Thu
Jul 5 2007
02:52 pm
Occupying Iraq
By: Brian A.

What about the purple fingers? What about Poland?

The Howard Government has today admitted that securing oil supplies is a factor in Australia's continued military involvement in Iraq.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said today oil was a factor in Australia's contribution to the unpopular war, as "energy security" and stability in the Middle East would be crucial to the nation's future.
. . .
"The defence update we're releasing today sets out many priorities for Australia's defence and security, and resource security is one of them," he told ABC radio.

"The entire (Middle East) region is an important supplier of energy, oil in particular, to the rest of the world.

At least someone is adding some honesty to the debate.

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redmondkr's picture

"Conspiracy theorists

Submitted by redmondkr on Thu, 2007/07/05 - 3:26pm.

"Conspiracy theorists believe George Bush, long before the invasion of Iraq, had a plan to control its oil. That's wrong. He had two plans and my investigative team obtained both. The conflict between these two plans is what has kept our soldiers pinned down on the Tigris. The war is about the oil, for certain— not to get it for our SUVs, but to prevent us from getting it. The war is not about bringing down Saddam but about lifting up OPEC. In The Flow, we discover that the real insurgents come from Houston.", [Greg Palast, Armed Madhouse]

"A History of Oil in Iraq

1925-28 "Mr. 5%" sells his monopoly on Iraq's oil to British Petroleum and Exxon, who sign a "Red-Line Agreement" vowing not to compete by drilling independently in Iraq.

1948 Red-Line Agreement ended, replaced by oil combines' "dog in the manger" strategy - taking control of fields, then capping production - drilling shallow holes where "there was no danger of striking oil."

1961 OPEC, founded the year before, places quotas on Iraq's exports equal to Iran's, locking in suppression policy.

1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. Iran destroys Basra fields. Iraq cannot meet OPEC quota.

1991 Desert Storm. Anglo-American bombings cut production.

1991-2003 United Nations Oil embargo (zero legal exports) followed by Oil-for-Food Program limiting Iraqi sales to 2 million barrels a day.

2003-? "Insurgents" sabotage Iraq's pipelines and infrastructure.

2004 Options for Iraqi Oil. The secret plan adopted by U.S. State Department overturns Pentagon proposal to massively increase oil production. State Department plan, adopted by government of occupied Iraq, limits state oil company to OPEC quotas.", [Greg Palast, Armed Madhouse]

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