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Even as we speak about environmental damage, there is a report out (from German's famous magazine "Der Spiegel"), that claims that a scientist has finally found evidence that the global warming of the sea is influenced and caused by humans.
I don't have an english link at hand, so German speakers might be interested in this:
http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/erde/0,1518,342505,00.html
I'd say it is pretty good, because the computer simulation was about 95% accurate to the actual data.
Sudha,
How much trickles dopwn varies. As I mentioned about Perkins' book in discussing the environment, about 2 cents or less goes to cover the enormous environmental damage being done. What is about to be done in Iraq will be a takeoff with cronies similar to what the UN insiders were doing with Saddam during the 1990s and beyond.
Bill
Your comparison to the Balkans is apt. As long as Tito was in charge ethnic conflict was minimal. When Hussein was in charge no one was suicde bombing Shia mosques. Ethnic conflict only came to the forefront after the Gulf War when people were encouraged (by us)to believe Hussein would soon be gone. If Iraq is to remain united there will have to be a dictator strong enough to supress ethnic conflict, So, no WMDs, no 9-11 tie therefore 1400 Americans have died to replace one dictator with another.
1. No Iraqi govt is going to *not tax oil income - no matter *who gets it. If Iraqi front men are paid by US oil companies, this income is available to be taxed. And oil wells & their output can always be 'nationalised' - as happened in Iran. If US troops are sent in - or sent out from bases already in Iraq, oil output can always be suspended, pipelines cut, etc. Oil incomes can flow in only if oil output continues.
2. Tax revenues from oil will hold the Shia, Sunni, & Kurdish ruling groups together.
3. It is these groups & their supporters who will get the oil revenues - *not the ordinary Iraqis of any stripe.
And what would Rice & co. do if things did *not go their way? -- It's the patronising, pat-on-the-head tone which is bith offensive & demeaning. The only standing that US officials & politicians have in Iraq is as invaders.
The U.S. was heavily involved in appointing
the current government of Iraq. That the
paramount leader is a "Shiite secularist"
wannabe strongman, just like the neocons
wanted, as well as a former CIA asset,
points to a "colonial" or at least client
state status.
The elected government has yet to take power.
When it does take power, "colonial" will be
a misnomer.
About 3/4 of the 3/5 of the population of
Iraq followed their semi-pope. That is
the source of power in the new government.
The U.S. already gave into Sistani when
it agreed to these elections.
The Shia government supports a unified Iraq,
and so, if the U.S. maintains its position in
support of a unified Iraq, it will be supporting
the position of the elected government.
That the likely Kurdish President won't really
support such a view and will be part of the
government, is a bit of an illusion. The
interim constitution was imposed by the U.S.
The interim constitution is what requires the
Shiite majority to make a deal with the Kurds.
Of course, there is another aspect of making
a deal with the Kurds--a need for their
help in suppressing the Sunnis.
nice German :D
I admit that it really sounds as if the elections were only stage. As if the Iraqis now have a colonial goverment, rather than full sovereignity.
Also, I find it difficult to imagine, how Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites will live in one state. It reminds me of the Balkan and its tragedies.
And if the US gets (besides the terrorists) even the Kurds as their enemies. Man, that'll be a blood-bath down there....
Well, as I commented in my piece earlier we are in the process of selling off the oil assets to our Iraqi friends in order to cut deals with American oil men friends of the Bushes (see the Fin. Times-Uk), so that whatever portion of the monies ends up with the Iraqi people, we must have owned Iraq in order to sell off its assets.
Krony Kapitalism über alles!