Open Letter to the Members of the US Congress who Oppose the War on Iraq

[Omaha Steve]

Source: General Union of Oil Employees in Basra

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Open Letter to US Congress and European Parliament

Open Letter to the Members of he US Congress who Oppose the War on Iraq

To members of the European Parliaments who Oppose the War

Peace be upon you and greetings to you all,

We wish to clarify certain matters relating to events in Iraq for our friends among the members of the US Congress. It is common knowledge that the occupation spared neither the old nor the young, and that Iraq is passing through the most difficult of times because all and sundry are hounding it and covet a share of its riches. We see no good reason for linking the passing of the feeble Iraqi oil law to the withdrawal of the occupation troops from Iraq.

Everyone knows that the oil law does not serve the Iraqi people, and that it serves Bush, his supporters and the foreign companies at the expense of the Iraqi people who have been wronged and deprived of their right to their oil despite enduring all difficulties.

We ask our friends not to link withdrawal with the oil law, especially since the USA claimed that it came to Iraq as a liberator and not in order to control Iraq’s resources.

The general public in Iraq is totally convinced that Bush wants to rush the promulgation of the oil law so as to be leaving Iraq with a victory of sorts, because his project is failing every day and the occupation is collapsing in all parts of Iraq.

We wish to see you take a true stance for the children of Iraq, and we always say that history will remember those who advance peace over war.

With my regards,

Hassan Jum’a Awwad
Head of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions

Read more: http://www.basraoilunion.org /

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This letter is not copyrighted and is presented in it's entirety on the General Union of Oil Employees in Basra web site.

[panader0]

1. Great find! "The oil law serves bush"......... No shit.

Edit to Kick and Recommend

[Warren Stupidity]

2. You mean it is not our oil?

What?

[truthisfreedom]

3. How did our oil get under their country in the first place?

[Solly Mack]

4. I suppose they want the missing oil back as well?

Damn ingrates...spread democracy to them and look what happens?

[McCamy Taylor]

5. To the Oil Employees in Basra, Most US Citizens Do Not want your oil.

Most of us want to get out of Iraq and to see the violence end there.

[scarletwoman]

6. Please read this analysis of the oil law from the Independent -- it's VERY important that we know &

understand exactly what this "benchmark" is about. We need to be hitting our Dems HARD and insist they cease linking this oil law to withdrawal.

The following is a long article, and from this past January, but well-worth reading. It is the best summary and candid assessment of the oil law that I have seen so far -- and I have done my best to pay attention to this issue.

For those who have little or no idea what this "benchmark" is really about, please do read and educate yourself. We owe the Iraqi people at least this much, to fight against this theft of their patrimony.

Blood and oil: How the West will profit from Iraq's most precious commodity

The 'IoS' today reveals a draft for a new law that would give Western oil companies a massive share in the third largest reserves in the world. To the victors, the oil? That is how some experts view this unprecedented arrangement with a major Middle East oil producer that guarantees investors huge profits for the next 30 years

Published: 07 January 2007

So was this what the Iraq war was fought for, after all? As the number of US soldiers killed since the invasion rises past the 3,000 mark, and President George Bush gambles on sending in up to 30,000 more troops, The Independent on Sunday has learnt that the Iraqi government is about to push through a law giving Western oil companies the right to exploit the country's massive oil reserves.

And Iraq's oil reserves, the third largest in the world, with an estimated 115 billion barrels waiting to be extracted, are a prize worth having. As Vice-President Dick Cheney noted in 1999, when he was still running Halliburton, an oil services company, the Middle East is the key to preventing the world running out of oil.

Now, unnoticed by most amid the furore over civil war in Iraq and the hanging of Saddam Hussein, the new oil law has quietly been going through several drafts, and is now on the point of being presented to the cabinet and then the parliament in Baghdad. Its provisions are a radical departure from the norm for developing countries: under a system known as "production-sharing agreements", or PSAs, oil majors such as BP and Shell in Britain, and Exxon and Chevron in the US, would be able to sign deals of up to 30 years to extract Iraq's oil.

PSAs allow a country to retain legal ownership of its oil, but gives a share of profits to the international companies that invest in infrastructure and operation of the wells, pipelines and refineries. Their introduction would be a first for a major Middle Eastern oil producer. Saudi Arabia and Iran, the world's number one and two oil exporters, both tightly control their industries through state-owned companies with no appreciable foreign collaboration, as do most members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Opec.

(much, much more at link!)

sw

[slipslidingaway]

14. "Oil accounts for 70 per cent of Iraq's GDP" Great article, thanks.

I've tried calling the offices of Reid, Pelosi and my reps to ask why we are supporting this law by making it a benchmark for more funds, unfortunately the only answer received so far is "I'll pass your comment along."

Broadly accepted???


This is the latest wording in the supplemental bill, HR 2206. Found on page 43.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbna...

"(2) whether the Government of Iraq has—

(A) enacted a broadly accepted hydro-carbon law that equitably shares oil revenues
among all Iraqis;


Short article on raids at union offices.

Military Raids, Arrest at Iraqi Union Office Demands Action

http://www.icem.org/en/3-Energy-Oil-and-Gas/2159-Milita...

[MethuenProgressive]

7. But it IS our fucking oil

We should redeploy south and just fucking take it, and fucking partition Iraq off Kurd/Sunni/Shia/and Haliburton. Let the fucking arabs kill each other, just as long as we control the fucking oil.
.
.
.
.
.
.
... can you tell I went to a cook out at my fucking Freeper brother-in-law's today?

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Fucking Freeper Brother In Laws

Fucking-A. Yet another reason to find anything else to do besides having to be in the fucking presence of the fucking freeper brother in law. There must be some yard work to do.

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Mothers Day. Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and go, y'know?

Besides, it's fun to feed him beer and straight lines. He went off for 15 minutes without hardly taking a breath when we said it sure looks like that nice Nancy Pelosi lady would make a good President.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. You scared me with your first lines! I was ready to 'alert' on you.. Please

don't upset me again!

[blondie58]

21. yeah, I can tell- they served an extra dish of stupid, didn't they?

Just kidding!

I myself had a right wing station on for awhile while working yesterday. It is so full of hate and negativity, I had to turn it off. I like to hear what they say- sometimes, as it is good for counteracting the spiel from the other side.

[chknltl]

11. Wow...better deal than beads for Manhattan!

No I do NOT think that the General Union Oil Employees of Basra need fear America's immediate withdrawal here should this draft get pushed into Iraqi Law. If the Iraqi Government fell to the People Of Iraq or ANYONE else for that matter then that damned "Oil Law" will fall with it. BIG OIL does NOT want that to happen. BIG OIL won't let that happen. Not when they have such close control over America's military! So My theory here is AFTER this legislation gets passed there will be a downswing in "sectarian violence". This will prove to the world that the "bush doctrine" was the right one after all. (Giving a much needed bump for the repukes who supported "stay the course" and cause the '08 election to tighten close enough for diebold to finnish us off!

Iraq will request that we place a few military bases on their soil to prevent Iran from stealing their oil...which we of course will comply with. (Ok so those bases are under construction now and likely near completed) bush will retire in '08 a hero to some while we who SHOUTED "STOP THESE BASTARDS NOW" will have by then all passed on from banging our heads against our walls!

What part of STOP THIS INSANITY NOW by using impeachment are folks NOT getting here?

Well maybe in my next lifetime...oh but wait, that's being wrecked too!

[bvar22]

22. For Impeachment....

there needs to be an OPPOSITION Party. After the secret Free Trade deal the Democratic Party leadership signed with bush on Friday, the veil has finally been lifted. There is NO Oposition Party in the USA. The Democratic Party has been hopelessly compromised by Republican infiltration and Corporate money.

"Not a dimes worth of difference".

The 2008 election is mere theatre...Bread & Cricuses for the peasants to give the illusion that we have a voice. Very little will change after Hillary gets crowned.

"Hillary's Jewels"?
How fucking appropriate!

[chknltl]

28. I can not deny the plausibility in your words.

Demoralizing as they are. Actions speak louder than words here and recent actions by our Democratic leadership lends much cred to yours. My own state's Patty Murry and Maria Cantwell voting WITH the repukes on a recent Bill which favors the Pharmaceutical Industry over the citizens is but one recent example. That said, I'll not give up. I'll continue to champion Impeachment as the best first step to rescuing our ailing world. Perhaps, just perhaps if enough VOTERS cry out in anger, in embarrassment and in hope......well I for one intend to keep hope alive!

[Barrett808]

12. k & r

[wordpix]

13. now we have it from the Iraqi oil workers themselves. Bushco should be

brought up before Congress to explain this oil law that serves BushCo and BigOil and asked many, many questions, including why the Iraqi Congress doesn't know what's contained in this oil law.

This is democracy, BushCo style. Keep everything that's important secret until we're all screwed. By "we" I mean the world.

Thirty years of oil control means 30 yrs. of war in Iraq. If an oil deal is not fair to Iraqis and each group within Iraq, they will continue fighting us and each other. Continuous warfare continues.

[Amonester]

17. And here is a link that shows WHO were, are, and will be "expendable"

underpaid cheap-labor to these trillion-times-worst-than-Enron-style crooks:

http://icasualties.org

And that's Big Oil's "expendable" from this side of the pond (almost) exclusively. They don't care 1 E-32 second about the "number" on the other side, no more than they care about their "it's just a number" from this side.

Send the link to all congress-critters once a day. Tell them the crooks of Enron&Co were little amateurs compared to this and urge them to act ASAP!

[Theduckno2]

15. Could it be that Bush wants the new oil law passed so he can stay?

Imagine if the oil law is passed and contracts are awarded. Big Oil will be expecting security for its ventures. If the needs were small it might be possible to meet those needs with private contractors(read mercenaries) but given the current situation in Iraq along with our vital national interest, it would seem as though Bush would justify leaving forces there to protect our vital interest(OIL).
After all we can't let the oil fall into the hands of the terrorists.

I personally doubt that Bush ever had even the slightest intention of withdrawing from Iraq, troop reductions possibly, withdrawal not a chance.

[Seabiscuit]

16. WTF is the "oil law"?????????

[iraqigirl2death]

18. the iraqi people will never get their oil

The Iraqi oil have never been to the Iraqi People
before to the arabs (saudi arabia, syria, jordan etc.)
and now to Bush...
who knows who will get it in the future

[Cults4Bush]

19. Very very true.

Im amazed that so many do not understand how badly the Iraqi people (of all beliefs and cultures) have been constantly treated in the worst of ways over the last 100 years. I am amazed always that so many think they know whats best for the Iraqi people when they dont even comprehend the peoples history to begin with.

May peace find you always IraqiGirl.

[Omaha Steve]

20. Welcome to the DU

I hope you are happy here in the days to come.

[blondie58]

23. so true, iraquigirl2death

and welcome to DU or should I say mottakelse? Please forgive me if that is wrong.

[Amonester]

24. Keep this up with a KICK please it's very important - n/t

[MasonJar]

25. This needs to be advertised in every paper in the US. Let's try to help get it out

there for these innocent victims of Bush's greed and venom.

[The Count]

26. nuh...that's a consipracy. No connection between war and oil, I tell ya!

[Omaha Steve]

27. Lost in Translation???

The one comment I waited for on this story never came. The title says "War on Iraq". Not war on terror, not war for oil, not war in Iraq. I found this as significant the first time I saw the headline. I guess I was wrong.