http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/30/iraq-opens-bidding-for-6-oil-fields/
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq’s oil minister Monday opened international bidding on six oil fields that could increase the country’s oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day.
But the oil ministry continues to negotiate short-term no-bid contracts with several U.S. and European oil companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Chevron Corp., and BP - a step recently criticized by two U.S. lawmakers.
Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani announced Monday that 35 international oil companies can bid on long-term contracts for redeveloping the six oil fields, as well as two natural gas fields.
He said the fee-based contracts will not give the winning companies a share in the revenue from oil sales “because this wealth belong to Iraq only and thus we will not allow anyone to share the Iraqis’ oil.”
Now THIS really pissed me off. We sacrifice thousands of lives and dump a trillion dollars into the desert liberating their country. We pay $4.00+ at the pump while struggling through a sagging economy. And this is all THEIR oil and the wealth belongs to them alone?!
Sen. Ben Nelson (Blue Dog Dem. from Nebraska) had a pretty good plan, I thought. He said that we should set a firm date for the Iraqis to start paying for our services or we would pull out our troops. It makes sense, considering they are reaping the benefits of our sacrifice.
I still think we should consider making Iraq the 51st state. This Oil Minister is about as delusional as Saddam’s “Minister or Information” that claimed they were winning the war while we were kicking their asses. . . again.