Iraq gas shortages overshadow election

[rainbow4321]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_NO_GAS?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=MIDEAST&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT



The irony of fuel shortages in one of the world's leading sources of petroleum is high on the list of hassles facing Iraqis, siphoning off much of the excitement over next week's national elections.

Officials blame the crunch on attacks on pipelines, ambushes of fuel convoys, a flourishing black market and crumbling infrastructure in Iraq's petroleum industry.

The shortages raise tempers and lower morale among a people already enduring car bombs, gunbattles, kidnappings, and assassinations. With Iraq sitting atop the world's second-largest known reserves of crude oil, the problem isn't a matter of shortage, but distribution, Hammond said. He blamed corruption, frequent pipeline attacks and decades of neglected infrastructure.

Some in the gas lines were nostalgic for the order Saddam imposed. Others theorized that the Americans and the new Iraqi leaders wanted to cripple people's mobility as a precaution ahead of this month's elections.

[JohnnyRingo]

1. Lack of fuel keeps Iraqis in their homes and out of trouble

It is also one more explosive in shortage.

Maybe when the Iraqis pay as much as the Asians per gallon, Big Oil will convince the "Coalition" to divert more crude for domestic use.

[UL_Approved]

6. Sad, but true

I keep floating the theory that this destruction is all just U.S. sponsored opposition in order for us to have permanent occupation. I do have to acknowledge that there is resistance in that country as well.

I wonder if anybody knows about this and if they have the means of exposing it... :tinfoilhat: :shrug:

[Bozita]

2. Only Dubya (who couldn't find oil in Texas) could make gas scarce in Iraq

Kinda like a reverse Midas touch.

[flamingpie2500]

3. Maybe they can pump it in from Alaska! (sarcasm)

[Robbien]

4. Even if Iraqis wanted to vote, would they have the gas to get to the polls

Would using what gas one does have be used for getting to the polls or is a higher priority getting to the market?

[leftchick]

5. PHOTO: Iraqi pushing car in front of Moving US Humvee!

I know this would piss me off. Big Time!

[jmcgowanjm]

7. US imports 250000 gal of gas per day

or used to, plus everything now is airlifted.
How expensive is it to fly in gasoline.

No oil is moving into Turkey

2005
186. January 1 - attack on a pipeline from Kirkuk to Bayji.
187. January 1 - attack on a pipeline linking the southern cities of Karbala and Hillah, 46 miles south of Baghdad near the Musabayb power station.
188. January 7 - attack on gas pipeline 9 miles north of Tikrit.
189. January 8 - attack on an oil pipeline running from northern fields to Bayji in the Safra area, 43 miles southwest of Kirkuk. Two guard posts for an oil protection force were also blown up around the area and one guard was wounded.
190. January 8 - attack on a gas pipeline in the Fatha area near Bayji.
191. January 11 - 2:00am rocket attack on a gas pipeline that runs to Bayji near the Fatha production station.
192. January 11 - 6:30am attack on an oil pipeline that runs to Bayji in the Zegheitoun area, 35 miles southwest of Kirkuk. The pipeline had just been brought online on January 9th.
193. January 13 - 10:30pm attack on oil pipeline near Fatha.
194. January 14 - improvised explosive device detonated after midnight damaging an oil pipeline near Bayji and sparking a large fire.
195. January 14 - attack on a pipeline linking Kirkuk and the Daura refinery, near Samarra.
196. January 14 - rocket attack on pipeline complex near Fatha sparked large blaze.
197. January 17 - a bomb blew off a section of a pipeline in Fatha.
198. January 21 - 07:00am attack on pipeline in the al-Tharthar region 12 miles south of Samarra interrupted the flow of oil to the Bayji refinery.

http://www.iags.org/iraqpipelinewatch.htm

[bemildred]

8. "How expensive is it to fly in gasoline?"

Yeah, exactly.

[fooj]

9. How the hell could gas be scarce in Iraq?

Oh, that's right...Bush is STEALING it all! Three cheers for freedom and liberty!