Black Box Recorder

US official: Iraq may break with OPEC; Germany backs US on sanctions; Bush and the missing WMDs

The WaPo reports that Philip Carroll, who formerly headed Royal Dutch Shell in the United States and now chairs a commission advising Iraq's oil ministry, has stated that Iraq may disregard OPEC quotas and export as much oil as possible. He also indicated that Iraq may quit the cartel altogether. The issue of privatization is also on the table. As an encore, Carroll said the oil ministry may review Saddam-era contracts - notably with China, Russia, and France.

But, of course, Carroll is not influencing any of these policies - not in the least:

Carroll repeatedly rejected suggestions that he is an instrument of any such policy, saying that he is merely an adviser. "In the final analysis, Iraq's role in OPEC or in any other international organization is something that has to be left to an Iraqi government," he said.

Nor does he stand to benefit financially from anything the new Iraqi government chooses to do:

[Carroll] confirmed a report in the Los Angeles Times that he continues to own substantial stock in Fluor, which has already announced intentions to bid on contracts to reconstruct Iraq's oil industry. He said he also has large holdings in Shell.

Carroll said he had already disclosed these holdings to the Defense Department and announced his intention to recuse himself from the consideration of any decisions from which they could benefit.

In other Iraq-related news, Germany has finally come to its senses and is backing the US's position on the sanctions. But Powell said there still won't be time for Bush to meet with Schroeder.

WaPo analysis on Bush not receiving any questions or scrutiny over the bogus Iraqi WMD claims. Incidentally, the article also shows why the US and the world will probably be stuck with this cretin for another 4 years: the Democrats are a lot of spineless yes-people:

Before the war, for example, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused the administration of exaggerating Iraq's nuclear capabilities, while other Democrats questioned whether Bush and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell were overstating Hussein's chemical and biological stockpiles.

This week, Pelosi said it is "difficult to understand" why the weapons can't be found. Yet she did not seem concerned about whether any are found. "I am sort of agnostic on it; that is to say, maybe they are there," Pelosi said. "I salute the president for the goal of removing weapons of mass destruction."

Good for you, Pelosi - pat Bush on the head for trying and keep on saluting. I hear it's a very effective way of running a country.

Similarly, Senate Democratic Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.), who on the eve of war accused Bush of failing "miserably" to win international backing, now talks of giving the president "great credit" for winning the war.

Managing not to lose to a ragged, clapped-out, Third World army - "great credit" does a disservice to such leadership. The War Party must find these scenes an absolute riot. No wonder Bush keeps wearing that silly grin.