Italy Sent Troops to Iraq to Secure $300 Billion Oil Deal: Report

[chlamor]

Italy sent troops to Iraq to secure oil deal: report
(DPA)

13 May 2005


ROME - Italian troops were sent to Iraq to secure oil deals worth 300 billion dollars, and not just for post-war humanitarian purposes, an Italian television report by RAI claimed on Friday.

The 20-minute report, broadcast by RAI News 24, the all-news channel of the Italian state-owned network, is based on interviews and official government documents.

In it, the Silvio Berlusconi administration is accused of picking the Nasiriyah area to safeguard a 1997 deal signed by Italy’s largest energy producer, ENI, and former dictator Saddam Hussein.

A government report compiled months before the war broke out recommends that Italy, in case of conflict, should secure the region of Nasiriyah and the nearby area of Halfaya, south of Baghdad, so as to secure “a deal worth 300 billion dollars”

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2005/May/focusoniraq_May86.xml§ion=focusoniraq

[GetTheRightVote]

1. We are not the only ones 8 lied too, Italy as well

:kick:

[shanti]

15. of course

one reason we are hearing nothing about the italian hostage fiasco.

[Cha]

2. Yeah, I knew it was

ALL ABOUT THE OIL!


NO BLOOD FOR OIL!

[bennywhale]

3. Course they did. It was the coalition of the bribed and the bullied.

rich countries got oil deals, poorer countries didn't get their aid cut off

[sharman]

14. "Coalition of the billing"

Was it Kerry said that?

[DrDebug]

31. Never heard that one

It's perfect. They all went because there was a hidden reward...

[Inland]

4. And all we got were dead soldiers and a bill. Thanks, Bush.

[Decay]

5. This is interesting.

I wonder what the angle is. RAI is what Fox would be under Hitler. Them saying something like this makes you wonder.

[oblivious]

6. Didn't the Polish foreign minister come right out and say it?

Something like 'we joined the coalition so that Polish companies wouldn't miss out on the oil deals'.

[oblivious]

12. Ah yes, here is the quote from July 3, 2003

Poland seeks Iraqi oil stake

Poland, which has sent troops to support the US-led forces in Iraq, has acknowledged its "ultimate objective" is to acquire supplies of Iraqi oil.

The Polish Foreign Minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, said his country had never disguised the fact that it sought direct access to the oilfields.

He was speaking as a group of Polish firms signed a deal with a subsidiary of US Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton.

"We have never hidden our desire for Polish oil companies to finally have access to sources of commodities," Mr Cimoszewicz told the Polish PAP news agency. Access to the oilfields "is our ultimate objective," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3043330.stm

Edit: Chris Floyd's take:

In a political world blackened with the stinking pitch of lies, distortion and death-dealing hypocrisy, a shining knight of truth stepped boldly forth last week. With admirable -- if ruthless -- honesty, Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz openly declared that his nation joined the Anglo-American crusade against Iraq for one purpose only: a share of the plunder from the conquered country's oil fields.

Here was no shifting, no spin, no crocodile tears about "democracy" and "liberation" such as are wont to dribble down the ever-flapping cheeks of Crusader George and his faithful page Tony. While each new day seems to bring another tortured "justification" for aggressive war from the Coalition's loquacious leaders, bold Cimoszewicz dispensed with pious cant and spoke plainly, the BBC reports.

http://www.makethemaccountable.com/floyd/030711_BargePoles.htm

[Dover]

33. Wow......never heard about this. Thanks for the quotes/links!

That pretty much sums it all up, including Halliburton's role.

They plan to do the same thing with our public U.S. assets. Wait until the economy falters and things get cheap and desperate.

[Rex]

7. A feast for the lucky

It's like watching a pack of lions eating still breathing prey!

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. TIME TO GET THAT OIL!

*cough* ho-holyoll *cough*cough*cough* </black Bush>

[Disturbed]

9. But....Amerikans have been told by the..

Glorious Leader that his Military invaded Iraq to "spread Freedom" as was told to him by God. Not to believe that is sacrlige, aint it?

[central scrutinizer]

23. Yes, dammit, and we have the ink-stained fingers to prove it

it was all about WMd, er I mean terrorism, er I mean er just shut the fuck up and watch American Idol and complain about that skank Paula boinking one of the contestants. And don't forget about that run away bride and Jacko and the sharks.

[drduffy]

21. a part of the world pie, dammit

that is what it is all about. Getting a part of the world pie. The world the neocons...no I mean the very wealthy corporations BEHIND the necons want to possess. And if you don't think so, you've got blinders on.

[TheFarseer]

10. It's not a bad move on their part - that is

if you can trust bush.

[PATRICK]

17. Only their idiot leaders did

against the wise and clear wishes of their people. This isn't news but confirmation. Berlusconi should visit the last shrine of Mussolini.

[MisterP]

18. heil Lebensraum!

Blut und Eisen und Blut für Öl!

[lovuian]

11. Evidence of the Conspiracy of the Willing to get millions!!!

Deals were made to make men rich!!!

[kodi]

13. textbook case of the subversion of democracy for capitalist profits

i had to laugh when i read the article because it is like being told water is wet.

carrion birds the lot of them.

[leftofthedial]

16. Coalition of the Bribed and Coerced

[Imagevision]

19. Blair was in it for British Protrolium [BP]

[IChing]

20. Italy invented Fascism

does this surprise anyone? shit.

[Chicago Democrat]

22. Italy sent 3000 troops that's 100 million per man!

Outragious....

[ninkasi]

24. We have known this all along...

"No blood for oil", the posters read. Bush and the neocons care no more for democracy than my terrier cares about whether the cat next door gets fed or not.

They are lying, corrupt, vile, evil men, and there are thousands and thousands of dead Iraqis, Americans, and other people to testify to that fact. We now have thousands of horribly wounded service men and women who will be neglected and forgotten.

And it's all for the sake of the oil, and making the already rich even richer, beyond the wildest imaginations of the rest of us poor peasants. We exist to serve them, and to further their agenda. Never for a moment forget this. If it would make them richer, they would turn American soldiers loose on us, killing as many of us as they could.

[cliss]

26. You're right, but.......it's going to cost them.

Let's look at Italy, and of course Opportunistic Poland. When we marched into Iraq 3 years ago, these countries felt lucky.....they were the chosen ones. They would be facing a bright future....filled with oil pumps on every street corner, whereas the rest of Europe would have to go begging.

But the Italians and the British would be on top, because they trusted the Infallibile US of A to go in there and break Saddam's contracts with Russia and France.

So how has it turned out? Did they get what they came for? Let's ask Silvio Berlusconi, as his thinning head of hair betrays deep grooves on his forehead. His reputation among his people is ruined, Calipari is dead and Sgrena barely made it with her life.

How are the oil profits coming? Are we doing great, like Cheney promised? Or did things go a little amiss?

[ninkasi]

29. Things will always go amiss

with this bunch running the show. That's what comes from not listening to other points of view, or learning about what they're getting into. They are so used to having their way, they think all they have to do is walk in, grab what they want, and walk out.

We are the reality based community, remember. They are the ones who truly think that if they want something, they're going to get it, by some strange alchemy, and that everything is always going to go their way, simply because they have been able to use their money and power to make it happen.

They are, or should be, finding out that this is not the case. They will never concede their mistakes, though, because they will always find someone else to blame for their screw ups. The people of Iraq do not worship at the feet of Bush the Idiot, and want us and our allies out of their country. They know damn good and well whose oil is under their country's soil, and it sure as hell isn't the USA's, or Italy's, or Poland's.

The only thing left for us to do now is leave.

[daleo]

25. Instead of the "oil for food" scandal, the blood for oil scandal.

Although the corrupt leadership of much of the world has decided to ignore the latter.

[Erika]

27. Our kids are dying

for corporate globalism. Doesn't it give you warm fuzzies?

See at www.icasualties.org Also hit the Afghanistan button.

[antonialee839]

28. Gee, what a shocker!

[LynnTheDem]

30. Don't forget POLAND!

Poland seeks Iraqi oil stake

Poland, which has sent troops to support the US-led forces in Iraq, has acknowledged its "ultimate objective" is to acquire supplies of Iraqi oil. The Polish Foreign Minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, said his country had never disguised the fact that it sought direct access to the oilfields.

He was speaking as a group of Polish firms signed a deal with a subsidiary of US Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton.

"We have never hidden our desire for Polish oil companies to finally have access to sources of commodities," Mr Cimoszewicz told the Polish PAP news agency.

Access to the oilfields "is our ultimate objective," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3043330.stm

So when will Americans wake up to the FACT, as plain and as simple as the noses on their faces; OIL is why over 1,600 Americans are DEAD. OIL is why over 10,000 Americans are maimed. OIL is why 100,000+ Americans are destroyed mind & soul. OIL is why 100,000+ Iraqis are DEAD. OIL is why we're the most detested nation on the planet. OIL is why we're $300 billion broke.OILis the background of bush & Cartel.

What a bloody tragedy of immense proportion.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

32. I wonder how much oil Italy actually received based on that deal?.....

The pipelines are rarely open for more than a day or so at a time, and the last I read, Iraqi oil production is at one-third or less of pre-war numbers.

[gulfcoastliberal]

34. "Crossing the Rubicon"

I've just started reading it and the book makes it clear that Iraqnam is a direct byproduct of Peak Oil and the dissapointing finds in the Caspian. When they started drilling dry holes in the Caspian, Cheney knew Iraq needed to be "secured" for its oil reserves. It's back to the US v Russia and the US is surely encircling Russia by instigating the "orange" and "velvet" revolutions to install pro-US regimes. A dangerous game.

[ooglymoogly]

35. all the chikeyans are coming home to rooooost

and this entire debacle is becoming one colossal soap opera of epic proportions. the multi layered house of cards that the media have sold their soles for and so far been able to promote and protect is beginning to temble........yeeeeha

[struggle4progress]

36. kick