Iraq's oil minister set to leave job again

[leftchick]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAR948618.htm

BAGHDAD, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Iraq's demoralised oil minister is set to leave his job for a second time, industry sources said on Sunday, and he will not attend Tuesday's OPEC meeting.

The sources said Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum, from a prominent Shi'ite family, was quitting because of Shi'ite wrangling over the oil job since Iraq's December 15 election.

The upheaval coincides with a collapse in Iraq's oil exports to their lowest level since the U.S.-led invasion.

"The minister has asked Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to reactivate his resignation," Uloum's office said, adding that his aim was to "prevent political tension inside the Shi'ite Alliance" and "put the interests of the country above all else".

Iraq desperately needs revenue from oil exports as it tries to rebuild from sanctions and war.

Despite sitting on the world's third biggest oil reserves, Iraq's exports slumped to 1.1 million barrels per day in December -- their lowest level since the war in 2003 -- because of sabotage and bad weather.

[KC21304]

1. I'm sure Chalabi is waiting in the wings. nt

[stillcool]

2. I thought he already had the job.

:shrug: ..must have been some of that 'PSYOPS Leakage' I picked up.

[NYC]

3. That's what I thought.

Who knows?

[oblivious]

4. He has it for a month according to this report.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x181666

[karlrschneider]

5. SNAFUBAR

:eyes:

[tabasco]

6. When the interim government was announced, Chalabi was

the Oil Minister. Just imagine that. I was shocked by the audacity of the US to install him.

Maybe he was replaced when they had an election or something, or maybe the Iraqis simply would not tolerate a gangster like him in charge.

[magellan]

7. The Iraqis weren't keen on any in the interim government

They were all known criminals, con-men, and ex-patriots no one knew much about...and worse, all gained their positions through the auspices of the US right before Iraqi eyes.