Draft Oil Law Will 'Plunge Iraq into Further Chaos'

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Draft Oil Law Will 'Plunge Iraq into Further Chaos'

"As was the case with all previous U.S.-sponsored 'milestones,' the only fruit we are likely to reap from the proposed new oil law is disappointment."

By Saad Abbas
July 8, 2007


As was the case with all previous U.S.-sponsored "milestones," the only fruit we are likely to reap from the proposed new oil law is disappointment.

There are clear signs that rather that being a “gift to all the Iraqi people,” as Prime Minister al-Maliki described the draft oil law approved by his government a few days ago, the legislation is likely to turn into "poison" for Iraq as a nation.

Originally drafted almost a year ago, many believed the government's assertion that it would substantially review the bill, which was initially rejected outright by almost all of the country's political factions.

Back then, Iraqi oil experts, important national figures, politicians and government factions warned that unless it was redrafted, the bill would certainly trigger infighting and the eventual division of the country.

But the government paid no heed to the warnings, and according to a senior official who took part in recent deliberations over the oil bill, hardly any changes or revisions have been rendered to it.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the Maliki government of undermining the very national reconciliation that it says it is pursuing.


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