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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (148982)	10/25/2004 5:59:29 PM
From: Ish	Respond to of 281500

Nice reply!!

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (148982)	10/26/2004 7:39:21 AM
From: Michael Watkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

If we ever had any intention of seizing the Iraqi oil we would have done it by now. We didn't do it. Come on Nadine, think. Do you really expect the US to literally "seize" the oil, i.e. steal it? Money isn't the issue here, the US is perfectly capable of printing more. Access is the issue. The neocon right, and those who support the war in Iraq for the wrong reasons, always gloss over the access to oil foundation upon which the war was at least in part justified. Having US troops in Iraq is part and parcel in guaranteeing the US access to Iraqi oil. Who cares if they pay for it or not... its intent that is the issue. state.gov - Returns oil revenues to Iraq. Oil revenues from export sales will be deposited in the Development Fund for Iraq housed in the Central Bank of Iraq. - Ensures Iraqi revenues are spent on Iraqi reconstruction. The resolution underlines that the Development Fund will be used in a transparent manner: for the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, economic reconstruction and repair of Iraq's infrastructure, the continued disarmament of Iraq, the costs of Iraqi civilian administration, and other purposes benefiting the people of Iraq. Of course, if the insurgents are ever defeated, perhaps the oil will finally flow... to the US. From the Congressional Budget Office: Estimates of the cost of rebuilding Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime range from $50 billion to $100 billion. In recent months, U.S. lawmakers have provided more than $18 billion in grants to assist in that reconstruction. One major policy question is how much of Iraq's reconstruction funding should be provided by the country itself. Budgets drawn up by Iraqi planners envision spending about 72 percent of revenues on the government's day-to-day operating expenses, 23 percent on reconstruction, and about 6 percent on foreign obligations. Overall, the amount that the Iraqi government can contribute to reconstruction will depend on how much revenue it receives from oil exports and how much debt and other foreign obligations it must pay. Now, ask yourself the question: What nation currently benefits the most from construction spending? Also, if you read through the CBO analysis document you'll learn that close to 100% of all Iraqi government revenue will come from oil. Follow this simple line of logic: 1. US invades Iraq and bombs it back to the age of the Ford Model T 2. US starts handing out untendered, massive, contracts to Haliburton et al. 3. The invasion of Iraq was always intended to be a slam dunk - the evidence on the administration's delusions in this regard are quite clear. 4. Keep that mind and then recognize that the Bush administration expected oil to be flowing pretty quickly... remember, two oil men are in the top jobs in the White House... and this oil will largely end up in the hands of US oil co's largely, ultimately resold to US consumers... so...that... 5. More reconstruction - 50 to 100 billion worth over decades - could be doled out to... wait for it... largely US firms. This isn't speculation, the pattern is already well in place. BOTTOM LINE: THE US CONSUMER IS GOING TO FUND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ, FOR DECADES TO COME. The US consumer paid to destroy it and the US consumer is paying to rebuild it. You might also ask yourself, who benefits most, monetarily from these actions? US military / defense industries, and the Oil / petrochemical industry of course.