Iraq's key oil pipeline to Turkey hit by fire: US army

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030816/ts_afp/iraq_us_oil_pipeline&cid=1503&ncid=1480

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Firefighters were trying to extinguish a blaze on Iraq (news - web sites)'s key Baiji oil pipeline to Turkey, the US army said.

"They have contained it but are still fighting it," said Lieutenant Colonel Bill MacDonald of the Fourth Infantry Division, speaking from the town of Tikrit.

He said the cause of the fire, which broke out early Friday, was under investigation, adding that engineers were seeking to bypass the burning section to get the oil flowing again.

But he said he could not confirm that oil was now flowing through it.

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[liberalnurse]

1. I guess we will be paying for it in the end yet....

I sure enjoyed a good belly-laugh! :bounce:

:nopity:

[alcuno]

2. Pipeline opens Wednesday and is on fire on Saturday.

And this will be repeated over and over again. Maybe the US should stop announcing its "successes" because it makes them even bigger targets. Remember the opening of the Baghdad Museum? Practically the next day a soldier charged with guarding the museum was shot and killed. Bremer's convoy had barely left the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Welcome to guerrilla war!

This is a common occurrence in Colombia were US Special Forces are being used to protect a CONOCO pipeline from attacks.

Each day that Iraqi oil production and distribution is disrupted is a day in which the US has to bear the full cost of occupation.

Congratulations to the freedom fighters!

[Old and In the Way]

3. This is how they will defeat us, I think.

They know a head-to-head war with the US is futile and stupid. But they also know the only reason we invaded Iraq was to secure control of the oilfields. A systematic program of continued bombing of the pipeline will disrupt pumping almost indefinitely. We will have to post American troops along the entire pipeline and risk having our soldiers picked off one at a time. Bush probably doesn't care, but I hope the American people understand how untenable our position is in Iraq before hundreds of losses turns into thousands.

The PNAC planners obviously had no clue about the consequences of their actions. If anything they have hastened the end of American influence in the world with their treacherous designs.

[dArKeR]

5. Just like the Grid we immediately know it wasn't terrorism