Is the "War On Terror" Really A War For OIL?

Question

Only the Bush administration continues to natter about a bogus "War on Terror." Others are more candid:

Republican Sen. Senator Charles Hagel: "People say we're not fighting for oil. Of course we are. They talk about America's national interest. What the hell do you think they're talking about? We're not there for figs." (Speaking at Catholic University, Sept. 24, 2007)

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, in his book The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World: "I'm saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: The Iraq war is largely about oil."

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester: "We're still fighting a war in Iraq and people who are honest about it will admit we're there over oil." (Associated Press, Sept. 24, 2007)

Gen. John Abizaid, retired CENTCOM commander: "Of course it's about oil, we can't really deny that." (Speaking at Stanford University, Oct. 13, 2007)

"As you know, the Administration set several benchmarks for the Iraqi government, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament. The Administration has emphasized only a small part of this law, the "fair" distribution of oil revenues. Consider the fact that the Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" contains a mere three sentences that generally discusses the "fair" distribution of oil.

Except for three scant lines, the entire 33 page "Hydrocarbon Law," is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil. As such, it in imperative that all of us carefully read the Iraqi Parliament's bill because the Congress is on the record in promoting oil privatization.

This war is about oil."

Dennis Kucinich, in Congress 5/23/2007

http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=12901§ionID=15

Answer 1

I think the best place to look for an answer is with the Iraqi Hydrocarbons Law, more commonly known as the Iraq Oil Law. The Republicans drafted it, the Democrat-controlled
Congress made signing it as a condition for continued reconstruction aid. It's not a partisan issue, the US is holding Iraq hostage for their oil.

The Iraq Oil Law (Highlights):
-- The law would change Iraq's oil system from a nationalized model -- all but closed to U.S. oil companies -- to a privatized model open to foreign corporate control.
-- At least two-thirds of Iraq's oil would be open to foreign oil companies
-- Iraq National Oil Company would have exclusive control of only about 17 of Iraq's approximately 80 known oil fields. Remainder controlled by foreign interests.
-- Allows foreign interests (mainly US and Britain) to take 50% control of Iraq's oil reserves and takes control away from, thus destabilizes, the Iraq federal central government.
-- US oil companies can exercise long-term (30+ year) contracts without approval by the Iraqi Government
-- Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) give foreign firms 70 per cent of the oil revenues to recover their initial investments and subsequently allow them 20 per cent of the profits without any tax or restrictions on the transferring of funds abroad."
-- Federal Oil and Gas Council (representatives from the foreign oil companies), not the Iraqi government, will have authority to approve (their own) contracts.
-- The Council, not Iraq government, will control production levels, so Iraq cannot be a part of OPEC anymore.
-- Foreign companies would not have to invest their earnings in Iraq, hire Iraqi workers, or partner with Iraqi companies."
-- The Iraqi government would not have control over oil company operations inside Iraq. Any disputes would be referred instead to pro-industry international arbitration panels.
-- No contracts would be public documents
Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" - This version passed the Iraq Cabinet, and was referred to the Parliament:
http://web.krg.org/uploads/documents/Draft%20Iraq%20Oil%20and%20Gas%20Law%20English__2007_03_09_h17m2s47.pdf

For more of the picture, here are some additional articles about lucrative contracts and smuggling of 'non-metered' oil. The meter repairs were contracted four years ago. Is it really any surprise that one of those contracted for the repairs is... yes... Halliburton.
-- Mystery of the Missing Meters: Accounting for Iraq's Oil Revenue
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14427
"Officials blame the four-year delay in repairing the relatively simple system on "security problems." Others point to the failed efforts of the two U.S. companies hired to repair the southern oil fields, fix the two terminals, and the meters: Halliburton of Houston, Texas, and Parsons of Pasadena, California."
-- Oil in Iraq
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/irqindx.htm
The four giant firms located in the US and the UK have been keen to get back into Iraq, from which they were excluded with the nationalization of 1972. During the final years of the Saddam era, they envied companies from France, Russia, China, and elsewhere, who had obtained major contracts. But UN sanctions (kept in place by the US and the UK) kept those contracts inoperable. Since the invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003, much has changed.
-- Corporate Contracts
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/contractindex.htm
"US occupation authorities have assumed control of the reconstruction process and awarded lucrative contracts to US firms with direct links to the White House."

Answer 2

Any one with even a little common sense knows that if Iraq had tomato fields instead of oil fields the US would not have spent $600 billion dollars to occupy the country.
The unfortunate thing is that so many people know this to be true but are aphathetic or helpless to stop tens of thousands of innocent Iraqic people from being murdered because they live in the wrong place.

Answer 3

The Iraq Hydrocarbon Act that requires Iraq to open it's oil business up to foreign bidders should prove that this war IS and ALWAYS was about oil!

Afghanistan is also about building an oil pipeline to be used by foreign oil companies!

Dennis Kucinich is right.

EDIT: When you have time you should read this information below:

http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa48119.000/hfa48119_0.HTM

If you want the best part it's 1/2 way down the page. It is the testimony of Mr. Maresca. He is the VP of International Relations for Unocal Corp.

Keep in mind this is a House of Representatives hearing from 1998, a full what 3 years before we invaded Afghanistan!

Very very illuminating! Do yourself a favor and read it!

Answer 4

The Hot Oil War in Syria and Iraq and the Cold Oil War in South East Asia
http://iakal.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/the-hot-oil-war-in-syria-and-iraq-and-the-cold-oil-war-in-south-east-asia/

Answer 5

Oil? Where's the oil?

I know there's plenty of it in Alaska but I'm not allowed to have that either.

I think I'll just shut myself down, along with the rest of Western Civilization, and depend on the government for everything. I know they'll take care of me.

Notice that nobody talks about Kennedy's or Feinstein's oil holdings? Or that the Dems generally have had major ownership of Halliburton's and it's subsidiaries? Humph. Glad I enjoy riding my bicycle.


(Once Iran has control of those oil fields, we won't have to worry about such political questions anymore. Nor will we be able to answer them. Finally, civilized Western Civilization will no longer be able to bug anybody.)

Answer 6

If all we wanted was oil we could have kept Kurwait at the end of the 91 war for a lot less trouble. This is an opinion, no matter who says it. And we could lose our dependence on foriegn oil in less than ten years if we were allowed to develop our own resources, can you guess which Party has blocked that at every turn. (hint: its not the Republicans)

Answer 7

I believe the war is about oil, but deep down I think it is more than just oil.

Answer 8

The entire middle east is about oil. Do you really think that anyone would care about the lunatics in the ME if they didn't have oil?

Answer 9

Yes,this is true. For the guy who answered first, they need to build pipelines through Afghanistan.

Answer 10

the war in Afghanistan is about opium and heroin! look it up yourself! the Taliban stopped it but bush has made it profitable again but don't take my word for it look it up yourself. [and no i am against the Taliban and the people that created them to stop the Communist Russians!] ,. i wonder who could that be?!