[SodiumWarthog]

Also add that we have secured the southern oil fields with only nine wells set afire (with some of those already being put out.). In a related policial master-stroke, the Oil for Food program was reinstated. What's so great about that you might ask? It defacto recognises that a political entity has control of these oil assets outside of the Iraqi government. In short, oil can be sold on the open market for supplies to feed the people taking some of the financial burden off us.

Now, nothing will be flowing out for quite a while but just the idea of this will send world oil prices down. If even just a trickle can start to flow, watch prices plummet on speculation it will become a flood.

Koffi Annan is happy because he sees it as an opening for the U.N. but the one who controls the well heads is actually driving this train. You have doubts? Bagdad bob, the Ba'ath sock-puppet, is not happy about this at all and he knows what a loss of sovernty this is.

A pause also allows us to secure fields in the north. These are less important because it will take longer to get them operational and oil flowing out of them as opposed to in the south.

Of course, this is probably the plan to begin with.

[peeve23]

Exactly.

We over-ride their media and impose one run by opposition Iraqis. The interim authorities announce a resumption of oil sales. Life begins to go on.

All the while, Baghdad is surrounded.