Iraq appoints new oil minister (Chalabi!)

[muriel_volestrangler]

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi has been appointed oil minister after Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum was released from the post, officials say.

A ministry spokesman told reporters that "production in the north, centre and south is about to suffocate".

The appointment came after Iraq's largest oil refinery shut following death threats to tanker drivers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4569360.stm

Well, he failed to get elected this time, so he's only got a small amount of time to arrange his pension, hasn't he? Watch that money magically disappear from the Iraqi national accounts!

[underpants]

1. Good we need a good honest competent man in there

:sarcasm:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

69. un fucking believable.

[maryallen]

75. Ditto ...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[sakabatou]

76. I second that ditto

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. This bastards got more lives then a cat

He must have pictures of Bush fucking Victor Ashe?

[MickeyFinne]

5. HOLY CRAP!

You have me laughing so hard the tears are streaming down my face...

[Moochy]

28. The building was cleaned up... real good

Even that video might make him lose a few approval points? :o }(

http://www.nysun.com/article/23660

"There's a pretty good satisfaction that they got 100% kill in that building," Mr. O'Connor said.

In the Bio-One episode, it was photos of celebrities like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana that became the point of contention that ultimately soured the firm's involvement in the widely touted anthrax cleanup project. The photos were among archives of the Enquirer, the Star, and other publications stored in the parking garage at American Media Inc. The wax-lined cardboard containers were doused in a chemical rinse while being moved, but most were never fully decontaminated. Bio-One's chief operating officer and general counsel, Karen Cavanagh, said in an interview yesterday that company officials were not pleased when they felt forced to walk away from the project earlier this year. "It was a very frustrating time for us," she said. "There was the issue of the contents and the photographs and who owned those and who was responsible for them."

[long_green]

3. Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Stop it, you're killing me (literally)!
This would be funny if every joke didn't cost American and Iraqi lives.

[Nimrod2005]

4. You are a dummy if you don't think Cheney is behind this move!!!

Remember Chalabi came by to see FEB (fat evil bastard) about a month ago or so in DC?

[saigon68]

6. This EVIL FAT BASTARD?

[Nimrod2005]

9. lol...

:rofl:

[joanski0]

13. And Cheney, Rummy and Blair were all

visiting Iraq very recently. I also recently noticed that the US Ambassador to Iraq is a PNAC signatory.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. This is truly a comedy

Seriously, from time to time we must step back from the seriousness of this situation and just laugh at the absurdity of it all. Chalabi as the new oil minister! I mean, this is double-you-over funny. It is the height of comedy.

[OKNancy]

8. This is just too weird for words

It's like out of some fiction. I'm just dumbfounded. If this is really true, he won't last long IMO.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Better than being elected president or appointed prime minister.

That guy is like a bad penny . . .

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. Sounds like one of Bush's Nominees to FEMA

and all other departments in the US Govt.

I wonder what their pet name for him is?

[HuffleClaw]

12. oh, they have GOP* to be kidding

(*not a typo)

seriously, thats downright hilarious. hey, you suppose he'll be able to 'track' all that missing iraqi oil revenue?

[gratuitous]

14. Missing Iraqi oil revenue?

You don't suppose lax oversight of a valuable commodity has drawn some light-fingered folks, do you? My goodness, does George W. Bush know that millions and millions of dollars of revenues are going missing every day? Well, I'm sure his good buddy Ahmad Who will get to the bottom of this.

[PurityOfEssence]

15. Yogi Bear, Minister of pick-a-nik baskets

This guy makes Junior's cronies seem honest.

[Roland99]

16. Convicted criminal, Gets < 1% of the vote. Appointed Oil Minister.

Bravo, PNAC fucks. Bravo!

[deminks]

17. I'll bet Judy Miller is just thrilled! (sarcasm)

She'd be the only one.

So they appoint a suspected Iranian spy or double agent as oil minister who is also right now in good graces with the US and most every other friendly US candidate lost. Or was this the deal that was made a while back, and why Chalabi got to visit the US?

Kinda fits in with us rendering terror suspects to Syria while we attack them for harboring terrorists.

:crazy:

[Olney Blue]

27. Since she's looking for a job...

maybe she can take dicktation for him.

[Supersedeas]

33. Did you see the IMF/World Bank connection here--Wolfy's buddy

gets a month to finalize some old contracts for Admin Chalabi just visited a couple of weeks ago.

[anotherdrew]

18. I would love to see Chalabi splatered all over the sand soon

along with the rest of the PNAC crew, it could still happen.

[1932]

19. Bob Baer (CIA agent who inspired Syriana film) offers insight into Chalabi

in his books.

In one of Baer's books, he says that Chalabi most like forged a document suggesting Baer was going to assassinate Hussein during the Clinton administration. He says Chalabi probably did it because he wanted Iran to think that if the US was going to support his program to assassinate Hussein, then they'd get on board with him. (Amazon.com has this book as searchable; you can read it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/140004684X/ref=sib_vae_pg_6/103-0913486-6351016?%5Fencoding=UTF8&keywords=chalabi&p=S00R&twc=20&checkSum=OwIiEIAACtgn%2FQTsW74b6LZc8pELQnrTjUM0vzKDayU%3D#reader-page)

In Baer's other book he says that if an informer lies to the CIA, they never use that informer again. Nobody touches a liar once they're caught lying because you can't trust that they're not just saying shit to make money. Hmmm.

[Beaverhausen]

26. I saw Syriana the other day- I want to read his books

and anyone who hasn't seen it should go this weekend.

[liam_laddie]

30. Baer's books

Both "See No Evil" (2002) and "Sleeping With the Devil" (2003) are required reading!
The first deals with his 20+ year CIA career, about late '70's -1997. The second with
global politics and the Byzantine (no pun) network of persons, deals, families. tribes,
governments and Big Oil interests which have led us to such dangerous times. It
will help to read these when trying to understand "Syriana." Great and fast reads.

[Julius Civitatus]

20. Amazing. Just amazing. They are shameless!

Truly brazen and shameless.

:puke:

[Pithy Cherub]

21. Chalabi: The Iraqi/Iranian Abramoff promises to faithfully

excute his duties as the Minister of the Culture of Corruption/OIL while breaking any laws necessary in anyone's country to keep himself somewhat relevant. Good Grief this has gone from Irony to Farce to Tragedy to Comedic to Stupid all with the PNAC criminal crowd!

:wow: just :wow:

[gulfcoastliberal]

22. K&R... ugh!

It never ends.

[Barrett808]

23. Chalabi won't have any qualms about sticking it to the Iraqi people...

...none at all.

[Wordie]

24. How could they do this when its clear the Iraqi people don't want him?

Disgusting. Recommended, with regret.

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. They're worse than Agent Smith in the Matrix.

[ClayZ]

29. I laughed out loud at this headline too! But....

I feel guilty for laughing. :rofl:

I guess we have gone completely into the theater of the ABSURD. :crazy:


Bush goes after the NYT leaker

Chalaby appointed Oil minister

The Government goes BROKE in March


All that news with my first cup of coffee :spray:


I should have skipped coffee and gone straight to wine?

[Gregorian]

31. Thank god for democracy!

Even if it is messy at times.

By the way, that voting stuff was just an empty practice. Just something to keep people occupied. Fake, in other words. Sorry to disappoint you. Don't worry, WE have everything under control.

[0007]

32. This will add an incentive to the Iraqi freedom fighters -

And we wonder why THEY hate us! Could it be for our freedom...? ?

[Zorra]

34. Seriously? No fucking way! Bwaahaahaahaahaa!

:rofl:

[Straight Shooter]

35. Does Chalabi have a death wish?

I am sure there are many who are patiently biding their time that they might be the one to fulfill it.

[Disturbed]

36. Chalabi's road to victory

Commentary: Chalabi's road to victory
By ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE
UPI Editor at Large

WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- With only three months to go before L. Paul Bremer trades in his Iraqi pro-consul baton for beachwear and a hard-earned vacation, the country's most controversial politician is already well positioned to become prime minister.

Ahmad Chalabi, the Pentagon's heartthrob and the State Department's and CIA's heartbreak, has taken the lead in a yearlong political marathon. Temporary constitutional arrangements are structured to give the future prime minister more power than the president. The role of the president will be limited because his decisions will have to be ratified by two deputy presidents, or vice presidents. Key ministries, such as Defense and Interior, will be taking orders from the prime minister.

Chalabi holds the ultimate weapons -- several dozen tons of documents and individual files seized by his Iraqi National Congress from Saddam Hussein's secret security apparatus. Coupled with his position as head of the de-Baathification commission, Chalabi, barely a year since he returned to his homeland after 45 years of exile, has emerged as the power behind a vacant throne. He also appears to have impressive amounts of cash at his disposal and a say in which companies get the nod for some of the $18.4 billion earmarked for reconstruction. One company executive who asked that both his and the company's name be withheld said, "The commission was steep even by Middle Eastern standards."

http://www.upi.com/inc/view.php?StoryID=20040329-094918-2616r

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

37. Amazing how determined they are to have him there somewhere

...on second thought, perhaps NOT so amazing...

[daleo]

38. Well he did get about 8000 votes

In Bush world, that's enough to be granted the most important post in Iraq.

[Straight Shooter]

41. Well, there you have it.

Clearly, Chalabi has a mandate, he's got political capital and he's going to spend it. Heh.

[lanlady]

39. guys, this is a temporary appointment

for 30 days. Read the article!!

I doubt he'll be in the post after a new Iraqi president picks his government.

Then again, Ahmed really does have 9 lives...

[daleo]

42. I can see it being temporary in a couple of ways

- 30 days is sufficient for him to abscond with billion$ for himself and Cheney.
- he gets popped within a month by an outraged Iraqi.

[lanlady]

44. he's been deputy oil minister

since Feb or March of this year. It looks like his boss took the blame for the disruptions and stepped down. So this temporary appt didn't come out of nowhere.

[SillyGoose]

40. You can't make this stuff up no matter how hard you try.

Sometimes I feel like I am watching the most bizarre reality show ever produced.

[mom cat]

43. Nothing to see here:

No influence from the occupying forces or anything like that.

[handsignals4theblind]

45. THe US loves puppets with criminal pasts

Mr Chalabi, was one of the sources that convinced some intelligence in the US of IRaqi WMD's. The same CHalabi had to be smuggled out of Jordan for his involvement in the Bank of Petra scandal. And it was the same Mr Chalabi, who the US accussed of passing on information to the Iranians.

Allawi- Chalabi- taint the democratic process- and prove US interests favour another dictator and a sectarian division for Iraq!

[lovuian]

46. Ahmed Chalabi takes over Iraq oil ministry again

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=fa6d72aaa5771641

Ahmed Chalabi has been re-appointed Iraq's Oil Minister.

Chalabi, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, is a long-time associate of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, both of whom he met on a visit to Washington last month. He also provided much of the intelligence that led to the war in Iraq.

He was favored by the Pentagon to replace Saddam Hussein when he was toppled from power. He fell from grace though after being accused of passing on U.S. classified information to Iran. He is also wanted in Jordan on charges of money laundering, criminal conspiracy and embezzlement.

more...
The Iranian spy... the man who gave us the Niger documents... and the man that none of the Iraqi's voted for is given the most prestigious appointment
of Oil Ministry...

This sooo stinks!!!

[Cocoa]

47. Iraq has oil?

who knew?

[SHRED]

48. Yeah...

...it was suppose to pay for "reconstruction".
:sarcasm:

[Mark E. Smith]

49. Ahmad is most uniquely qualified

Nobody is more skilled at hoodwinking, fleecing and depantsing high ranking members of the Bush administration than the crafty Mr. Chalabi.

[stillcool]

50. Got to close the deal somehow...

Crude Designs: The Rip-Off of Iraq's Oil Wealth..
By Greg Muttitt

November 2005

This report reveals how an oil policy with origins in the US State Department is on course to be adopted in Iraq, soon after the December elections, with no public debate and at enormous potential cost. The policy allocates the majority (1) of Iraq’s oilfields – accounting for at least 64% of the country’s oil reserves – for development by multinational oil companies.

At an oil price of $40 per barrel, Iraq stands to lose between $74 billion and $194 billion over the lifetime of the proposed contracts (2), from only the first 12 oilfields to be developed. These estimates, based on conservative assumptions, represent between two and seven times the current Iraqi government budget.
Under the likely terms of the contracts, oil company rates of return from investing in Iraq would range from 42% to 162%, far in excess of usual industry minimum target of around 12% return on investment

[AlCzervik]

51. time for him to step outside the green zone without his personal militia.

[Nutmegger]

55. I second that! n/t

[pinto]

52. He was gonna steal that country one way or the other.

It's really pathetic, ironic and kind of funny in a black humor sort of way....The guy's a really, really bad character. And we paid him a "CIA stipend' for his bullshit all this time. The rape of what oil money can be had is on.

[Aimah]

53. I think the US wants him there.

After stealing 300 Million from the Petra bank they want him to be the custodian of Iraqs greatest export.

[tiptoe]

62. Sy Hersh: Chalabi was pardoned by King Abdullah at request of Bush.

Not entirely true (it seems): "<Chalabi> fell from grace though after being accused of passing on U.S. classified information to Iran."

Everything with Chalabi and the NeoconNazi Bush War-crime thugs seems just fine: Chalabi -- despite an embezzler and money launderer, wanted by Jordan on 31 counts, despite alleged dealings of classified information with Iran, despite having misinformed the US about WMDs in Iraq, despite having garnered a mere .3% of the popular vote in Iraq -- is now the Oil Minister of Iraq!...What a surprise!!

If the Bush people -- led by Cheney and his behind-the-scenes nazty neocons -- felt so betrayed by and were so outraged with Chalabi's alleged involvement with classified information and Iran -- after he had sourced false WMD "stories" (that helped enable a 1998 PNAC scheme for attacking Iraq), and after the Pentagon staged a raid on Chalabi's residence in connection with the Iran intelligence issue -- then why would Predator Bush have arranged with the ("stunned") King of Jordan to have Chalabi P-A-R-D-O-N-E-D of his "money laundering, criminal conspiracy and embezzlement" crimes against Jordan? One might have thought a truly-miffed Bush would have been pleased-as-punch to leave such a heinous, two-timing traitor like Chalabi on the run from his Jordanian pursuers.

"Old news" but pertinent -- from an interview with Seymour Hersh:

...
AMY GOODMAN: This latest news that we get out of Jordan right now about the pardoning of Ahmad Chalabi — King Abdullah of Jordan agreeing to pardon the one-time CIA asset. For years he faced a 22-year prison sentence in Jordan for fraud after his Petra Bank collapsed with more than 300 million dollars in missing deposits. The Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, asking the king to do this. What's going on here, and the significance?

SEYMOUR HERSH: I’m sort of glad and not glad you asked me that question, because I do know something about it. Here's what I know about that. I know that King Jordan comes to visit America quite a bit — the United States. And the President likes him — our President, George Bush, because he speaks good English. He went to a prep school here in America, and he's very pro-Western. And he sees the President, and he has told friends — this is about nine months ago — he was stunned. He was seeing the President. The President said, you know, “Your” — whatever he calls him — “I have a favor.” He said, “Of course, anything.” “I want you to pardon Chalabi.”

And he was stunned, because, you know, how can he pardon Chalabi after what he had done. The money he stole was from old women and children, you know, little funds, and he was reviled, Chalabi. I have actually read — I actually somebody in the intelligence community once gave me the transcript of his trial in Arabic. And we had it translated at The New Yorker. This time he was sort of out of vogue, and a story never emerged out of it, but the trial was devastating. I mean, they had him nailed. And he was smuggled out of the country. He probably was in cahoots, by the way, with various members of the royal family then during this stuff, you know, bribery, etc.

In any case, he was stunned, and he didn't know what to say. He went back and he asked people in the parliament, who said, “Are you kidding?” So all I can tell you is that Abdullah is doing what the President of the United States, to his amazing shock, because this was after the stuff came out about Chalabi and his connection to Iran. This is probably a neo-con, a neoconservative play. I guess if you wanted to extrapolate it, I don't know whether — if anybody cares, but I’m sure the White House would deny it and say it's not true, but I can categorically tell you this is Abdullah's story, this I do know. And he was stunned.

Political Animal by Kevin Drum, Washington Monthly, May 15, 2005

Presumably, Chalabi's real purpose will be as means for securing privatization of Iraqi oil fields for neocon Cheney's war-profiteering energy buddies -- you know, the war-profiteers-to-be who participated in 2001 in establishing "energy policy" for America, and were the beneficiaries-to-be of divvying up of Iraqi oil assets, before intelligence had been fixed to the policy of invading Iraq:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501842.html

Document Says Oil Chiefs Met With Cheney Task Force

By Dana Milbank and Justin Blum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, November 16, 2005; Page A01

A White House document shows that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Cheney's energy task force in 2001 -- something long suspected by environmentalists but denied as recently as last week by industry officials testifying before Congress.

The document, obtained this week by The Washington Post, shows that officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House complex with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated.

...

Chevron was not named in the White House document, but the Government Accountability Office has found that Chevron was one of several companies that "gave detailed energy policy recommendations" to the task force. In addition, Cheney had a separate meeting with John Browne, BP's chief executive, according to a person familiar with the task force's work; that meeting is not noted in the document.

...

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who posed the question about the task force, said he will ask the Justice Department today to investigate. "The White House went to great lengths to keep these meetings secret, and now oil executives may be lying to Congress about their role in the Cheney task force," Lautenberg said.

If justice ever prevails for the war crimes committed against the Iraqi people -- and for the treason against the American people and its soldiers for falsifying intelligence to go to war, lying to Congress, exposing a CIA operation -- one of the settlements should be the removal of privatistic control over and benefit from the Iraqi oil fields...especially from those energy companies identified as complicit in the 2001 arrangements with VP-Cheney.

[muriel_volestrangler]

63. A week after that, he still hadn't been pardoned

22nd May, 2005:

WEYMOUTH: Could you elaborate on rumors that you are going to pardon Ahmed Chalabi?

HIS MAJESTY: All that's happened so far is that (Iraq's) President (Jalal) Talabani asked me to look into the Chalabi case to see if we can't find a solution to the problem. Obviously, Ahmed Chalabi is a senior member of the Iraqi government, and we believe in a strong relationship with Iraq, so we should put our best efforts into solving this problem. The issue with Chalabi is an economic problem, not a political one. It is (about) money owed to people, not to the government.

WEYMOUTH: Do you think these people will have to be reimbursed?

HIS MAJESTY: At the end of the day, we will have to figure out how to compensate these people.

http://www.mfa.gov.jo/interviews_details.php?id=101&menu_id=35

Not that I can see Chalabi agreeing to compentsate the people he ripped off.

[Erika]

54. He apparently belongs to the same oil cabal as the House of

Bush and the House of Saud. We're all so surprised. Not.

It appears that the global corporatists, through the use of our military, has succeeded in controlling the oil through the puppet governments and appointments they have set up.

[lovuian]

56. What boggles the mind is Bush can't find another Iraqi

who can do the job beside the exposed Chalibi...

Whats Congress going to think when the same guy who sold them the Iraq War with forged Niger documents is the Oil Ministry head...

the same man who gave Iran who we are thinking about bombing secret documents...

Is Bush crazy!!!

[Erika]

57. W is crazy and a corporate globalist oil man. n/t

[lovuian]

59. Ya but why does he have to Use the Same damn people!!!

I guess Chalabi has always delivered...

[tinfoilinfor2005]

67. It took junior six years to wrap his brain around the name Chalabi.

He sees no reason in trying to memorize any new ones. If Uncle Dick says this Iraqi is the best guy for the job, then it's good enough for him.

[Botany]

58. Oil Minster & Iranian Spy

The man can multitask :rofl:

[lovuian]

60. add Forger and Helped give false Intelligence to push

America in a Preemptive strike on Iraq...

Bush awards his men well...

[HR_Pufnstuf]

61. Who?

Shillabi?

[1776Forever]

64. Chalabi Named Iraq Oil Minister - Cronyism Even In Iraq!

Fuel Crisis Spurs Mandatory Leave For Incumbent

By Jonathan Finer and Naseer Nouri
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, December 31, 2005; Page A11

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001307.html?sub=new

BAGHDAD, Dec. 30 -- As a fuel crisis deepened in Iraq, the government replaced its oil minister with controversial Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi, whose poor performance in the Dec. 15 elections was a setback in his recent attempt at political rehabilitation.

The oil minister, Ibrahim Bahr Uloom, was put on a mandatory, month-long leave. He had previously threatened to resign over the government's recent decision to increase gasoline prices sharply, a move that has outraged motorists and sparked attacks on gas stations and fuel convoys.

Once tabbed by some U.S. officials as a future leader of Iraq, Chalabi suffered a series of blows following the U.S.-led invasion, beginning when intelligence he provided to the Pentagon about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction proved false. He was later accused of passing U.S. secrets to the government of Iran. But in recent months, several U.S. officials have praised Chalabi's technical expertise and ability to facilitate agreements among feuding factions within the government........

"He has proven himself quite capable and experienced in dealing with all aspects of Iraq's energy sector and is well-qualified for this position," a U.S. official said on the condition that he not be named because he was commenting on an Iraqi government decision.

Based on preliminary results from the December elections, Chalabi received 8,645 votes in Baghdad, well below the threshold a top U.N. official suggested this week would be required to win a seat.

Moussawi said Friday that Chalabi could still end up in the parliament, depending on how officials interpret a technical detail of election rules relating to how remaining seats are allocated after each party meeting a specific threshold is awarded its seats....

******************

Why should we think that voting fraud would only be found in the US?

[mwb970]

65. If Bush's legacy truly depends on events in Iraq....

He. Is. Toast.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

66. Chalabi, a primer

http://www.iraqinews.com/people_chalabi.shtml

Political Activity
Dr. Ahmad Chalabi was leader of Iraqi National Congress until April of 1999, when he was demoted to the rank of an ordinary member. A collective leadership of seven persons, each representing one of the main opposition groups, was established in his place. He was the chairman of the Petra Bank in Jordan and was eventually convicted (in his absence) of fraud by a Jordanian court. He maintains he is innocent and says the Iraqi government trumped up the accusations.


Additional Information
Dr. Ahmad Chalabi has little support from leaders of the various Iraqi exile groups, or from Iraqis living in Iraq. The Arab governments in the Persian Gulf region have told the administration that they would not allow Chalabi to run a liberation army from their soil, even in an operation mounted with U.S. help. The ruling Sunnis of Saudi Arabia distrust Chalabi in part because he is Shi'a, a branch of Islam whose adherents make up just over half of Iraq's 22 million inhabitants. The Kuwaitis do not believe he could inspire a successful revolt and refuse to give him a staging area. Jordan would put him in jail were he to return because of the banking fraud. And on the other side of Iraq, Turkey wants nothing to do with Chalabi or his plan.

[angrynwhite]

68. I would have figured "Minister of Misinformation."

[merwin]

70. kick

[Clara T]

71. Iraq Oil Minister Resigns Under Pressure (Replaced by Chalabi)

Iraq Oil Minister Resigns Under Pressure

Monday January 2, 2006 2:17 PM

AP Photo BAG108

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq's oil minister said Monday he resigned after the government last week gave him a forced vacation and replaced him with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi following criticism about fuel price increases.

Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum said he quit because the government raised fuel prices by nine times on Dec. 19, a decision he had strongly criticized.

``This decision will not serve the benefit of the government and the people. This decision brings an extra burden on the shoulders of citizens and caused an increase in the prices of all essential materials. It also caused a reaction on the Iraqi streets,'' al-Uloum said.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5517606,00.html

[rodeodance]

72. recall how he met with the bushco gang when he came to US a few

weeks ago.

[OKNancy]

73. really old news in the world of LBN

from last Friday
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2012710&mesg_id=2012710

[NanceGreggs]

74. I guess Mr. al-Uloum didn't get the WH memo!

"It also caused a reaction on the Iraqi streets ..."

That 'reaction' was simply the Iraqi people scurrying to get to the flower and sweets shops, so they could welcome us the way we've been told they would.

Welcome to democracy, Iraq - BU$HCO style!

[Solly Mack]

77. Kind of like losing to a dead man and becoming Attorney General

instead.

And to think some thought Chalabi was out for the count (snicker)

[newspeak]

78. I'm sure he's qualified for the position

was that charge "embezzling" in Jordan? Man, oh man, this administration loves people exactly like themselves. It's looking more like a den of corrupt thieves. Every day I feel like I'm living in Bizarro World.

[TexasLawyer]

79. Voice of America's version

of the story avoids mentioning Chalabi 'til the final paragraph. Maybe they're hoping that people won't notice how absolutely INSANE this thing really is.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-01-03-voa5.cfm

Iraq's Oil Production Down; Oil Minister Quits
By Ben Gilbert
Baghdad
03 January 2006

Iraq's oil production has dropped sharply because of insurgent attacks and bad weather, raising the prospect of energy shortages. Meanwhile, the country's oil minister confirmed Monday he has resigned his post after a disagreement with the government over sharp price hikes in petroleum products.



Iraqis queue at a gas station in
al-Sadr city, Baghdad, Iraq, Monday Jan. 2, 2006

Across Baghdad Monday, gas lines snaked from gas stations to main roads, to side streets and down alleys. Long lines of cars snarled traffic and raised a sense of crisis. Mohammed Jaffer joined the line at three in the afternoon and said he is expecting a wait of between three and seven hours. "This is not normal. The normal is when electricity is available so this cue it will be very short," he said. "There is no electricity so people are coming to collect petrol for their generators. "

Mr. Jaffer says he has to shut his store early and come to the gasoline station at least three times a week now, because the supply of electricity is so bad. A fuel shortage caused by a security threat at Iraq's largest refinery in Baiji caused the electrical generation in Baghdad to fall from six hours per day to one hour over the weekend.

Last week, insurgents in the area around the Baiji plant had threatened to kill tanker truck drivers and gasoline suppliers. The Iraqi army has now been dispatched to protect the supply routes, and the plant reopened two days ago, an oil ministry spokesman said. The insurgents may have been looking to further inflame Iraqi's anger at the government over fuel increases that sent prices skyrocketing just after the country's December 15 elections.

Oil Minister Bahr al-Aloum quit over those price hikes, because they made gasoline too expensive for poor Iraqi families. He said the government originally planned to double or triple the prices, but the International Monetary Fund pushed for a five-fold increase as part of its debt forgiveness plan.
"We have to make a balance between IMF requirement as well as situation of Iraqi people, especially poor people…their economic lives and their political lives," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi will serve as acting oil minister for at least 30 days. The former minister said Saturday Iraq had fallen short of its goal for oil production for the year. The country had aimed to produce an average of 2.5 million barrels per day by the end of 2005. But sabotage and bad weather caused production levels to fall below the pre-war level of 1.6 million barrels over the past two months.

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80. He had friends in high places.

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81. PUPPET GOVERNMENT eom