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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thomas M. who wrote (44467)	8/27/2003 2:11:42 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

Europe dismayed over Israeli oil pipeline plan By Zia Iqbal Shahid BRUSSELS: The European states, opposed to the US attack on Iraq, have expressed concern over "the Israeli plan to revive an old pipeline for pumping oil from Iraq direct to the oil refineries in the Israeli port of Haifa", diplomats in Brussels told The News. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have noted with dismay a report saying that the US has asked Israel to explore the reopening of an oil pipeline from Iraq. European leaders plan to discuss the issue with US administration on the sidelines of the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly, a source said. The report claims that the pipeline from Mosul to Haifa was a vital supply line for British forces in the Second World War. In 1941, Britain sent forces to protect the oil pipeline and overthrew the pro-German Iraqi politician who had taken power in Baghdad in a coup. But the pipeline fell into disuse after 1948, when Iraqis stopped the flow of oil to newly established state of Israel. The office of the Israeli prime minister, the report underlines, considers the pipeline project as a "bonus" in return for Israel’s backing of the US-led campaign in Iraq. Anti-war activists here say the plan to revive the oil pipeline has provided sufficient testimony to the fact that Iraq was attacked for oil and the issue of weapons of mass destruction was blown out of proportion. The report says a new pipeline would be laid near the old one, which has not been in use for more than 50 years. According to the plan Israel would take oil from the Kirkuk area, where some 40 per cent of Iraqi oil is produced, and transport it via Mosul, and then across Jordan to Israel. The report claims that the US request came in a telegram from a senior Pentagon official after Israel had asked the US for such a notification. Israel has already worked out a feasibility study on the reopening of the pipeline and the Israeli Infrastructure Minister, Joseph Paritzky, is likely to discuss modalities of the project with the US officials during his visit to Washington next week. However, the minister’s spokesman is reported to have said, "There is a pipeline project sketched out but there is no precise plan at this stage." The report quotes the Israeli infrastructure minister as saying the pipeline could pass through Jordan, which would receive a transit fee.

To: Thomas M. who wrote (44467)	8/27/2003 5:20:17 PM
From: TimF	Respond to of 50167

In a sense there never was a truce, for example Israel insisted that it had to be able to attack "ticking bombs". There was however at least a great reduction in violence until Hammas escalated on August 19th with the bus bombing. Instead of killing one or two they killed 20. Finally, after Israel's 3rd attack on August 21, Hamas decided to call off the truce. That's nonsense. The truce was over on the 19th, if not before. Hamas might have figured that it was already over because of earlier violence or Hamas might have decided to end it themselves by the bombing on the 19th, either way by the 21st the truce was already over. Tim