Former US envoy Galbraith could earn $100m from Iraqi oil field

[sabra]

Source: UK Times Online

A prominent former United Nations official was forced to defend himself yesterday against accusations that he used his influence in Iraq to enrich himself.

Peter Galbraith, 58, a former US ambassador who recently quit as deputy head of the UN mission in Kabul, struck a potentially lucrative oil deal in Iraqi Kurdistan which could reportedly earn him $100 million (£60 million). He helped the Kurds to negotiate provisions in the 2005 Iraqi Constitution that gave them control over new oil finds on their territory.

“The Kurds did not give me anything,” he told The Times, describing the $100-million figure as “improbable”. “This was a commercial arrangement by a company which made its own judgment about what was an appropriate arrangement.”

Not public at the time was the fact that Mr Galbraith stood to profit from the provisions through his arrangement with a Norwegian oil company, DNO. Months later, DNO discovered the large Tawke oil field in northern Iraq. The disclosure of Mr Galbraith’s stake fuelled Iraqi complaints that influential people in the Western powers that launched the 2003 war were trying to take control of Iraq’s oil.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article6914545.ece

[prolesunited]

1. We need to ban thse kind of deals.

[pattmarty]

2. This just proves that some Dems can be douchebags too.

[irislake]

7. Only some?

[panAmerican]

3. War profiteers - how novel!

So the guy just happened to be the head cheese over there, just happened to QUIT, just happened to be the one helping the Kurds negotiate a contract(out of the goodness of his heart), and lo and behold, he's ALSO representing the opposing side of the transaction, and DNO subsequently just happens to discover a field with a potential $100million reward for his services.

Beyond disgusting!

[fascisthunter]

4. all that life lost for people like this to profit

sociopath

[dotymed]

5. These "wars"

are the modern version of America's oilfields. The wealthy
(mostly trust fund babies) go there to get their wealth
"on their own" (lol). America foots the huge bills
(money and lives) so these guys can go there and mop up the
spoils. It is a long tradition just different locales. It is
all for the wealthy to "cut their teeth" at the
expense of us all. That is why they now privatize the
"wars" it allows for more venues of theft for the
elite. We have no interest in "winning", what would
a victory even look like? There are no plans except the time
(dis)honored short lived colonization, just long enough to
steal all or most of the wealth (oil) in these countries. It
doesn't even matter that our government will spend four or
five times the profits these young turks will realize. Why
even mention the lives wasted? We must change the equation.
Hell, America's real wages have fallen dramatically in the
last 30 years and most can't even afford health care. We are a
nation for and by the multi-nationals. We are serfs and
prisoners. America is the largest prison empire in the world.
Mainly, private prisons that are hugely profitable. God bless
America? Capitalism has run its course. It is the most
barbaric system known to man. We are no longer the "big
men" in the world, thanks to so many things like the lie
recorded by the SCOTUS recorder; that corporations have the
right of person hood (the SCOTUS ruled just the opposite, yet
the people were told differently and they still accept it) we
need to redistribute the wealth, stop all wars and immediately
start working to help mankind. The French Revolution (not the
killings) were a good start, but we have to work past the
temptation to take over "their" power and and
instead, let people access and control their own destinies. No
"isms" just equality.

[radhika]

6. The $ Value of 'Family Names'

I am old enough to remember the late economist John Kenneth Galbraith who played a role in the JFK era. He was somewhat a household name in those days, and his book on The Great Crash of 1929 is fascinating. John was father of economist James G (he was on Bill Moyers recently) as well as the Peter G highlighted in this article.

Peter G clearly illustrates the wealth factor that is derived from family name. Just by birth and upbringing you get superior access, appointments and secret insider deals that are not offered to the unconnected. This applies to Congressional/Senate seats, Presidencies and slots in diplomatic and agency circles. I wonder how common this story is....

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. Sad to read that of a Galbraith.

[Blue_Tires]

9. kick

[David Zephyr]

10. Kick.

.