IRAQ-IRAN OIL PIPELINE A FURTHER THREAT TO U.S. OIL AMBITIONS

[babylonsister]

IRAQ-IRAN OIL PIPELINE A FURTHER THREAT TO U.S. OIL AMBITIONS
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-08-13 18:51. Iran

By Nick Mottern, ConsumersforPeace.org

Iraq and Iran, once enemies, are planning to sign a deal that will carry 200,000 barrels of crude oil a day out of Iraq’s huge southern oil fields into Iranian refineries. The deal is likely a big concern to U.S. strategists who will be watching Iraqi oil – coveted by U.S. firms and intended to be captured with U.S. blood - flowing into a country that the U.S. has identified as its major challenger for dominance in the Middle East.

In an August 9, 2007 press conference, on the day the pipeline deal was announced, George W. Bush warned Iraq’s prime minister Nouri Maliki that if Mr. Maliki does not share the view that Iran is a destablizing influence in the Middle East then he, Mr. Bush, will have a “heart to heart” talk with him.

Mr. Bush charged that Iran supports terrorist groups, threatens Israel and is supplying explosives to resistance fighters in Iraq for use against U.S. troops. Speaking of Mr. Maliki, he said:

“Now, is he trying to get Iran to play a more constructive role? I presume he is. But that doesn’t – what my question is – well, what my message to him is, is that when we catch you playing a non-constructive role there will be a price to pay.”

This statement, from a transcript of the press conference, does not make clear who will be paying the price, but one could easily see the “message” intended for Iraq as well as Iran.

In his list of threats from Iran, Mr. Bush did not mention the challenge to U.S. oil companies presented by Iran in the midst of the current political chaos in Iraq. The Iraqi parliament is reluctant to pass a U.S. – designed oil law that gives lip service to nationalizing the nation’s oil but would in fact deliver huge profits to private oil firms. The proposed law is opposed by Iraqi oil workers unions and 63 percent of Iraqis recently polled. (See www.HandsOffIraqiOil.org) Iran has nationalized its oil, and this is a powerful model for Iraq. Equally important, Iran has the potential to build an oil alliance with Iraq that will give the two nations oil power rivalling that of Saudi Arabia. (See “The Size of the Prize” graph on this site.)

ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips and Chevron have been pushing the new oil law, awaiting its passage to give them what they hope will be a multi-year hammerlock on some of the largest oil pools in the world. Right now, these firms, along with Valero and Tesoro, are importing oil from northern Iraq into the U.S. But the oil majors are shooting for long-term production contracts that would be more favorable to them than those they have in most other countries. (See the Consumers Guide to Gasoline on this site and www.HandsOffIraqiOil.org)

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1. what does pRes Feeblemind* expect? He gets rid of Sunni gov & replaces it with Shia majority,

who support their Iranian brothers.

BushCo must GO! They are stupid, inept and continue to pose a danger to US and the world. BigOil should be told to go fuck themselves.

[Maat]

2. So, DimSon is openly threatening Maliki now ...

he and Darth are getting more brazen and careless by the second.