IRAQ

Daily Star: Spoils of war: United States puts Iraq up for sale as American firms hog the gravy train

Six foreign banks will get 'fast-track' entry and be allowed to buy up
to 100% of local banks within 5 years. This has raised fears among Iraqis,
who are grappling with lawlessness, 60% unemployment, and dysfunctional
electricity and water supplies 5 months after the fall of the Baath
regime, that their economy will be dominated by foreigners. They doubt Iraq's
oil wealth, the 2nd largest after Saudi Arabia can be kept out of the
equation for long. 'This is a prelude to include oil,' says Iraqi financial
expert Ridha al-Qoreishi. 'The United States will have control of all the Arab
oil in the Gulf, or 60% of the crude in the world, which reinforces their
hold on the world economy.' On 9/24, confirming the pre-war fears of Russia,
France and China, Nabil Ahmed al-Musawi, one of the
[Pentagon-appointed] Governing Council's 25 members, said US companies would receive
preferential treatment to exploit Iraq's oil reserves.