Friday, March 17, 2006
Iraqi RhetIraq: Oil Minister & Joint Mujahideen Command
Who: Issam al-Jalabi (Iraqi Oil Minister) & Joint Mujahideen Command (Insurgent group)
Source: Azzaman
Quotes: From article titled, "Former minister warns of precipitous decline of oil sector; armed group vows to intensify attacks"
Oil output will decline drastically if the government fails to raise enough funds to rehabilitate the sector, warned former Oil Minister Issam al-Jalabi.
Jalabi, who is currently one of the world’s most authoritative experts on Middle East oil, said at least $2 billion were urgently needed to stop further deterioration. Jalabi’s pessimistic forecasts came amid reports that armed groups had vowed to escalate attacks on oil installations.
The group, called the Joint Mujahideen Command, said attacking oil installations was its key strategy to deny the government the financial resources it needs to survive. “We are determined to destroy this government. We shall continue targeting their points of weakness, namely oil,” the group said. ... “We call on our fighters to escalate their attacks and bring oil exports to a halt. Once that happens, they (the government) will fail to finance their militias to fight us,” the group said.
Jalabi predicted the crisis to continue for up to four more years.
“The destruction of the oil fields and installations which started with the (U.N.) trade sanctions is proceeding,” he said.
The oil sector, he added, has seen “no major improvements” since the U.S. invasion. No new oil fields have been drilled and old ones are left unrepaired.” As a result, he said, oil output has been declined from 2.8 million barrels before the U.S. invasion to 1.7 million barrels.
Source: Azzaman
Quotes: From article titled, "Former minister warns of precipitous decline of oil sector; armed group vows to intensify attacks"
Oil output will decline drastically if the government fails to raise enough funds to rehabilitate the sector, warned former Oil Minister Issam al-Jalabi.
Jalabi, who is currently one of the world’s most authoritative experts on Middle East oil, said at least $2 billion were urgently needed to stop further deterioration. Jalabi’s pessimistic forecasts came amid reports that armed groups had vowed to escalate attacks on oil installations.
The group, called the Joint Mujahideen Command, said attacking oil installations was its key strategy to deny the government the financial resources it needs to survive. “We are determined to destroy this government. We shall continue targeting their points of weakness, namely oil,” the group said. ... “We call on our fighters to escalate their attacks and bring oil exports to a halt. Once that happens, they (the government) will fail to finance their militias to fight us,” the group said.
Jalabi predicted the crisis to continue for up to four more years.
“The destruction of the oil fields and installations which started with the (U.N.) trade sanctions is proceeding,” he said.
The oil sector, he added, has seen “no major improvements” since the U.S. invasion. No new oil fields have been drilled and old ones are left unrepaired.” As a result, he said, oil output has been declined from 2.8 million barrels before the U.S. invasion to 1.7 million barrels.
