Iraq:"To the victor goes the spoils.": Does the U.S. have every right to require Iraq to open their oilfields

Question

to foreign oil company bidding?
This is one of the 18 benchmarks.
The 'Iraq Hydrocarbon Act' requires Iraq to do this.
If Iraq is a sovereign nation shouldn't they decide if the want to keep a Nationalized oil industry to provide for their people???

Answer 1

As much right I have to put a gun to your head and make you sign over all your possessions to me.

Answer 2

You are correct. The Iraqi government could decide to nationalize it's oil industry. They could decide to nationalize all industry. I would hope though that they would take a look around the world and see that when governments nationalize industries things don't work real well, production goes down, corruption increases, less people benefit. The idea that nationalizing an industry will provide for the people is a myth right out of the Marxist play book. I can't think of a single example where that has happened. Saddam had a nationalized oil industry and 60% of his people lived on governemtn food hand outs. Venezualia is trying it now and production, maintanance, and profit will take a sharp drop. I could never understand how doing business with a foreign company, that brings it's expertise, hires local people, pays local taxes, builds infrastucter in the country they work in, is a bad thing. Look around you at all things you have made either in a foeign country or by companies based in foreign countries and tell me how good your life would be without them

Answer 3

Google 'production service agreements' and see how the oil companies are trying to set up control of the Iraqi oil.

If YOU were elected president of Iraq, and if you wanted to do a good job for the Iraqi people, you'd look at these agreements and shake your head. This is OUR oil, you'd say, we should keep the wealth in the country. It's all we have, and we desperately need schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, water and sewage treatment plants, etc. etc.--all that stuff that was destroyed by the US and its allies.

You'd allow foreign companies to come in as advisors, to build the refineries maybe. But the oil doesn't belong to THEM, it belongs to Iraq.

The whole attitude of Americans seems to be: How did OUR oil get under THEIR sand?

Bush said that he only wanted to establish a western-style democracy in Iraq. He claims Iraq is free and sovereign and has elected its own choice of government. But Iraq won't be truly sovereign until it can tell the Americans to leave and then make its own decisions about the oil!

Answer 4

When you defeat someone in war you have every right to do what you wish. This is the historical standard. Something as passive as demanding access to a resource is much more desirable than demanding other things such as women.

There are agreements from along ago that keep oil glowing out of the middle east. Any small steps forward out of their distant history are due to these agreements made.

Middle east agrees ot keep the oil flowing, period. So keeping that in writing for the new govt to acknowlege is nothing new.

Yes, keep the oil flowing. Who gets the money from oil sales, is up for the Iraqis to decide, not us. If the iraqis are anything like the democrats here (very sarcastic), they will want the oil revenue to go towards those addicted to drugs, and for sex ed to be taught in gradeschool, and for people to not need a job. Create a saudi like welfare state. If the yare anything like the republicans, they will want the richest few to lock down all access to every last cent.

Answer 5

The need to dominate oil from Iraq is also deeply intertwined with the defense of the dollar. Its current strength is supported by OPEC's requirement (secured by a secret agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia) that all OPEC oil sales be denominated in dollars. This requirement is currently threatened by the desire of some OPEC countries to allow OPEC oil sales to be paid in euros.

Iraq switched their oil sales to the Euro in 2000

Answer 6

The bidding is not for ownership of the oil fields but rather for which company gets the contract to rebuild the wells and pipelines and which company gets to resell the oil. This MUST be done because the technology and resources don't exist in Iraq currently to do this.

Answer 7

Iraq hasn't gotten our bill for all we've done over there. By the time we're done there they and everyone else in the world will understand that it REALLY was about the oil all along.

Answer 8

Iraq lost their sovereignty with the attempted assassination of our President, the attacking of Kuwait, the payment of suicide bombers to attack Israeli civilians, etc.

This requirement forces at least Iraq to stop using the oil fields as an economic weapon against the world.

But they still get the best price to provide for their people.

Answer 9

Bush said that oil belongs to the people of Iraq. What changed?

Answer 10

"Does the U.S. have every right to require Iraq to open their oilfields"

No, the "mighty american empire" does not have this right, but since when did Emperoer bu$h listen to his subjects, or care about the opinions of those who live in that place..what`s it called?....that "foreign","Illegal" and above all WRONG place....oh yes "Notamerica"?

Answer 11

Absolutely. However, the US is playing the imperialist in this situation and hence why terror is such a big threat.

If we reduced our dependence on oil we would stop funding a lot of maniacal leaders.