnref8
[8]
* It has recently been reported that Saddam Hussein has ordered Iraqi
domestic businesses to show preference to German companies as a
reward
for
Germany's "firm positive stand in rejecting the launching of a
military
attack against Iraq." It was also reported that over 101 German
companies
were present at the Baghdad Annual exposition.BM__ftnref9
[9]
* During the 35th Annual Baghdad International Fair in November 2002,
a German company signed a contract for $80 million for 5,000 cars and
spare
parts.BM__ftnref10
[10]
* In 2002, DaimlerChrysler was awarded over $13 million in contracts
for German trucks and spare parts.BM__ftnref11
[11]
* German officials are investigating a German corporation accused of
illegally channeling weapons to Iraq via Jordan. The equipment in
question
is used for boring the barrels of large cannons and is allegedly
intended
for Saddam Hussein's Al Fao Supercannon project.BM__ftnref12
[12]
Russia
* According to the CIA World Factbook, Russia controls roughly 5.8
percent of Iraq's annual imports.BM__ftnref13
[13] Under
the U.N. oil-for-food program, Russia's total trade with Iraq was
somewhere
between $530 million and $1 billion for the six months ending in
December
of
2001.BM__ftnref14
[14]
* According to the Russian Ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko,
new
contracts worth another $200 million under the U.N. oil-for-food
program
are
to be signed over the next three months.BM__ftnref15
[15]
* Soviet-era debt of $7 billion through $8 billion was generated by
arms sales to Iraq during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
* Russia's LUKoil negotiated a $4 billion, 23-year contract in 1997
to
rehabilitate the 15 billion-barrel West Qurna field in southern Iraq.
Work
on the oil field was expected to commence upon cancellation of U.N.
sanctions on Iraq. The deal is currently on hold.BM__ftnref16
[16]
* In October 2001, Salvneft, a Russian-Belarus company, negotiated a
$52 million service contract to drill at the Tuba field in Southern
Iraq.BM__ftnref17
[17]
* In April 2001, Russia's Zaruezhneft company received a service
contract to drill in the Saddam, Kirkuk, and Bai Hassan fields to
rehabilitate the fields and reduce water incursion.
* A future $40 billion Iraqi-Russian economic agreement, reportedly
signed in 2002, would allow for extensive oil exploration
opportunities
throughout western Iraq.BM__ftnref18
[18] The
proposal calls for 67 new projects, over a 10-year time frame, to
explore
and further develop fields in southern Iraq and the Western Desert,
including the Suba, Luhais, West Qurna, and Rumaila projects.
Additional
projects added to the deal include second-phase construction of a
pipeline
running from southern to northern Iraq, and extensive drilling and
gas
projects. Work on these projects would commence upon cancellation of
sanctions.BM__ftnref19
[19]
* Russia's Gazprom company over the past few years has signed
contracts worth $18 million to repair gas stations in
Iraq.BM__ftnref20
[20]
* The former Soviet Union was the premier supplier of Iraqi arms.
From
1981 to 2001, Russia supplied Iraq with 50 percent of its
arms.BM__ftnref21
[21]
China
* According to the CIA World Factbook, China controls roughly 5.8
percent of Iraq's annual imports.BM__ftnref22
[22]
* China National Oil Company, partnered with China North Industries
Corp., negotiated a 22-year-long deal for future oil exploration in
the
Al
Ahdab field in southern Iraq.BM__ftnref23
[23]
* In recent years, the Chinese Aero-Technology Import-Export Company
(CATIC) has been contracted to sell "meteorological satellite" and
"surface
observation" equipment to Iraq. This contract was approved by the
U.N.
oil-for-food program.BM__ftnref24
[24]
* CATIC also won approval from the U.N. in July 2000 to sell $2
million worth of fiber optic cables. This and similar contracts
approved
were disguised as telecommunications gear. These cables can be used
for
secure data and communications links between national command and
control
centers and long-range search radar, targeting radar, and
missile-launch
units, according to U.S. officials. In addition, China National
Electric
Wire & Cable and China National Technical Import Telecommunications
Equipment Company are believed to have sold Iraq $6 million and $15.5
million worth of communications equipment and other unspecified
supplies,
respectively.BM__ftnref25
[25]
* According to a report from SIPRI, from 1981 to 2001, China was the
second largest supplier of weapons and arms to Iraq, supplying over
18
percent of Iraq's weapons imports.BM__ftnref26
[26]
_____
BM__ftn1
[1]Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook 2002, at
cia.gov.
BM__ftn2
[2]Jon Talton, "French Ideals and Profits in the Iraqi Triangle", The
Arizona Republic, February 23, 2003.
BM__ftn3
[3]Jon Talton, "French Ideals and Profits in the Iraqi Triangle," The
Arizona Republic, February 23, 2003.
BM__ftn4
[4]Kenneth Katzman, Iraq: Oil-for-Food Program, International
Sanctions,
and
Illicit Trade, Congressional Research Service, September 26, 2002.
BM__ftn5
[5]Kenneth Katzman, Iraq: Oil-for-Food Program, International
Sanctions,
and
Illicit Trade, Congressional Research Service, September 26, 2002.
BM__ftn6
[6]Evelyn Iritani, "Hussein's Government Signs Lucrative Contracts,
Especially with Nations that Oppose the U.S. Led Effort to Oust the
Regime,"
The Los Angeles Verdana,Arial,Helvetica, November 11, 2002.
BM__ftn7
[7]Information from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI), "Arms Transfers to Iraq, 1981-2001," at
projects.sipri.se.
BM__ftn8
[8]David R. Sands, "France, Germany Protect Iraq Ties," The
Washington
Verdana,Arial,Helvetica, February 20, 2003.
BM__ftn9
[9]David R. Sands, "France, Germany Protect Iraq Ties," The
Washington
Verdana,Arial,Helvetica, February 20, 2003.
BM__ftn10
[10]"Africa Analysis-Trade Points Way to Peace", The Financial
Verdana,Arial,Helvetica: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire, November 19,
2002.
BM__ftn11
[11]Faye Bowers, "Driving Forces in War-Wary Nations: The Stances of
France,
Germany, Russia and China Are Colored by Economic and National
Interests,"
Christian Science Monitor, February 25, 2003.
BM__ftn12
[12]"Helping Saddam Rearm," The Wall Street Journal, October 11,
2002.
BM__ftn13
[13]Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook 2002, at
cia.gov.
BM__ftn14
[14]Testimony provided by Ariel Cohen to the House International
Relations
Committee, "Russia and the Axis of Evil: Money, Ambition and U.S.
Interests," February 26, 2003.
BM__ftn15
[15]Nelli Sharushkina, "Russia Plays the Field in Iraq-Mixed Signals
Worry
Baghdad," Energy Intelligence Briefing, February 5, 2003.
BM__ftn16
[16]Dan Morgan and David B. Ottaway, "In Iraqi War Scenario, Oil Is
Key
Issue," The Washington Post, September 15, 2002.
BM__ftn17
[17]Dan Morgan and David B. Ottaway, "In Iraqi War Scenario, Oil Is
Key
Issue," The Washington Post, September 15, 2002.
BM__ftn18
[18]Scott Peterson, "Russia's Newest Tie to Iraq: Moscow Is Set to
Sign
a
$40 billion Economic Pact with Baghdad Next Month," Christian Science
Monitor, August 20, 2002.
BM__ftn19
[19]"Mideast Tensions to Delay Iraq Iraqi-Russian Signing," Energy
Compass,
April 19, 2002.
BM__ftn20
[20]Dmitry Zhdannikov, "Russian's Grim About Working Under Saddam,"
The
Houston Chronicle, April 14, 2002.
BM__ftn21
[21]Information from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI), "Arms Transfers to Iraq, 1981-2001," at
projects.sipri.se.
BM__ftn22
[22]Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook 2002, at
cia.gov.
BM__ftn23
[23]Trish Saywell, "Oil: The Danger of Deals with Iraq," Far Eastern
Economic Review, March 6, 2003.
BM__ftn24
[24]Kenneth R. Timmerman, "Rogues Lending Hand to Saddam," Insight on
the
News, March 4, 2003.
BM__ftn25
[25]Kenneth R. Timmerman, "Rogues Lending Hand to Saddam," Insight on
the
News, March 4, 2003. |
