Chalabi takes over Iraq oil ministry amid 'crisis'

[kpete]

December 30, 2005 1:50 PM

Chalabi takes over Iraq oil ministry amid 'crisis'

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi has assumed direct control of the powerful oil ministry as crude exports ground to a halt due to sabotage attacks and logistics problems, officials said on Friday.

Chalabi, who has been improving his relations with Washington after falling out with the U.S. administration, was appointed acting oil minister after the incumbent Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum was given leave, the officials said.

Uloum told Reuters he was "intent on resigning". Aides to Chalabi confirmed that he had been appointed acting oil minister.

A ministry spokesman allied to Uloum said the country was facing what he called an impending oil supply crisis. "Production in the north, centre and south is about to suffocate," he said.

http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nL30292425&imageid=&cap=
Reuters

[NNN0LHI]

1. Can't be. Everyone says Bush got screwed in the "election"

What gives?

Don

[existentialist]

4. Just guessing:

Chalabi and the Iraqi government are imitating Bush.

i.e., declare a crisis and use it as an excuse to claim more power.

[doublethink]

5. Good guess ......

Bush never won an election here either. Crisis hit, Bush exploited it to claim more power. The Oil industry in Iraq has been in shambles since the U.S. invaded, ohhhhhh but all of a sudden it's a 'crisis' .. could be because the election didn't go Chalabi's and the Bush cartels way. Ya think? :think: peace.

[NNN0LHI]

6. But everyone has been saying that the "Iraqi government" doesn't like Bush

They are supposed to be nothing but a bunch of pro-Iranian Islamists bent on the eradication of America. Looks like someone got sold a pig in a poke to me.

Don

[annabanana]

2. does NOT surprise me

He has been an inside guy from before the beginning. DEFinately on the payroll. He is probably operating directly on Cheney's orders.

[SHRED]

3. Less than 1% in Election

Oh yeah...he's qualified fer sure...:sarcasm:



------------------



Chalabi, Judith Miller Source and Exile Leader, Gets Less than 1% in Election

By E&P Staff

Published: December 22, 2005 9:40 PM ET

NEW YORK The politician and onetime administration and U.S. newspaper source, Ahmed Chalabi, "appears to have suffered a humiliating defeat at the recent Iraq polls," NBC News reports today, according to the uncertified preliminary results.

It said that preliminary results in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad indicate that Chalabi’s Iraqi National Congress scored a minuscule 0.36 percent of the votes.

MORE >>> http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001737109

[Aviation Pro]

7. This is the real reason we went to war....

...secure the oil, secure the oil, secure the oil.

I can't wait until January of 2007 when the new Congress is installed and Vice President Palpatine is forced to turn over the notes of his closed session with his energy bros. And I can't wait until three months after that when ex-VP Vampire is hauled off to federal prision for the first of his night 'bitch' sessions.

[kpete]

9. AND THE BELL RINGS FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER

[SheepyMcSheepster]

8. who appointed him? eom

[bigtree]

10. here's the reason the man in charge was relieved

"The government has relieved Mr Bahr al-Ulum of duties for 30 days and put in charge Mr Chalabi who heads the energy council," the official said on condition of anonymity.

"The decision was taken because of Mr Bahr al-Ulum's objections to the early introduction of higher petrol prices," the official said.

http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=5509603&subject=economic&action=article

So, I'm guessing that Chalabi doesn't have any objections to gouging the Iraqis for their own oil.