U.S. to End Iraq Administration by June

[SLClemens]

Originally posted by jimnyc
Please, Clemens!

I'm admitting that I think their are perhaps better ways to see an end to the Iraq occupation, but it doesn't include the US leaving.

The war for oil argument is old and hasn't been proven once.

So if it's not about oil, why not turn control of this resource over to a UN agency?

 

[Isaac Brock]

A question? Does anyone know if the US is indeed receiving oil from Iraq? Or quantities before the war compared to the present. I think that would be most enlightening to solving the "oil question". AFAIK, i don't think they are.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
A question? Does anyone know if the US is indeed receiving oil from Iraq? Or quantities before the war compared to the present. I think that would be most enlightening to solving the "oil question". AFAIK, i don't think they are.

Good question, Isaac.

The last I read the answer was no. I'll admit I haven't been reading daily articles about this subject, but rest assured if they were receiving more oil or stealing oil it would be making headlines.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by jimnyc
Good question, Isaac.

The last I read the answer was no. I'll admit I haven't been reading daily articles about this subject, but rest assured if they were receiving more oil or stealing oil it would be making headlines.

Or so you'd hope! I must say, I do not entirely trust US news sources.

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
Or so you'd hope! I must say, I do not entirely trust US news sources.

I don't trust ANY news source fully! LOL

But you would think SOMEONE would have covered it if it was in fact happening.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by jimnyc
I don't trust ANY news source fully! LOL

But you would think SOMEONE would have covered it if it was in fact happening.

Indeed, you're right. That would be a cover-up even the most devout conspiratist would feel akward supporting!

As an interesting side not, it's a shame that Americans do not get Canadian CBC News (national public broadcasting), it is remarkably unbiases, even towards Canada. They smack Canada as much as anyone else. I think it's one of the only media outlets i trust!

 

[SLClemens]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
A question? Does anyone know if the US is indeed receiving oil from Iraq? Or quantities before the war compared to the present. I think that would be most enlightening to solving the "oil question". AFAIK, i don't think they are.

Statistics I've read are contradictory. There don't seem to be a lot of reporters interested in this. One who is, the Independent's Robert Fisk, states that he's been given contradictory figures by Bremer's spokesmen and officials he's interviewed off the record. I can't remember the exact figures, but off-the-record he was told that during the summer we were exporting about 3/4 of a million barrels a day, well below pre-war levels. Plans are to get this up to 3 to 4 million a day, but oilfields are in bad repair and pipelines are under repeated attack by saboteurs. This much oil exported by American companies at prime rates and sold in American dollars would be worth billions annaully to the US economy each year. However, for 2004 there is no way gains will come close to the $87bn investment, far more than predicted. It will take many years now before the war becomes proffitable. If European companies got the contracts to work with a nationalized Iraqi oil industry and sold in Euros, it would cost us billions annually, especially if an independent Iraq negotiated clever supply rates with OPEC. If Iraq goes into complete anarchy and exports no oil, the increased limit on supply and fears of uncertainty will increase costs for everyone. How many American lives is all this worth? We'll find out, but we know the number is already into the hundreds.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by SLClemens
Statistics I've read are contradictory. There don't seem to be a lot of reporters interested in this. One who is, the Independent's Robert Fisk, states that he's been given contradictory figures by Bremer's spokesmen and officials he's interviewed off the record. I can't remember the exact figures, but off-the-record he was told that during the summer we were exporting about 3/4 of a million barrels a day, well below pre-war levels. Plans are to get this up to 3 to 4 million a day, but oilfields are in bad repair and pipelines are under repeated attack by saboteurs. This much oil exported by American companies at prime rates and sold in American dollars would be worth billions annaully to the US economy each year. However, for 2004 there is no way gains will come close to the $87bn investment, far more than predicted. It will take many years now before the war becomes proffitable. If European companies got the contracts to work with a nationalized Iraqi oil industry and sold in Euros, it would cost us billions annually, especially if an independent Iraq negotiated clever supply rates with OPEC. If Iraq goes into complete anarchy and exports no oil, the increased limit on supply and fears of uncertainty will increase costs for everyone. How many American lives is all this worth? We'll find out, but we know the number is already into the hundreds.

As far as the oil is concerned, it will simply be time before we can weigh what Iraq does, or is allowed to do with its oil. I think it's way to early in the game to decide one way or another.

As for american lives, i don't think i'm qualified to comment on that.