Zarqawi Orders Disruption of Iraq Fuel Imports

Saturday, October 16, 2004. 11:29pm (AEST) Zarqawi orders disruption of Iraq fuel imports: Jordanian militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi has threatened to attack foreign trucks carrying imports of refined oil products into Iraq, an Iraqi Oil Ministry official said on Saturday.

A pamphlet the official said was from Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad group said non-Iraqi trucks, which carry the bulk of Iraq's imports of refined products, would be attacked.

Iraq already suffers shortages of oil products, partly due to insecure land routes and sabotage attacks on refineries.

"Tawhid and Jihad has already killed a number of drivers. The Turks you hear are killed or kidnapped mostly drive fuel trucks," said the official, who asked not to be named.

"The attacks by Zarqawi and others are helping disrupt supply ... we are taking the threat seriously."

The pamphlet was distributed to oil officials in the north, including the city of Mosul, and to traders who import refined products, such as petrol and diesel, the official added.

"Any car from outside Iraq will be subject to destruction. Iraqi trucks will be allowed movement," said the pamphlet, which was shown to Reuters.

"Some were mistaken when they understood that the goal of the holy warriors is to prevent the flow of refined products and damage people's interests."

Iraq, which has one of the largest oil reserves in the world, imports around $US2 billion worth of refined products a year.

It has a nominal refining capacity 550,000 barrels per day, but sabotage and post-war looting have lowered output.

Hopefully the Iraqis will be able to refine their own fuel soon. I recall that we rebelled against the British at least partly because they were "plundering our natural resources" and forcing us to buy their refined products. I don't for a second believe that the self-styled serial killer, Zarqawi, is some sort of Arab patriot. Rather, it seems that the Islamist cause merely gives him an excuse to indulge his insane fantasies. Nonetheless, a situation such as the one described would seem to play into the hands of the insurgency.

What is needed is an object lesson. The neighborhoods which harbor him should be reduced to dust.

2 posted on 10/16/2004 1:07:44 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Thank you Rush Limbaugh-godfather of the New Media.)

3 posted on 10/16/2004 2:19:52 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny (On this day your Prayers are needed!!!!!!!)

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