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Posted on 04/15/2003 1:03:56 PM PDT by Mihalis
A post-war pot of gold
Apr 15th 2003 From The Economist Global Agenda
Even before the fighting began, the Bush administration had secretly invited bids for work to rebuild Iraq’s battered roads, power plants, oil wells and so on. Now, as that work begins, non-American companies are worried that all they will get is the crumbs
AP
What do you mean the contract's void?
THE Bush administration has long been accused of waging war on Iraq for its own commercial reasons. Many outsiders suspected that the Texan oilman in the White House was interested principally in the country’s oil reserves, the second-biggest in the world. However, the administration’s plans to rebuild Iraq go far beyond the oil wells. In January, while ways of avoiding war were still being discussed at the United Nations, the American government quietly asked companies to submit proposals for a reconstruction effort that would rival the rebuilding of Germany after the second world war in its ambition. The plan envisages fixing water systems, roads, ports, hospitals and schools within just 18 months, as well as attempting broader “nation-building” efforts, stabilising the Iraqi dinar and even establishing a corporate-governance code. The plan has come under heavy fire from both multilateral and non-governmental organisations, which have been given only a small role in it, and from non-American companies, angry that they have been excluded from the tendering process. Their governments will try to hold up any attempt by America to use Iraq’s oil wealth to pay for reconstruction if it is seen to be a purely American enterprise.
Under its “Vision for Post-Conflict Iraq”, America plans to spend more than $1.7 billion immediately to demonstrate a rapid improvement in the quality of life in Iraq. The plan is split into a number of bite-sized pieces, for which requests...........
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
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Their levarage is the Food for Oil program, which they, esp. France, Russia and Germany, converted proceeds of US purchases of oil to purchases of their products.
The Iraqis should decide who buys what. Not Kofi and Jacques. The program must be torn down. Iraqis must yell and scream that the UN release its chains and release Iraqi money now held. They should hold public protests in front of that Baghdad hotel.
France will use the excuse about not recognizing the government. I predict France will never recognize the government until Chirac gets a big payoff.
Watch - the Russians will go along, and they will be rewarded for coming around. The French and Germans will be jerks, and they will catch hell.
Putin's no freaking fool. Leave that up to the vainglorious Jacques Chirac and the naive Gerhard Schroeder.
The entire Iraqi army will have to be rebuilt from scratch. The Iraqis are used to Soviet equipment. They will buy Russian. We're talking a huge, massive arms buy. No chickensh#t weaponry, either. The Iraqis will want T-90's, the best night vision stuff, Russia's latest in mobile artillery (a la the Paladin system), and of course, that nice Sukhoi that's said to be on par, if not better, than the F-15.
Condi Rice is said to have laid down the law at a Principal's meeting two weeks ago, "Punish France, ignore Germany, and forgive Russia." Russia's sub-rosa assistance to Saddam will be forgotten and forgiven in return for her cooperation. Russia will also get a deal for the return of her Iraqi debt, probably to the tune of fifty cents on the dollar. In return for accepting a reduced payment, Russian oil developers will be looked on with new consideration by the Iraqi government.
Meanwhile, Jacques and Gerhard will get to lead a Peace Movement Circle Jerk in front of the Brandenberg Gate.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
I wouldn't be surprised if the US and British make arrangements so that the new Iraqi government does not re-arm itself, sort of like Germany and Japan after WWII. Also I suspect the US will barter an arrangement where we maintain long term military presence (like South Korea) and in exchange we offer to provide any and all military protection they need.
Exactly.
Also I suspect the US will barter an arrangement where we maintain long term military presence (like South Korea) and in exchange we offer to provide any and all military protection they need.
I would be very surprised to see that happen. We have not pulled out of Saudi only to get bogged down in the briar patch that is Iraqi politics. The last thing we want to do is get into a situation in which we face a simmering guerrilla war against a people to whom our departure was promised.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
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