Iraq Under US Occupation

Thirty-six new entries have been added to the Iraq under US Occupation project since April 22. Nearly all of them relate to the controversial oil law that the US government and international oil companies have been pressuring the Iraqi government to pass.

The oil law has been widely criticized by civil society organizations and Iraqi oil workers as a mechanism that will allow foreign investors to siphon off the country’s oil wealth. If the law is passed, a Federal Oil and Gas Council will be established and given the ultimate decision-making authority in determining what kinds of contracts will be used to govern private sector involvement in the oil industry. Executives from foreign oil companies could potentially have seats on the council. Additionally, the law would not require foreign companies to partner with Iraqi companies or reinvest any of their profits in the Iraqi economy. Nor would they have to employ or train Iraqi workers, or engage in any other effort to transfer technology and skills to the Iraqis.

Other entries recently added to the project pertain to issues such as IMF-mandated reforms, a coalition raid on the headquarters of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions, Thomas Foley’s appointment to the position of director of private-sector development, and the CPA’s refusal to use Iraqi companies for reconstruction projects