Iraq FYI thread

[Romeo]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iz.html#Govt

The figure are quite interesting:
Exports: US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000)
Imports: France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000)

 

[papasmerf]

WOW so you are saying that the USA bought more from Iraq then Italy, France and Spain combined?????

And look at that nothing in return.

 

[Goober Mcfly]

This probably belongs here...

http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,81303,00.html

Saddam: "Oh, you meant weapons of mass destruction. I thought you said 'lemons of mass destruction'." *chuckles nervously*

 

[papasmerf]

Let's assume it was the oil for food program.

Are you able to explain why the USA is the NUMBER ONE buyer of their exports, and not France, Russia or Germany??????

 

[ocean976124]

Simply shows the US doesn't make money off of Iraq while France does...

 

[Snook.fr]

Let's assume it was the oil for food program.

Are you able to explain why the USA is the NUMBER ONE buyer of their exports, and not France, Russia or Germany??????

Iraqis do not like Burgers....

 

[papasmerf]

Iraqis do not like Burgers....

Might be more accurate to say they dont like sausages and well the frenceh offer nothing

 

[train]

Remember ....just because it is on a web site doesn't mean it is factual .

I would guess that this is either not factual or misleading ie. the oil was sold to a french company who resold it to the US .

With all the left-wing press out there I have difficulty believing that this point hasn't been brought out before if it were true .

 

[gryfin]

Well, it is a CIA site

The site is an American government site: the Central Intelligence Agency

 

[zog]

Iraqi Oil

Much of the oil produced by Iraq is of a superior grade to the Middle East average. With recent disruptions in the Venezuelan supply, Iraq provides the most convenient source of similar-grade crude. US oil companies find it economically expedient to use Iraqi oil, despite whatever reasons to boycott might exist. This recent change in supply accounts for much of the statistics in the web-site. I don't personally trust the CIA to be the most reliable source (the CIA lie??? Never!!!) but I have seen these statistics corroborated in other sources.

This makes the interesting point that, in the end, companies (and nations) will do what is in their best interest and not what is in the "common good".

It's true that Saddam Hussein is a brutal dictator and it's also true that many Americans (as well as many others all around the world) deplore Iraq's actions. But this is not why the US will make war on Iraq.

If the US was going to war for moral and humanitarian reasons, they would have attacked Zimbabwe, N. Korea, Lybia, and Iraq many years ago.

Obviously, the real determining motives involve self-interest and not altruism.

Zog.

 

[train]

Well I'm having a hard time thinking of a reason why they would want to say that the US is the largest trading partner if it wasn't factual . Of course the CIA is known for it's forthright truthfulness .......who knows lol .

 

[Big Bear]

Oil for Food

This program explains a lot about these numbers. US companies are purchasing oil under this program and Iraq in turn is purchasing food from others, notably Australia and to a lesser extent France.

The publication you cite says 95% of foreign exchange earnings are from oil so the export numbers reflect who is buying Iraqi oil. The same publication also states they are importing "food, medicine and some infrastructure parts" That is why Australia for example is a leading importer, they are importing Australian grain as part of their food program.

You can't look at the macro numbers and draw any conclusions you have to look at sector spending and export earnings. As a lot of the oil infrastructure was built by the French it is logical to assume that the Iraqis are purchasing replacement parts for the equipment from France but we can't tell for sure from these numbers.

As Iraq is apparently exporting something like a million barrels a day under this progam is it any wonder the US is interested in protecting this supply.