Article

2005-12-01 Iraq

Kurdish Oil Deal Shocks Iraq's Political Leaders

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Posted by Steve 2005-12-01 12:48|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The problem for the Kurds is that they are completely surrounded by countries (and other part of Iraq) that do NOT want them to assert themselves. We are talking Iran, Turkey and Syria..... and Iraq. How are they going to get oil out?

Posted by Brett 2005-12-01 14:09|| 2005-12-01 14:09|| Front Page Top

#2 The start of drilling, called "spudding" in the oil business, is sure to be worrisome to Iraq's Sunni Arab minority. They fear a disintegration of Iraq into separate ethnic and religious cantons if regions begin to cut energy deals with foreign companies and governments. Sunnis are concentrated in Iraq's most oil-poor region.

WTF did these guys expect? Instead of thinking about Iraq as a whole, all they worry about is Sunni this, Sunni that. Why didn't they participate in the first elections?

"This is unprecedented," said Alaa Makki, a leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party, a Sunni Arab group. "It's like they are an independent country. This is Iraqi oil and should be shared with all the Iraqi partners."

Ohhhh, they're partners now, huh? I guess that's to be expected when there's money to be had....

Creeps.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-12-01 14:23|| 2005-12-01 14:23|| Front Page Top

#3 Brett, it depends on where it is going. If it's to us, we'll build them a pipeline, of course. I hope they do break away and make themselves a nifty little country. Ever heard of Kurdistan?

Posted by bigjim-ky 2005-12-01 14:43|| 2005-12-01 14:43|| Front Page Top

#4 This is a wise move on the part of the Kurds. If you ask enough people, somebody will say no. However, if you have already inked a deal, it's a lot easier to get forgiveness than permission.

One of the essential characteristics of federalism is that the central government doesn't control everything. Logically, they should ask the Kurds to pay a tax on their profits; this would be the federal solution, instead of insisting that they get all the money and just give the Kurds a cut.

Unless the tax is punitive, the Kurds will agree.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-12-01 19:35|| 2005-12-01 19:35|| Front Page Top

#5 Brett - via the free Kurdish Syria in the new MidEast order. Turkey can f*&k off...just oull old newscasts of them screwing us in the Iraqi invasion. Kurds have their act together and should be rewarded by alliance with us

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-12-01 20:30|| 2005-12-01 20:30|| Front Page Top

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