You gave up....how depressing.

Our Gulf War sanctions? I thought they were UN mandates. Its also my understanding that the sanctions were punishment levied against Saddam.

US gave the Iraqis freedom to do what they like with their lives,not just their oil.People were dying in Iraq well before we got there.Do you care about them?I doubt it.

Obama is now powerless to implement his arbitrary 16 mo. evacuation plan.Even he realizes he cannot do it,it got him some votes tho huh?Im sure that makes some of his support base, like yourself ,a little pissed but that is something you should get used to.

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"The Iraqi constitution of 2005, greatly influenced by US advisors, contains language that guarantees a major role for foreign companies. Negotiators hope soon to complete deals on Production Sharing Agreements that will give the companies control over dozens of fields, including the fabled super-giant Majnoon. But first the Parliament must pass a new oil sector investment law allowing foreign companies to assume a major role in the country. The US has threatened to withhold funding as well as financial and military support if the law does not soon pass. Although the Iraqi cabinet endorsed the draft law in July 2007, Parliament has balked at the legislation. Most Iraqis favor continued control by a national company and the powerful oil workers union strongly opposes de-nationalization. Iraq's political future is very much in flux, but oil remains the central feature of the political landscape."
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/irqindx.htm

"A leaked version of the US-Iraq status-of-forces agreement (SOFA), supplied and translated for Truthout by American Friends Service Committee Iraq consultant Raed Jarrar, states that the US will indefinitely "continue to protect Iraq's natural resources of gas and oil and protect Iraq's foreign financial and economic assets."
http://peakenergy.blogspot.com/2008/...iraqs-oil.html

The Iraqi constitution of 2005, greatly influenced by US advisors, contains language that guarantees a major role for foreign companies. Negotiators hope soon to complete deals on Production Sharing Agreements that will give the companies control over dozens of fields, including the fabled super-giant Majnoon. But first the Parliament must pass a new oil sector investment law allowing foreign companies to assume a major role in the country. The US has threatened to withhold funding as well as financial and military support if the law does not soon pass. Although the Iraqi cabinet endorsed the draft law in July 2007, Parliament has balked at the legislation. Most Iraqis favor continued control by a national company and the powerful oil workers union strongly opposes de-nationalization. Iraq's political future is very much in flux, but oil remains the central feature of the political landscape."[/b]

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/irqindx.htm



Show me this 'language' in the Iraqi Constitution.Ive read it,have you?
Ill save you the trouble of actually reading the document but here it is if youd like to pull your head out yo azz.

Its seems like the subject of oil is only vaguely breached on two occasions.

http://www.uniraq.org/documents/iraqi_constitution.pdf

Article 111:

Oil and gas are the ownership of all the people of Iraq in all the regions and governorates.

Article 112:

First: The federal government with the producing governorates and regional governments shall undertake the management of oil and gas extracted from current fields provided that it distributes oil and gas revenues in a fair manner in proportion to the population distribution in all parts of the country with a set allotment for a set time for the damaged regions that were unjustly deprived by the former regime and the regions that were damaged later on, and in a way that assures balanced development in different areas of the country, and this will be regulated by law.

Second: The federal government with the producing regional and governorate governments shall together formulate the necessary strategic policies to develop the oil and gas wealth in a way that achieves the highest benefit to the Iraqi people using the most advanced techniques of the market principles and encourages investment.




"A leaked version of the US-Iraq status-of-forces agreement (SOFA), supplied and translated for Truthout by American Friends Service Committee Iraq consultant Raed Jarrar, states that the US will indefinitely "continue to protect Iraq's natural resources of gas and oil and protect Iraq's foreign financial and economic assets."
http://peakenergy.blogspot.com/2008/...iraqs-oil.html

And once again were going to try and debate a document you havent read and I have.Im glad you didnt give up----its really easy to debate someone who is totally dependent on blogs for their reference materials.Heres a blog-from the times that has the offical version of the signed agreement.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/baby...he-new-so.html

Why use a past blog entry of a 'leaked' SOFA agreement when the actual one is signed and doesnt contain any of the juicy things you folks promised wed extract from the Iraqis.

The only paragraph I can see that might get you excited is this offering,which very much differs from the dire speculation you posted above:

3. Consistent with a letter from the President of the United States to be sent to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the United States remains committed to assist Iraq in connection with its request that the UN Security Council extend the protections and other arrangements established in UN Resolution 1483 and UN Resolution 1546 for petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas originating in Iraq, proceeds and obligations from sale thereof, and the Development Fund for Iraq.

This is in the SOFA, per agreement it ends Dec 31 2011-so any 'advantages' weve gained thru SOFA also goes on that day-unless the IRAQIS want to extend it.

All your hyperbole has gone by the wayside when the facts are revealed.Im sure 'big oil' gets their share eventually but you cannot deny that Iraq is taking on all comers and the US has ZERO monopoly on Iraqi oil.

I think maybe you are getting the various documents confused personally,while still believing youve never actually read them-until possibly now,which I still doubt.

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Sanctions placed against a country are levied against the entire People of a country and not an individual.

It is just like the US war against Iraq. This was a war against the Iraqi People and not against an individual. The US invasion violated the sovereignty of all the Iraqi People.

__________________
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
Forum Rules and Guidelines: http://www.politicalforum.com/curren...uncements.html

Had the soverignty argument already.Given your poor excuse making,your opinion is: any attack challenges the soveriengty of any nation regardless of their reckless and menacing behavior.Saddam was offered exile from some and incarceration by the coalition-he chose war,Saddam chose sanctions,Saddam chose to punish Shiites and Kurds,Saddam chose not to cooperate with the UN,etc.

We simply got rid of a dictator.Then all the sanctions were lifted immediately.

As far as the sanctions.....

Provisions were allocated for the people of Iraq,money and goods put aside in the OFF program that Saddam simply chose not to spend on these dedicated services as part of a campaign to further oppress those he didnt care for.

We dont really want to get into the UN scandal do we?

The fact is Saddam f**ked up and was punished.The problem is his 'punishment' was a windfall for his regime and he simply neglected 'his' people while he thrived.The man was just ambivilent to the plight of his nation.I cannot beleive you do not think the new Iraq wont be an enormous step up from prewar Saddam,you seem intelligent but very stubbron apparently.

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Do you fail to recognize that the UN Charter requires respect for the sovereignty of all nations and the sanctions were actually in violation of this requirement of the UN Charter?

Do you fail to recognize that the US bombing campaign of Iraq during the 1990's violated UN Resolution 678 which required the establishment of peace in the region (in case you are unaware of it, war is not peace).

__________________
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
Forum Rules and Guidelines: http://www.politicalforum.com/curren...uncements.html

your quotes are old news that war reported else where over two years ago. they show no intent of the oil companies wanting invasion of iraq. what has happened since the misadventure, the spin, in order to mislead folks has nothing to do with what was driving the invasion in 2003.

i hope cat that you at least realize, and are willing to admitt, there are some folks who want others to believe this was a war for oil, and whose only intention is to throw the dog off the scent.

__________________
EDUCATION, n.
That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding. ~ A. Bierce

What would be the possible motive there?


I hope you will be open minded as well and check this out:
http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic8382.html

in the meantime cat. i would like your response to this;

IRAQ: War Launched to Protect Israel - Bush Adviser

and before you past him off as a nobody make sure you understand some of his background.

__________________
EDUCATION, n.
That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding. ~ A. Bierce