There was suspicion among many in the Arab world and among parts of
the American public that the United States had gone to war in Iraq
precisely to secure the oil wealth these contracts seek to extract.
The Bush administration has said that the war was necessary to combat
terrorism.
It is not clear what role the United States played in awarding the
contracts; there are still American advisers to Iraq’s Oil Ministry.
From The New York Times, 6/19/08:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Deals With Iraq Are Set to Bring Oil Giants Back
Moises Saman for The New York Times
By ANDREW E. KRAMER
BAGHDAD —
Four Western oil companies are in the final stages of negotiations
this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after
losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose
to power.
Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP — the original partners in the Iraq
Petroleum Company — along with Chevron and a number of smaller oil
companies, are in talks with Iraq’s Oil Ministry for no-bid contracts
to service Iraq’s largest fields, according to ministry officials, oil
company officials and an American diplomat.
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4,101 American troops are dead, 30,247 are wounded
Harry
General Sanchez: "There is no question that America is living a
nightmare with no end in sight"
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