such a crude imposition of US interests will succeed. The Economist Intelligence Unit sees the security problem as paramount. At the moment obviously investors of all kinds - Iraqi and non-Iraqi - are very hesitant."
This is the dilemma now facing the US, and goes some way to explaining why Bush now wants UN troops in Iraq. The US has waged war; but cannot create the necessary conditions for the imposition of its imperialist agenda. North of Baghdad: an oil pipeline set ablaze as resistance grows against US occupation.
In this context, Bush's America is a failing imperialist power. In addition to the problems in Iraq, the war and occupation have created political instability for both Bush and Blair at home.
Iraq's oil production, still yet to materialise because the pipelines are bombed on a regular basis, is not paying for the
of US troops as expected. COSt Increasingly angry US taxpayers are being asked to subsidise a greater share of the $150bn cost of the occupation and Bush's poll ratings are diving.
Blair is, as we know, still vainly hoping someone will turn up the weapons of mass destruction he said were an imminent threat to our safety.
Whatever the eventual fate of these two warmongers, Bush and Blair went to war riding high in the polls. Empires can over-reach themselves, history tells us that much. The project for the new American century is running into difficulties because of the very weaknesses which sent Bush to war. The bigger the resistance, the weaker they will get. Iraq's governing council is due to close down Al Jazeera's satellite channel and another, Al Arabiya, which it accuses of promoting violence. It will allow them to re-open only when they agree to accept new regulations of broadcasting standards that Iraq "cannot afford to sustain such promotion of sectarianism and violence.
Iraqi oil. 200+ billion barrels. countries to drill. eastern Asia. barrels. gencies. The statement from the council said The interest highest on Bush's agenda is • Iraq is host to 11% of world oil reserves, estimated by the US at between 115 and • It is the cheapest of all oil producing • Demand for oil is increasing worldwide with the US being the largest consumer. Only 6 countries have the capacity to meet projected demand over the next 20 years; Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela • Iraq's reserves are equal to the total reserves of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China and the whole of non-middle • US oil reserves stand at just 22 billion • By 2007 it is thought that US oil will only be used for strategic purposes i.e. emer• The Middle East and Iran possess 65 per cent of the world's known oil reserves. • The richest oil producing countries in the world are also the most heavily indebted to the west. Algeria has debts of over $52 billion. Saudi Arabia has debts of $170 billion • Before the current war with Iraq, French oil company ELF-Total had a contract to exploit 25 per cent of Iraqi oil.