With so much in the balance,...

[Plane]

American and Iraqi officials have expressed new resolve to hammer out far-reaching deals that would allow U.S. forces to remain on bases across Iraq once the U.N. mandate expires at year's end.

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Iraq's parliament must sign off on the deal by year's end ? and approval is by no means certain.

Opposition to the initial U.S. demands brought together rival Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish leaders who all complain the deal would leave real power in American hands.

The oil minister, who is close to the country's powerful Shiite clerical leadership, told the British newspaper The Guardian this week that Iraq will demand the right to veto any U.S. military operation.

But American commanders believe they need such sweeping powers to protect U.S. soldiers in a combat zone.

Publicly, U.S. officials have expressed confidence they can find language that will satisfy the Iraqis on all major issues. But the negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of war and intense power struggles among rival ethnic groups in Iraq ? each with its own agenda.


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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25302325

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The current standoff has its roots in events last August when leaders of Iraq's rival factions ? facing enormous U.S. pressure to resolve their differences ? signed a declaration of unity.

It included a statement that Iraq's government wanted a long-term security relationship with the United States apart from U.N. mandates, which Iraq has long wanted to end.

A few months later, Bush and al-Maliki signed a statement of principles to negotiate two agreements ? a broad security framework and a second deal spelling out the rules for the U.S. military presence.

Talks began in March but Iraqi officials were outraged over the initial U.S. demands ? especially immunity for U.S. soldiers and security contractors.

The American draft also included no firm commitment to defend Iraq from foreign invasion ? which would require U.S. Senate approval ? nor a timetable for the departure of American troops, according to Iraqi officials. U.S. officials have released few details.

[Michael Tee]

The Quislings will make a big show of standing up for Iraqi national interest against foreigners and might even delay signing until the "deadline" is past, as evidence of their bona fide nationalism.  But either at the end of 2008 or in the beginning of 2009, an agreement will be signed.  Quisling Iraqis signing allegiance to fascist America.  At least 50% of the profits of the Iraqi wells will flow into U.S. pockets and the U.S. military will remain on the ground to ensure that there are no further regime changes to upset the deal.  The biggest armed robbery in world history will draw to a successful and profitable conclusion.

Except.

Except that Arab nationalists won't let it happen.  They'll continue the fight as if the agreement was never signed.  The struggle will continue to bleed the American treasury as the three trillion inches towards four trillion.  Sooner or later the American people will give up on the project.  They always do.  It's that or let the dollar crash, and an import-hungry nation can never allow that to happen.  By that time the smart Quislngs will be long gone from the scene of their treason and the dumb ones will be left to pay the price.  It won't be pretty.

[Plane]

Iraq is pumping oil at a greater rate this year than it did during any year of Saddams reign.

[Plane]

Iraq is close to signing oil service deals with several major Western oil companies in an effort to boost its output capacity, the country?s oil ministry said Thursday ? the first major Iraqi contracts with big Western companies since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The deals, once signed, are something of a stopgap measure to help Iraq begin to increase production until the country is able to approve a new national oil law ? now held up by political squabbles among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25256439/

[Michael Tee]

<<Iraq is pumping oil at a greater rate this year than it did during any year of Saddams reign.>>

That's great for the oil-consuming countries, maybe not so great for an oil-producing one.

[Plane]

<<Iraq is pumping oil at a greater rate this year than it did during any year of Saddams reign.>>

That's great for the oil-consuming countries, maybe not so great for an oil-producing one.

Why not?

Besides my point was that the insurgents are total failures .

"Except.
Except that Arab nationalists won't let it happen. "

Yes they will , increaseingly they are fighting against the common people of Iraq.
This is a good reason to fail , or change mind and get a good job.

[Michael Tee]

<<Besides my point was that the insurgents are total failures .>>

Ha ha ha.  That's GREAT news.  Since they totally failed, the troops can all come home.


<<Yes [the insurgents will fail] , increaseingly they are fighting against the common people of Iraq.>>

Then they must be dying of self-inflicted wounds, because they ARE the common people of Iraq.

[Plane]

<<Besides my point was that the insurgents are total failures .>>

Ha ha ha.  That's GREAT news.  Since they totally failed, the troops can all come home.


<<Yes [the insurgents will fail] , increaseingly they are fighting against the common people of Iraq.>>

Then they must be dying of self-inflicted wounds, because they ARE the common people of Iraq.

The common people of Iraq benefit from robust oil sales , these prices for oil are well timed for Iriqui recovery , cleanup, repair and infrastructure creation.

Insurgents who blast a pipeline go home and find that their father is out of work untill the pipe is repaired.

[Xavier_Onassis]

The common people of Iraq benefit from robust oil sales , these prices for oil are well timed for Iriqui recovery , cleanup, repair and infrastructure creation.
==================================================
This would be true if you assume that the common people of Iraq are receiving any of the money that comes from oil. Odds are, they aren't. With oil at unprecedented prices, how many people who you know are actually benefiting?

Most Americans are being screwed by higher oil prices, and an even higher percentage are convinced that they are being screwed totally, when, due to their pension fund investments, they are being screwed less.
======================================
Insurgents who blast a pipeline go home and find that their father is out of work until the pipe is repaired.

I think you have a rather erroneous idea of how many people are employed in the oil industry in Iraq or anywhere else. Also, I bet that repairing the pipeline results in more people being employed to fix it than the number supposedly laid off because the pipeline has been blown up.

I question the idea that following an attack on a pipeline, everyone, or even a small number of people working for the company maintaining the pipeline, would actually be laid off and taken off the payroll. It would be much more logical to assume that they would be sent to repair the rupture in the pipeline.

Iraq's oil is being managed by a government company, is it not?  How likely is a government entity going to be to stop paying government employees? 

You are confusing a basically Socialist industry with Daddy Warbucks, it would appear.

[Plane]

Iraq's oil is being managed by a government company, is it not?  How likely is a government entity going to be to stop paying government employees? 

One of the insurgencys big goals was to injure the Governments cash flow.

The pipelines are better guarded and the bombers have suffered a lot of attrition.

Meaning our goals are being approached .

[Plane]

The common people of Iraq benefit from robust oil sales , these prices for oil are well timed for Iriqui recovery , cleanup, repair and infrastructure creation.
==================================================
This would be true if you assume that the common people of Iraq are receiving any of the money that comes from oil. Odds are, they aren't. With oil at unprecedented prices, how many people who you know are actually benefiting?

Most Americans are being screwed by higher oil prices, and an even higher percentage are convinced that they are being screwed totally, when, due to their pension fund investments, they are being screwed less.
======================================
Insurgents who blast a pipeline go home and find that their father is out of work until the pipe is repaired.

I think you have a rather erroneous idea of how many people are employed in the oil industry in Iraq or anywhere else. Also, I bet that repairing the pipeline results in more people being employed to fix it than the number supposedly laid off because the pipeline has been blown up.

I question the idea that following an attack on a pipeline, everyone, or even a small number of people working for the company maintaining the pipeline, would actually be laid off and taken off the payroll. It would be much more logical to assume that they would be sent to repair the rupture in the pipeline.

Iraq's oil is being managed by a government company, is it not?  How likely is a government entity going to be to stop paying government employees? 

You are confusing a basically Socialist industry with Daddy Warbucks, it would appear.


Translation: Arabic ? English
جمهورية/الامانة العامة لمجلس الوزراء/المكتب الاعلامي/الاثنين/16-6-2008 ----عقد مجلس الوكلاء جلسته الرابعة اليوم الاثنين الموافق 16/6/2008 برئاسة الامين العام لمجلس الوزراء الاستاذ علي العلاق. المجلس ناقش الخطط الاستراتيجية المقدمة من وزارة العمل الشؤون الاجتماعية والبنك المركزي العراقي لمعالجة موضوع البطالة ووضع اتجاهات اساسية لإيجاد الحلول الناجعه والسريعة. العلاق ومن خلال مؤتمر صحفي عقد بعد اجتماع مجلس الوكلاء اكد انخفاض نسبة البطالة في العراق, مضيفا ان هذا الانخفاض يمثل انجازا كبيرا اذا ما قورن بالفترة السابقة. وفي ما يخص موضوع الرواتب قال العلاق , انه تم ابلاغ المؤسسات المعنية وبالاخص وزارة المالية بضرورة تطبيق قرار مجلس الوزراء الذي يتضمن صرف الرواتب مع المستحقات للموظفين وفق قانون الرواتب الذي اقره مجلس النواب. وفي معرض اجابته لأسئلة احد الصحفيين قال السيد الامين العام" ان هناك دعوات لشركات كبيرة تختص بالبناء والانشاء لمساعدة القطاع الخاص لأهميتة في توفير فرص عمل لأن العراق بحاجة الى نهضة عمرانية كبيرة. وبالتالي وضعت الخطط اللازمة لتشجيع المستثمرين من جهة والقطاع الخاص من جهة اخرى.   Republic / Secretariat of the Council of Ministers / office / Monday / 16-6-2008 ---- Agents Council held its fourth day Monday, 16/6/2008 chairmanship of the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers on relations professor. Council discussed the strategic plans submitted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Central Bank of Iraq to tackle the issue of unemployment and development trends essential to find effective solutions and quick. Al Through a press conference after a meeting of the agents said low unemployment rate in Iraq, adding that this decline represents a major achievement when compared with the previous period. In regard to the subject of his salary relationship, he was informed the institutions concerned, especially the Ministry of Finance need to fully implement the cabinet decision, which includes payment of salaries with entitlements for staff salaries according to the law approved by the House of Representatives. In replying to a journalist's questions, Mr. Secretary-General said that "there are calls for major corporations responsible for the construction and construction to help the private sector of its importance in providing job opportunities, because Iraq is in need of revival architectural significance. And therefore has plans to encourage investors from the private sector on the other.


http://www.cabinet.iq/

[Xavier_Onassis]

Insurgents who blast a pipeline go home and find that their father is out of work untill the pipe is repaired.

====================================================================
Has this, in fact ever happened even ONCE, other than in your imagination?
The insurgents are not likely to be the children of pipeline workers.

Pipeline workers are unlikely to be fired because of an attack.

[BT]

The insurgents are not likely to be the children of pipeline workers.

Why not?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Why not?

====================
For the same reason that this statement is also true:
"You will not win the Powerball sweepstakes this week".

The odds are greatly against it.

A small minority of Iraqis are insurgents.
A even smaller minority are pipeline workers.

Alas, I do not have the tools to draw a Venn diagram illustrating this improbability here, but perhaps you could look up the figures and do it for yourself.

There always exists the odd chance that there will appear a story about how Achmed the insurgent planted a bomb that blew up, damaged a pipeline, and threw Abu Achmed, his father and pipeline worker, out of work. But I did not say "completely impossible", but just "not likely", which I could define as "less than a 50% probability".

Still, it would have been fun to bore everyone with a PowerPoint Presentation...

[BT]

A small minority of Iraqis are insurgents.
A even smaller minority are pipeline workers.

If the major employer in a district does pipeline related work and the insurgents are natives to that district it stands to reasons that the odds are pretty good that at least one of the insurgents relatives, including fathers, works on that project.

See Flint Mi for a study of company towns.