'Massive problems' tracking Iraq oil

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) - Iraq still has "massive problems" in monitoring its oil revenues, including no oil metering system to measure output and the failure to use competitive bidding for all contracts, an auditing board said after a meeting Wednesday.

Members of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board have "repeatedly raised" the issues with the U.S. Coalition and the Iraqi government, according to Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, the group's U.N. representative, who spoke to reporters.

<snip>
The board also is waiting for the U.S. government to collect $208.5 million in "questioned costs" from a Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) contract and turn the money over to the Iraqi government.

The request was made last month, and while the board has no enforcement power, Halbwachs said the issue will be raised again in meetings with Department of Defense officials.

<snip>
Absent from the IAMB meeting Wednesday was the Iraqi government representative who ran into U.S. visa delays, Halbwachs said.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/28/news/international/iraqoil/index.htm

from E&O
Chalabi to take over oil ministry? So the FT hears:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x181666

Iraq's Ahmad Chalabi: He's now Mr. Oil
Controversial figure, with no industry experience, to run ministry
April 28, 2005

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq failed to name an oil minister for its new government on Thursday and controversial politician Ahmad Chalabi was appointed acting minister of an industry plagued by sabotage attacks and uncertainty.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7666574/

IRAQ: Ahmad Chalabi as Acting Oil Minister Raises Concerns
by Tom Doggett, Reuters
April 28th, 2005

WASHINGTON - Iraq's choice of Ahmad Chalabi as acting oil minister has raised concerns that he is not the best person for the job because he has little energy experience and was once convicted of bank fraud, U.S. energy experts said on Thursday.
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12172

Chalabi's face when he found out he gets to be in charge of the oil billions:
http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,195774,00.jpg

Like it's going to be different *this* time?


:eyes:

i mean, we'e doing so well with this war -- we couldn't have problems with this?

do i have to tell anybody that i'm being sarcastic?

--no oil metering system--

Who does it benefit- we all know.

That is like Al Capone screaming about a kid stealing a bar of candy.The illegal US "take" on this war makes anything done in the UN "oil for food" program look like peanuts.

Pirates, that's all they are.

You don't think someone's stealing it, do you? So that's $208 million not recovered from KBR, $9 billion missing during Paul Bremer's kleptocratic reign, ongoing problems with figuring out just how much oil is being pumped, who's taking possession of it, and where those revenues are going. Golly, what horrible bad luck -- unless you're one of the thieves.

"There is great chaos under Heaven, and the situation is excellent."

and theres nobody to watchit... thats why our Military is being used to watch the gas tankers and pipelines so Cheney and Bush can get their money... We aren't leaving Iraq for a LONG TIME...

:puke:

I'm sure these people all know where the oil money is!
UN needs to take another look in Texas.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/12/29/build/world/49-iraq-oil.inc

Iraq has shut down its largest oil refinery in the northen town of Beiji after insurgents threatened to kill drivers and blow up trucks that distribute its oil products across Iraq, a senior Iraqi oil official said Thursday.

"The refinery has suspended its operations because drivers of trucks have received death threats from terrorists," Oil Ministry Spokesman Assem Jihad told Dow Jones Newswires.

The closure will impact Iraq and Baghdad in paricular, which has been feeling the pinch from a shortage of refined fuel, much of which is already imported because of the country's diminished refining capacity. A number of demonstrations have already been held around Iraq because of a Dec. 19 increase in gas prices.

At the time, the price of a liter of imported and super gasoline was raised to US$17 cents, which is a fivefold increase from previous prices. There are about 3.8 liters in a gallon, meaning the new price is about US$65 cents a gallon.

Won't someone please hold the party of accountability accountable?

Kuwait. Doing Poppy Bush pay-back for Gulf I.