Posted on 08/21/2008 1:12:48 PM PDT by kellynla
It is now widely accepted that the surge in American troops helped dramatically improve security in Iraq in the last year. But there has been less notice of, or comment on, how the surge has improved the Iraqi oil sector, which contributes more than two-thirds of the country's gross national product and almost 95 percent of the government's revenue, and remains pivotal to the country's development and stabilization.
Oil production has risen about 25 percent in Iraq in the past year. It had been flat from 2005 through mid-2007, hovering around 2 million barrels per day before beginning to climb to its present level of 2.5 million barrels per day. This is roughly equal to immediate prewar levels. Oil exports are now close to 2 million barrels per day--near Iranian levels--after rarely topping 1.5 million barrels per day in the postwar years.
The rise in Iraqi oil production over the last year already equates roughly to the increase in Saudi output over the last few months that has drawn so much attention and for which President Bush publicly pressed so long.
Oil revenue had already been spiking thanks to soaring oil prices, but with exports now also increasing, it is rising even further. Oil exports could yield at least $60-70 billion this year, more than double the level in 2006 and more than triple the level in 2004. Ballooning revenue will strengthen the central government and offer hope to Iraqis about the future of their country, which should contribute to further stabilization of the country.
The significantly improved security situation in the north (thanks mostly to the surge and Sunni Awakening) has played a big role in the more consistent functioning of the northern Iraqi export pipeline to Ceyhan, Turkey.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Come’on!!! Did you hear the Messiah?! The military did didly sqwat! It was the tribal leaders who brought the whole country together after thousands of years of fighting. Isn’t if obvious? (Sarc)
And it's cost US HOW much to get to this point?????
Cost of Iraq War and Nation Building
$569,580,500,000 as of 8/21/08
“If we don’t stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we’re going to have a serious problem.” — George W. Bush, Jan. 2001.
be sure to capture all the earmark pork barrel spending that gets wrapped into these military budget blowouts.
The US should be doing everything possible to increase Iraq’s oil production. To quote from the article: Iraq “is perhaps the least developed oil exporting country in the world with already the third largest proven oil reserves...”
“It is rather curious why American politicians object to American and Western oil companies getting contracts, as if Iraqi agreements with less competent Russian or Chinese oil companies would serve Iraqi or U.S. commercial and national security interests.”
Those opposing? Easy to guess .... They are Charles Schumer (D-NY), John Kerry (D-MA), Joseph Biden, Obama’s running mate, Chappy Kennedy, and the rest of the Demo-Socialists.
The left has accused the Bush administration of going to war over oil. This false. If it were all about oil, Iraq would be pumping far more by now, with the assistance of the entire U.S. military strength in Iraq. It is clear that we SHOULD be helping Iraq maximize oil production, since that would promote capitalism and freedom. Of course capitalism is a dirty word according to the Demo-Socialists. Yet another reason why we don’t want Obama-Biden in the White House.
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