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Iraq: Not About Oil?
by Josh Frank
www.dissidentvoice.org

United States relations with Russia may be spicing up for the holiday
season. On Monday, December 22, Russian officials offered to forgive
$8 billion of Iraq's debt if the country reinstituted the oil
contracts Russia had during Saddam's evil reign.

The old Soviet Republic surely knows that the $8 billion will be made
up in a matter of years, as profits from rich Iraqi oil fields pump
into the lifeline of Russia's weak economy.

Welcome back to the global market Iraq.

Time will tell whether or not this bold move is an action that the oil
boys in DC are willing to tolerate. The US has put pressure on
countries to step in and help relieve some of Iraq's $125 billion
dollar debt. However, just one week ago the Defense Department stated
that countries who did not support the illegal war like France,
Germany and Russia, were not welcome to reap the avails of US's new
colonial state.

Iraq's crude oil rate is currently running at 2.5 million barrels of
crude oil per day, and it hopes to bump that up to 5 million within
the next two years.

And this war wasn't about oil?

Russia's entrance back into the Iraq market may signal the next phase
of "Operation Profit Iraq," where countries other then the US may be
on the verge of cashing in on the war as well. Bush admittedly is not
pleased; he's openly criticized certain nations that are attempting to
move their corporations into Iraq in hopes of turning over a profit.
However, Bush recently sent former Secretary of State James Baker to
hearten major creditors, in hopes to pen down the country's
outstanding debt.

The Russia deal also shows the earnest effort of Iraqi officials to
exonerate the country's dues, while buying into the free-market
protocol the IMF and WTO have made illustriously famous. But could
this bang-up deal have gone down behind the back of George W. Bush?
You bet.

In a meeting at the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin and the head of
the Iraqi Governing Council Abdul Aziz al-Hakim were said to have
sealed the contract behind closed doors. Al-Hakim is the head of the
US-backed council, but it is likely that the US was unaware of
Russia's secret agreement with the Interim Council.

"Putin has made an offer of Russia exempting Iraq from 65 percent of
their debts. That is a decision made by Russia," said Samir Sumaidy a
member of the Iraqi Governing Council. One can honestly speculate that
the decision may not have come from Bush's White House, put from
Putin's government.

Russia is also openly admitting that much can be gained from
capitalist ventures in Iraq. "Russian companies are ready to be active
in Iraq," said Sumaidy.

Nobody doubts that the main reason Russia opposed the war in Iraq was
due to their strong economic ties to Saddam Hussein's government.
However, Russia is attempting to rekindle that corporate spirit right
where they left off last year. "Russia will help Iraq restore its
economy and support the Iraqi people in their aspiration for
sovereignty, and termination of the occupation," said Al-Hakim.

Russia's exploration of oil may come with contention from the US, who
is waiting patiently in the wing for their big take on the contracts.
But like the Gold Rush of California in the mid-1800s, Iraq oil seems
to be on a first come, first serve basis. Russia is already looking to
explore the Western Qurna oil fields; supposed home of billions in
untapped barrels.

Despite the President's call on James Baker, Bush still must fear a
battle could erupt over Iraqi oil. These reserves were surely
earmarked for Bush's large campaign contributors, not countries like
Russia who opposed the war.

Of course this illegal debacle has already benefited a few of Bush's
fat patrons-with many of the spoils lining the pockets of his buddies
at Bechtel and Halliburton.

Nevertheless, the real bucks are to be made from the yet unleashed oil
reserves-which are patiently awaiting their discoveries in western
Iraq.

Somebody should get a Federal search warrant for the White House, and
seek out Bush's hidden oil maps. Time to arrest the war criminal
before he wins next year -- because with a Bush triumph, it is a
certainty that Republican backers will be drowning in Iraqi oil. In
the meantime, Russia can only hope to siphon some of that black gold
their way.

And President Bush wants us continuing to believe this war was only
about WMDs? Which apparently are harder to locate than a spaced-out
dictator, bunkered down in a hole out in rural Iraq.

Would the person who believes oil had nothing to do with this war
please stand up?

Josh Frank is a writer and activist living in New York City. He can be
reached at frank_joshua@hotmail.com.