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Iraq : The Aftermath |
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The United States seems
intent on developing a Free Trade Agreement across the Middle East, promoting
the OECD Multilateral
Agreement on Investment (MAI) which promotes foreign investment
for the West, but has serious globalisation ramifications for governance
of third world countries. It also has serious ramifications for global
oil prices too if the MAI becomes embroiled in the Middle East, since
the whole world pays for oil through distribution costs etc.
The MAI is a system aimed
at globalising capitalism across the world so that for example, currencies
compete despite being in different time zones, and allows only the same
accounting procedures, so that western investors can understand predominantly
eastern accounts. The difficulty is that the East has its own accounting
systems and would rather keep them. World
Development Movement More worrying is the implication which would
give corporations the tools or devices to sue national governments if
their investment or "development" became threatened. In short
it guarantees large corporations and investors their investment capital.
The first thrust of this MAI battle will come at the United Nations as
the U.S. / U.K. support a lifting of U.N sanctions on the premise they
have not found any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (there raison d'etre
for invading Iraq), and the end of the oil for food program. PPG | Features
| Iraq or Hussein Selective Intelligence by Seymour
Hersh
The U.S. / U.K. replacement vision is to have Iraqi oil revenues paid
instead into the Iraqi National Bank. One of the principal architects
promoting this is Ahmed Chalabi, a vociferous anti Hussein campaigner
of the Iraqi National Congress ,PPG | Policy Issues
| Saddam Hussein Mr Chalabi has been convicted in absentia
of bank fraud and corruption in Jordan and has a twenty two year jail
sentence awaiting him there should he ever cross the border. The Iraqi Hawks
by Seymour Hersh In the meantime, Mr Chalabi seems to be the
main contender for the prestigious role of the Iraqi National Bank and
holder of the purse strings of Iraq. The people of Iraq may yet receive
democratic elections but will not be able to purchase a paper clip without
the approval of Chalabi and his supporters at the Pentagon. Exile
Finds Ties To U.S. a Boon And a Barrier (washingtonpost.com)
There seems a strange twist of irony that Bush was elected under dubious
circumstances in America, and Blair was elected to get rid of the smell
of corruption in British politics after the "arms to Iraq" scandal and
ensuing Scott Enquiry PPG | Policy Issues
| Saddam Hussein Their joint arrangements in dealing with Iraq
makes a mockery of British Ethical Foreign Policy
and Robin Cook's departure recently from the British Government now seems
abundantly clear. PPG | Policy Issues
| Robin Cook & Tony Blair
To summarise, America appears to be developing its plans for globalisation
by the MAI through the Middle East and its oil. First base of this development
will come with Iraq's post Hussein power vacuum and the allowance of political
self determination, without the accompanying economic powers. Two governments
that do not allow felons into their own administrations seem more than
content with a convicted fraud and corruption case: Chalabi, who hasnt
been in Iraq since 1956, according to veteran journalist Seymour Hersh,
yet it is to be the hub of U.S. and U.K. foreign policy in Iraq.
Copyright S Coleman 2002 9 May 2003
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