Crude Designs : The Rip-off of Iraq's Oil Wealth

This report reveals how an oil policy with origins in the U.S. State Dept. was on course to be adopted in Iraq, soon after the Dec. 2005 elections, with no public debate & at enormous potential cost. The policy allocates the majority of Iraq's oil fields -- accounting for at least 64% of the country's oil reserves -- for development by multinational oil companies. Iraqi public opinion is strongly opposed to handing control over oil development to foreign companies. But with the active involvement of the U.S. & British governments a group of powerful Iraqi politicians & technocrats has been pushing for a system of long term contracts with foreign oil companies which will be beyond the reach of Iraqi courts, public scrutiny or democratic control.Muttitt, Greg is the author of 'Crude Designs : The Rip-off of Iraq's Oil Wealth', published 2006 under ISBN 9781422306147 and ISBN 1422306143.