12 January 2007
Resolving Iraq
Is the key to resolving sectarian violence in Iraq the division of that country created at the end of the colonial era into three more ethnically homogeneous states? It is not likely that the borders of the Hashemite kingdom of Iraq were drawn in order to spread the benefits of oil production over a wide population some of whom were potentially resource-poor. Nevertheless, that has become an issue in resolving the future disposition of the Iraqi state.
It is an issue for the Kurdish population who dominate one of the main oil-producing regions of Iraq around Kirkuk. It complicates the potential emergence of a wealthy ethnic pole neighboring a rebellious region of Turkey also dominated by Kurds. It is an issue for Shiite Arabs in Iraq’s southern region whose crude oil funnels through Basrah. Because of their religious affinity with the ruling mullahs of Iran, the direction of their affairs is pulled into alignment with the interests of the neighboring Persian giant. Finally, it is an important issue for the once-dominant Sunni Arabs in Baghdad and Anbar province in the center of Iraq. This region has only a history of political rule over the country and mercantile / cultural leadership going for it, with no natural resource endowment of its own.
The U.S. has been trying to rescue its policy of intervention in Iraq by influencing the majority government it has installed there to conduct the country’s affairs in a manner that suits American or Western values. Those secular values are familiar to the professionals who administer the operations of Saudi Arabia’s oil monopoly, ARAMCO. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been an ally of the U.S. in its invasion of Iraq and is quite interested in protecting the welfare of Sunni Arabs in that country. It appears that the Kingdom’s public sector oil producer has the expertise and orientation to operate Iraq’s oil industry in a way that would be considered even handed economically. Perhaps its being contracted to advise Iraq’s Ministry of Oil on its operations after the pullout of American troops would give confidence to Sunni insurgents that they would get a fair shake. This should be a part of the U.S. strategy to quell Iraq’s current violent civil war.
Is the key to resolving sectarian violence in Iraq the division of that country created at the end of the colonial era into three more ethnically homogeneous states? It is not likely that the borders of the Hashemite kingdom of Iraq were drawn in order to spread the benefits of oil production over a wide population some of whom were potentially resource-poor. Nevertheless, that has become an issue in resolving the future disposition of the Iraqi state.
It is an issue for the Kurdish population who dominate one of the main oil-producing regions of Iraq around Kirkuk. It complicates the potential emergence of a wealthy ethnic pole neighboring a rebellious region of Turkey also dominated by Kurds. It is an issue for Shiite Arabs in Iraq’s southern region whose crude oil funnels through Basrah. Because of their religious affinity with the ruling mullahs of Iran, the direction of their affairs is pulled into alignment with the interests of the neighboring Persian giant. Finally, it is an important issue for the once-dominant Sunni Arabs in Baghdad and Anbar province in the center of Iraq. This region has only a history of political rule over the country and mercantile / cultural leadership going for it, with no natural resource endowment of its own.
The U.S. has been trying to rescue its policy of intervention in Iraq by influencing the majority government it has installed there to conduct the country’s affairs in a manner that suits American or Western values. Those secular values are familiar to the professionals who administer the operations of Saudi Arabia’s oil monopoly, ARAMCO. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been an ally of the U.S. in its invasion of Iraq and is quite interested in protecting the welfare of Sunni Arabs in that country. It appears that the Kingdom’s public sector oil producer has the expertise and orientation to operate Iraq’s oil industry in a way that would be considered even handed economically. Perhaps its being contracted to advise Iraq’s Ministry of Oil on its operations after the pullout of American troops would give confidence to Sunni insurgents that they would get a fair shake. This should be a part of the U.S. strategy to quell Iraq’s current violent civil war.
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