U.S. occupation announced Saturday a new top management team to run the Iraqi oil ministry under the former president of Shell Oil. "We are pleased to announce the formation of an advisory board for the oil sector with Philip Carroll and Fadhel Othman in the position of chairman and vice-chairman. Mr. Carroll is a former president and CEO of Shell Oil and former CEO of engineering and construction company Fluor," said Tim Cross, a deputy to retired U.S. general Jay Garner, head of the office of construction and humanitarian assistance in post-war Iraq. "Mr. Othman served formerly as the chairman of Iraq 's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) and in positions in the Iraqi oil ministry," he added in a statement. The statement also added that after "extensive consultations and on the advice of the executive committee of the oil advisory board, we are pleased to announce that Thamir Ghadhban had agreed to accept the position of chief executive officer of the interim management team for the Iraqi oil sector." Ghadhban served as the Iraqi oil ministry's director of planning before the war, it added.
| So they've got a real oil man to run things, with two Iraqis as his right and left arms. Presumably their involvement with Baathistry has been forgivable... |
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