US pushes for revival of Iraq-Israel oil pipeline

menareport ^

[chance33_98]

US pushes for revival of Iraq-Israel oil pipeline

The US Department of Defense sent a telegram to the Israel Ministry of Foreign affairs last week, proposing the re-opening of the oil pipeline between Iraq and Israeli oil refineries in Haifa.

The new oil channel would restore the pipeline that ran for hundreds of kilometers between Kirkuk in Iraq and the Haifa Port before the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. After the end of the British mandate, Iraq stopped the flow of oil to Israel and the pipeline, only eight inches in diameter, was abandoned.

In the telegram, the Department of Defense requested a detailed reconstruction plan from Israeli officials. According to Globes, Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructures Joseph Paritzky is in favor of the project, however consent from the Jordanian government is necessary before plans can move foreword seeing as the pipeline would run through the Kingdom’s territory.

The Jordanian government is against the plan, calling it unrealistic in view of the fact that the cost of repairs will be high and that a long period would be required to re-construct the pipeline, which is now filled with sand.

The new link would take oil from the northern area of Kirkuk and transport it via Mosul to Jordan and then to Israel. According to Israel’s National Infrastructure Ministry, the cost of a 42-inch diameter pipeline between Kirkuk and Haifa would cost approximately $400,000 per kilometer.

Paritzky plans to discuss the pipeline project with the US Secretary of Energy during a possible visit to Washington in September. — (menareport.com)

[RoughDobermann]

I knew it! It's all been about oil! It's a US-Zionist plot!

Just thought I'd get that out of the way...

[Dog Gone]

Boy, couldn't they have waited until Iraq had a functional government? Public discussion of this now is not going to be helpful.

[Paleo Conservative]

Boy, couldn't they have waited until Iraq had a functional government? Public discussion of this now is not going to be helpful.

There is stable government in the Kirkuk region. It is mainly the Sunni triangle where there are problems. Reestablishing the pipeline to Israel would allow the oil to bypass the Sunni triangle. There's no love lost between the Kurds and the Sunni Arabs in Iraq.

[Iscool]

I'm all for oil for Israel...But you or anyone else now will have a tough time convincing anyone that oil was not a major factor in this war...

[mewzilla]

But you or anyone else now will have a tough time convincing anyone that oil was not a major factor in this war...

Screw'em.

[Dog Gone]

That pipeline would be a tempting target for every terrorist in the region. How many troops would it require to protect it, and is it realistic to expect Jordan to guard every mile of it in their territory?

[The Dude Abides]

I saw a tee-shirt the other day that said "Kick their ass, take their gas"

I'd rather spend a few billion dollars developing the energy source of the future - whatever that might be.

[colorado tanker]

Wow, this will drive the islamofascists and Daschle Dims batsh!t.

[mr.pink]

I agree with your noting of the unreasonable expectations and responsibilities it places on Jordan.

If Jordan can't protect it due to sabotage, does Isreal consider it an act of war and move on Jordan?...or are we once again gonna' get stuck with another man power-money devouring responsiblity?

[Dog Gone]

I can't help but think that it would be easier to ship Iraqi crude from the Turkish port to Israel than to restore and protect this pipeline.

[ASA Vet]

That pipeline would be a tempting target for every terrorist in the region

How about if we just built a fake pipeline
as a magnet for "every terrorist in the region."
Kinda like a bug zapper.

A fake should cost much less than $400,000/km.

[mr.pink]

I don't see why Isreal should get that kind of pay off, one that's provided, brokered, and enabled by American lives and muscle in the first place.

They should wait and do above board business with the soon to be arriving, freely elected democratic government of Iraq.

[katana]

This idea sounds like Al Qaeda fly paper and a terrorist bug zapper all rolled into one.

[swarthyguy]

I don't think we're too saddened by the destruction of the pipeline to Turkey in Iraq recently.

[Dog Gone]

Don't be silly. We very much want Iraqi oil to get to market. Turkey happens to be the transit point for international export.