U.S. Demonstrators protest Iraq Oil Law.

This is from the Freepress. As noted, the mainstream press simply ignores demonstrations such as this. At least, some segments of labor have shown solidarity with Iraqi labor. Imagine that unions in the public sector are still banned so that the government does not recognise the oil unions. How many Americans are even aware of this?

Kick that barrel
by Mike Ferner
February 23, 2008

In a town awash in irony, this particular example of it couldn’t have been more striking.

Yesterday, in Washington, D.C., former Marine Corps Sergeant and Iraq War vet, Adam Kokesh, kick-rolled a 55-gallon oil drum lettered “Hands Off Iraqi Oil” across K Street – an avenue that has become synonymous with the power of corporate lobbyists.

Kokesh, former Army National Guard Sergeant Geoff Millard, and former Army Private Marc Trainer, in the center of a knot of demonstrators, took turns kicking the barrel up 16th Street towards Lafayette Park, adjoining the White House, for a protest sponsored by U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), and Oil Change International.

The protest and an earlier news conference at the Institute for Policy Studies was called to bring public attention to the Oil Law passed by the Iraqi Cabinet one year ago and now waiting approval by Parliament.

Citing a letter USLAW sent yesterday to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and George Bush, Gene Bruskin, co-convenor of USLAW, said that under Paul Bremer, the man Bush put in charge of running Iraq right after the invasion, the Hussein administration laws were wiped off the books – except for Law 150 and Law 151 which prohibit Iraqi workers from organizing unions in the public sector, some two-thirds of the nation’s economy.

“For there to be freedom in Iraq,” Bruskin said, “working people have to have representation. And not just on labor contracts but on social policy.” He pledged the continuing support of USLAW, whose member organizations represent some three million U.S. workers, to Iraqi oil workers and their union, the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions.

Kokesh, who said his time in Iraq taught him that “we are making enemies faster than we can kill them,” called the U.S. presence in Iraq a military and an economic occupation, and that they are “inherently tied.”

Trina Zahller, representing Oil Change International, stated, “No law passed under the U.S. occupation can have legitimacy. Iraqi oil is not a resource for the oil companies, it is for the Iraqi people.”

She said her group’s position is that there should be an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq; that no oil law or long term contracts law be passed under the U.S. occupation; and that international oil companies should be prohibited from owning Iraqi oil. She added that the pending Oil Law provides that currently operating fields stay under Iraqi control, but that future profits from “undiscovered” oil – estimated at 50 percent of all Iraq’s oil – be controlled by oil corporations.

Maintaining its tradition of largely ignoring events critical of U.S. policy in Iraq, U.S. corporate news outlets were conspicuously absent from yesterday’s news conference and protest. United Press International, Talk Radio News, Voice of America and a D.C. television station were the only U.S. news media present. Representing the international press were Reuters; Agence France Press, one of the world’s top newswires; Telesur, a TV network serving much of Latin America; Al Jazeera; and the Japanese newspaper, Akahata.

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Ferner is an independent journalist and author of “Inside the Red Zone: A Veteran For Peace Reports from Iraq.”

New Oil Law is not in Iraq's interest

This article by an Iraqi summarises some of the main problems in the new Iraqi oil law that still has not passed parliament. The article is from Gulfnews.
New oil law is not in Iraq's interest
By Mohammad Akef Jamal, Special to Gulf News
Published: September 30, 2007, 00:33


Iraq's draft oil and gas law, which was approved by the Iraqi government in April and which is scheduled for parliamentary approval, is one of the most dangerous laws issued since the occupation of the country began in 2003.

The permanent constitution, passed in 2005, is another dangerous document that threatens the future of Iraq.

Some chapters of the draft oil law are based on the constitution, which is opposed by a large number of Iraqis. Many Iraqi politicians and lawmakers see the law as a major threat to Iraq's national interests.

Lawmakers and politicians from various ethnic, political and sectarian backgrounds have expressed deep reservations about the new law.

The Council of Ministers, which approved the Bill, is one of the three executive branches of the Iraqi government. Yet, it was formed after an election held under difficult circumstances in a country under foreign occupation.

However, no positive changes have yet to be seen since the start of the political process and the formation of the government of Nouri Al Maliki.

On the contrary, it had added fuel to the fire in the war-ravaged country and made a bad situation worse, taking the country to the point of no return. The new oil law is expected to play a negative role in shaping the future of Iraq.

Lawmakers must lay down flexible laws that encourage foreign investors to invest in Iraq, while preserving the national interest and giving Iraq the upper hand in controlling its natural wealth without depriving investors of their rights. This is simply because Iraq has had a record of disputes with foreign oil companies since the discovery of oil in the early 20th century.

The same scenario is taking place in Iraq following the government's approval of the new oil law. Iraqi workers in oil companies have engaged in confrontations with the Iraqi police, protesting at the new law.

In Basra, workers were involved in confrontations with Iraqi policemen and called for a civil strike last month.

In the 1960s, all political forces called for regaining Iraq's national control over its oil production. The struggle led to the passing of Law No 80 for 1961 through which Iraq managed to regain 99 per cent control over its oil fields.

Many lawmakers and oil experts have examined the technical aspects of the new oil law. They have unanimously expressed deep reservations, considering the law a step backward for Iraq whose oil revenues constitute 90 per cent of its annual budget.



Technical aspects

Here it is extremely important to highlight the negative technical aspects of the law. Al Maliki's government and the parliament must take into consideration Iraq's national interest and the future of its oil industry before endorsing it.

First, the law is a step towards - for the first time - privatising the oil sector.

Second, it establishes a framework for unusual commercial ties with foreign oil firms by giving these firms generous terms under long-term contracts that could last for 30 years without being changed.

The law could benefit foreign oil companies at the expense of the Iraqi people, deny Iraq economic security, create greater instability, and move the country further away from peace.

Third, it contains contradicting provisions.

For example, article No 111 of the permanent constitution states that oil and gas are owned by all the people, while the new law stipulates that oil and gas are owned by the Iraqi people in all the regions and provinces.

Authority

This contradiction is open to misinterpretation and gives provinces the authority to negotiate and conclude contracts with other parties and submit them to the Supreme Council, which is based on a sectarian quota system.

Under article No 1, the law may spark differences between provinces over their rights of handling oil fields, which exist in these provinces.

The controversy and exchange of accusations between the province of Kurdistan and the ministry of oil on the heels of signing the contracts with oil companies by Kurdistan, is another example.

Fourth, the law stipulates in its article No 6 that the powers of the Iraqi National Oil Company do not exceed the management and operation of existing oil fields and developing the discovered ones.

Even worse, the Iraqi oil company will not have the right of exploration for oil without obtaining a licence for that, just like other foreign companies.

Obviously, the new law does not provide protection to the national oil company and considers it unqualified to compete with foreign companies.

Fifth, the law does not oblige foreign companies to abide by a timetable to produce oil.

This allows these companies to influence global markets and apply political pressure on Iraq, causing harm to development plans in the country.

Sixth, it does not oblige these foreign countries to pledge not to use Iraqi oil to apply political or economic pressure on other countries.

Furthermore, the so-called exploration risk contracts are the most dangerous part stipulated in this law, because drilling for oil takes place in tough areas like deserts and seas.

This gives these oil companies the right to gain 40 per cent of the extracted oil.

Finally, the law is a fruit of the sectarian quota system installed by the occupation, while the Iraqi citizen is the victim of this odious system based on sectarian affiliation, and not on qualification or loyalty to the nation.

Therefore, in Iraq's interest, the parliament should not rush this law through, as this would shape the future of Iraq and its future generations, who have the right over their country's oil wealth.

The Iraqi parliament is required to pass this real test and place Iraq's supreme interest above other considerations.



Mohammad Akef Jamal is an Iraqi writer based in Dubai.

Prominent Iraqis criticise oil law

As this article shows there is strong opposition to the oil law that will go before parliament. A referendum would be a good idea but it probably will not happen if the US et al can stop it.

Prominent Iraqis criticise oil law
By Ahmed Janabi






Al-Chalabi says Iraqi oil experts must be consulted
A statement, signed by 419 Iraqi oil experts, economists and intellectuals, expresses grave concern that the newly proposed law would deprive Iraq from its most vital natural resource, oil, and give foreign oil companies ultimate domination over Iraq's oil wealth.



Iraq's intellectuals demand a fundamental modification to the proposed law, and a referendum, the statement said.



The law is expected to be discussed in the Iraqi parliament next month, after the parliamentary summer holiday is over.



Issam al-Chalabi, Iraq's former oil minister and a signatory to the statement, told Al Jazeera: "We strongly recommend a real modification to the proposed law, and that Iraq's veteran experts be consulted and given a role in rewriting the law.



"We urge that a modified oil law be passed only by a referendum, simply because oil is the wealth of all Iraqis and it affects every Iraqi's livelihood and future."



Sovereignty issue

Some Iraqi politicians view oil as a sovereignty issue; therefore anything related to it must be done in co-ordination between the government and people.



Nouri al-Marsoumi, a political activist, former deputy minister of culture and a signatory to the statement, told Al Jazeera: "The oil law, from a political and economic point of view, is not less important than the constitution itself. National control over oil is a major sign of sovereignty.



"The question is: Do we really need that oil law? Is it really that urgent, and cannot wait until Iraq is better off?"

Kamal al-Kaisi,
ex-Iraqi Oil Ministry official
"It is a national issue, and everyone must enjoy the right of understanding it and saying what he thinks about it. Therefore, the people of Iraq must have the final say about any proposed oil law, not the parliament, let alone the current parliament, whose legitimacy is under question because it was elected under the occupation."



Remarkable experience

Iraq's oil experts insist that their country enjoys a remarkable experience in the oil industry, and it does not need foreign help to develop the country's oil infrastructure.



Al Jazeera spoke to Kamal al-Kaisi, a former oil ministry official and Iraq's representative to Opec 1979-1985. He said: "The question is: Do we really need that oil law? Is it really that urgent, and cannot wait until Iraq is better off?



"Iraq has achieved the nationalisation of oil in 1973, we ran our oil industry effectively for decades, before and after the nationalisation, and our experience has become a model for the region's countries.



Production-sharing agreements, which would allow foreign oil companies to invest in oil, and pay a profit margin to the government have been widely criticised by Iraqi oil experts.



Al-Kaisi said: "If we want to increase oil production, then we do not need to risk our necks by surrendering our oil to foreign companies, it could be done internally. Iraq is full of high-quality oil engineers. All we need is to borrow some money, may be, but we definitely do not need the production share agreements (PSA).



"The nation is in ruins, people are afraid to stay in their own homeland, foreign troops are occupying the country, the government alliance is falling apart - among many other problems. Is the oil law a priority in such circumstances?



The proposed oil law licenses PSA for the first time in decades. The law states that foreign oil companies would pay 12% profit margin to the Iraqi government. Oil experts say this is an unjustifiably small figure in the light of the current high oil prices.






Source: AlJazeera

Over 100 Iraq oil exports call for changes in oil law.

This critical examination which makes perfect sense would delay passage of the oil law and in attainment of a key benchmark set by the US. However, delay seems inevitable given the opposition also of unions, the Kurds, Sadr, and many others. The legislature will no doubt insist on taking August off so passage of an oil law will not take place until after the assessment in September of progress in Iraq.


United Press International®



Published: July 17, 2007 at 3:32 PM
108 Iraq experts call for oil law change
WASHINGTON, July 17 (UPI) -- More than 100 Iraqi oil, economic and legal experts sent a letter to Iraq's Parliament urging it to consider their critique of the draft oil law.

A senior Iraqi government official was also given a copy and agreed with the technocrats' assessment.

"With our conviction for the need of a law to organize the upstream sector and its development, and due to its extreme importance, we emphasize the importance of acting steadily," the letter states, "and not rushing its issuance before enriching it with more discussions and carry out amendments that ensure the interest of all the Iraqi people."

The letter calls for a strong central government arm in maintaining and developing Iraq's vast oil and gas sector, though with the "participation of the regions and the governorates in the operations of planning, implementation and management within a comprehensive vision that ensures the maximum benefits for the whole people of Iraq."

The oil law has been in negotiations since last summer. The Kurds claim the rights to strong regional control over their share of Iraq's 115 billion barrels of proven while others want a varied amount of central control. Also at issue is how the sector may be opened up to foreign, private investment.

Iraq produces 2 million barrels per day, of which more than 75 percent are sent to the global market.

The letter, signed by 108 experts, calls for the oil law to be put on hold until ongoing constitutional wrangling is completed. "There are ongoing discussions aiming to amend the Iraqi constitution, including the items relating to oil and gas," it states. "Hence we do not see, from the legal and technical point of view, the necessity to enact the law presented to you now before the constitutional amendments are finalized."

The senior Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called for a thorough examination of the law, especially as the U.S. benchmarks requiring the law's passage by September loom large.

"I think it's a legitimate call," the official said. "This law is going to affect our lives; it's going to affect the lives of our children."

--

Ben Lando, UPI Energy Correspondent

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