Posted on 06/08/2004 5:25:22 PM PDT by tvn
Edited on 06/08/2004 5:28:36 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Coordinated sabotage attacks on fuel and transmission lines around an enormous power plant south of Baghdad shut the plant down last weekend, American and Iraqi government officials said Tuesday, raising new fears that insurgents were targeting major sectors of the Iraqi infrastructure as part of an overall terror plan.
At full production, the plant is capable of supplying nearly 20 percent of the entire electrical output of Iraq. But the plant's output plunged nearly to zero and was still generating only a fraction of its maximum output, said Raad Al Haris, deputy minister for electricity.
An official with the Coalition Provisional Authority, which is scheduled to hand over sovereignty in the country to a new Iraqi government on June 30, confirmed that an oil pipeline south of Baghdad had been struck by sabotage. A second senior official in the Electricity Ministry said that the weekend attack had been the latest in a series in the same area, and that repairs on the lines had repeatedly been followed by new strikes. This official said that the pipeline also delivered crude oil to at least one major refinery, whose operations had also been affected.
By Tuesday, enough repairs had been done to increase the plant's output to about 300 megawatts of electricity, out of a possible 750 megawatts, for most of the day, the official said. Power plants around the country put about 4,000 megawatts on the electrical grid, although demand is much higher, which leads to frequent blackouts, both scheduled and unscheduled. Demand is expected to soar even higher as the hot summer months arrive.
A Proposal : IRAQI CITIZENS’ OIL FUND
The following proposal submitted by the LAS AMERICAS COMPANIES is designed to win the minds and hearts of the Iraqi people through the annual distribution of a share of their nation’s oil resources. This is not a new idea, but rather one derived from the successful experience of the State of Alaska, which annually distributes a portion of the state’s’ income from oil production directly to its citizens. It stands to reason that Iraqis will vote their support of a government proposing to make each citizen a true partner in sharing the country’s oil riches.
1. The Alaska Permanent Fund
In 1976, voters in Alaska approved a constitutional amendment creating the Alaska Permanent Fund. It required that at least 25 percent of all mineral lease bonuses, royalties, and rentals be deposited in a fund used only for income-producing investments. At the urging of REPUBLICAN Governor Jay S. Hammond (1974-82), the state legislature enacted into law the innovative concept of establishing a permanent fund to distribute part of the state’s oil earnings directly to Alaska citizens as dividends.
The Alaska Permanent Fund is a case study in a new concept of the role of government - that of agent to equitably distribute resource rents to its citizens, thereby providing them with common heritage rights to land and natural resources.
After a court challenge, the Alaska legislature implemented the plan in early 1982. The Fund originally provided that any adult who had lived in Alaska at least six months was to receive dividends of $1,000. For future years, it promised annual dividends based on distribution of half the earnings of the permanent fund in any given year.
Alaska citizens who received a total of $18, 511 in dividends each year from 1982 - 2000. There were 582,105 citizens who received a total of $1,143,172,725 in dividends in the year 2000, which amounted to an individual dividend of $1963 per person. The Alaska Permanent Fund dividend payment in 2002 was $1540 per recipient, and $1107 in 2003. These payments provided an annual income of approximately $8,000 per household across the state.
Overall, the dividend program has dispersed more than $10 billion into the Alaskan economy. The principle of the Fund currently exceeds $26 billion. The Alaska Fund is the first to recognize the full rights of citizens to share directly in the income from public assets.
2. Proposed Iraqi Citizens' Oil Fund-
In 2004, Iraq's oil revenues, which have reached over $9 billion through April, are projected to total $15-20 billion (US), up from approximately $5 billion (US) in 2003. These revenues are expected to increase in successive years.
As in Alaska, an Iraqi Citizens' Oil Fund for the direct benefit of all citizens could be established by the new government. Citizens seeing the prospect of receiving money from their government, rather than paying money to it, are much more likely to be willing and enthusiastic supporters of the new authority.
Fortunately, Iraq has significant oil resources, which can be used to benefit all Iraqis. Currently, Iraq's per capita gross domestic product is $2,500. Under the prior government, average individual annual income was estimated to be less than $60 (US).
This proposal would give each Iraqi citizen a true stake in the economic foundation of newly established country. Each citizen could become a direct partner in Iraq’s economic and political future.
The Iraqi Citizen's Oil Fund would require that the principle of individual ownership be a primary hallmark of the new government. Citizens who are guaranteed economic power by the government will naturally support the newly established system. And, citizen-owners will be highly motivated to join together to devote their efforts to building their country’s future stability and prosperity.
The architects of the new Iraq have the power to replace the former government monopoly over natural resources with the Citizens’ Oil Fund providing all Iraqis a direct ownership stake in their country’s most valuable resource. Such a plan is in the best interest of Iraq and all Iraqis.
LAS AMERICAS COMPANIES 515 Madison Avenue Suite 2306 New York, New York Tel: 718-784-7786 Email: lasamericasinfo@email.com
Hector Llorens,Managing Director
What is most galling about this is that the Iraqis won't lend their full support to the US coalition in fighting these terrorists, while blaming the US for the damage, death, and disruption they cause!
That's just a bit of an overgeneralization.
What is encouraging about this if true, is that it means that the sabateurs will be much easier to discover and neutralize as they try to attack fixed targets.
This could create the strongest economic repulic in the Middle East. Think of how, as an econimic and democratic power, Iraq could become a beacon for moderate Islams to live and prosper. Kind of like a new country of a couple hundred years ago, that through innovative government philosophies, a free-market economy, and the prosperity of unlimited natural resources became a beacon for freedom seeking people throughout the world.
I would ask that this post be forwarded to those who are navigating the situation in Iraq now. This could change the course of events in Iraq by creating a tidal wave of active support from the Iraqi citizens.
You expected them to? they come from a different culture with values that don't even come close to where we are coming from.
Didn't expect Iraqis to appreciably help the coalition fight terrorists, but then to be obtuse enough to blame the coalition for the terrorism is just too much!
I think it's time for the terrorists of Falluja to be introduced to MOAB.
Howdy
Whew, finally, a strong sense of normalcy in Iraq, I believe that the end of our military involvement is finally in sight.
Gone are the days when significant fascist forces confront American and other coalition troops, now a smattering of fascists explode bombs which kill their fellow citizens and occasionally the casualties include a coalition soldier.
So, basically we have leftist jack booted fascist thugs in the earth liberation front, the peta goons, et cetera, doing the same amount of damage in the USA as their fascist bretheren purpetrate in Iraq.
And as in America, Iraqi citizens are sick to death of their evil bomb throwing pinhead fellow citizens.
In Iraq, we call the butchers of humanity "islamo-fascists".
In America, we call them "liberals".
I guess now that the depredations of evil fascist bomb throwing enemies of human liberty in Iraq have been reduced to levels in Iraq similar with their American bretheren, and as the Iraqi military is today larger than the coalition military presence, and since the UN finally recognizes the legitimacy of Iraq's interim government, it's nearly time for our forces to return home.
After all, somebody has to protect us from the democrats!
Howdy
Scuse me?
The basic theory operating in our intervention in Iraq is that all human beings are equally capable of appreciating individual human liberty. Therefore, when granted the opportunity to live in freedom, the Iraqi people would embrace that opportunity and oppose the bloodthirsty ambitions of the fascists which America confronts in the global war on terror. In thus establishing human liberty in the heart of the middle east, the Big Truth will dispell the Big Lie. The Big Truth being that liberty produces peace and prosperity, the Big Lie being that American freedom is the source of the poverty and suffering which produce terrorism.
Yes, we had numerous reasons to end a decade of military confrontation with Iraq, but the opportunity to use human liberty to destroy the foundations of the internatinal terrorist movement created the strategic imperitive to move sooner rather than later, so that the butchery of humanity purpetrated by deluded believers in the Big Lie could be ended at the earliest possible date.
All of this hinges on the basic principle enshrined in our Consitution, that all human beings are created equal.
If you can not apprehend this fundamental truth, you're a poor excuse for an American.
With all due respect and humility, I submit this appeal for reform of your thinking in this matter for your reflection.
That is a grand idea!
What surprises is that it was not part of the origninal plan.
Howdy
And another thing!
Iraqis are giving evidence to coalition forces in ever greater numbers, they are policing their own people in partnership with coalition troops, and the vast preponderance of public sentiment is resentment and anger directed against the bomb throwing dead enders, fascists, and leftist scum of humanity which threaten the lives of their children and their capacity to live a life with some degree of security and normalcy.
Do you not understand why the Marines didn't reduce Fallujia to rubble, and Najaf, and numerous other hotspots?
It is because the PEOPLE, the CITIZENS, the everyday folks of Iraq threw the fascist thugs out of their cities on their asses, just like the Germans did with their dead ender fascist fellow citizens, just as the most fundamental understanding of our species would predict.
The interim government demanded the disarmament of independent militias fielded by all nine major political parties, weapon buybacks are reaping a massive daily yield of literally tons of RPGs, mortars, crew served weapons, and explosives and small arms. The Iraqis have declared that al sadr punk an outlaw and his worthless fascist hide is public enemy number one in Iraq.
Stop being deluded by our fascist enemies' allies in the American left, they are threatening your sanity.
Take solace in trust of human nature, the fundamental justice in spreading hope, liberty, and peace.
Our victory was always inevitable, we could only be beaten right here at home by enemy propaganda willingly dissemenated by our fellow Americans who lamentably make common cause with the butchers of humanity.
Death to terror, fascism, and the dnc!
Just about to recommend oil shares to each Iraqi.
Someone got there way ahead, and in detail.
Thanks!
Yes!
What surprises is that it was not part of the origninal plan.
General MacArthur would have done it yesterday.
Henry George would like it too.
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