Neocons at work: Israel gets its 1st slice of Iraqi pie

[Gman]

joeunderdog posted this in LBN but it got locked for being too old to be LBN. Nevertheless, I think it needs attention because it shows Halliburton paying $11.00 a gallon for refined fuel from Israel.

<snip>
BEIRUT: Long before the American neoconservatives led by Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, Dick Cheney and others became the ideological soul of the Bush administration, their intention was to make Israel unassailable. The cataclysm of Sept. 11, 2001, allowed them to put that plan into action. Overthrowing Saddam Hussein and eliminating one of Israel’s most implacable foes was a key objective. Once that was achieved, the new, US-controlled Iraq could be used to help Israel penetrate the Arab world, if not by diplomatic recognition then by other means.
So it did not come as a surprise last week when the Israeli media reported that Israel’s Sonol fuel company is supplying US forces in Iraq with 25 million liters of refined fuel a month under a $70 million-$80 million contract. The contract was awarded by Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), a subsidiary of Halliburton, whose dealings in Iraq under the Bush administration have stirred great controversy, not least because Cheney is its former CEO.
Iraq has the world’s second largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia, but occupation forces have to import refined fuel because of the constant sabotage of oil installations and pipelines and because of poor maintenance of refineries over the years, particularly during the 12 years of UN sanctions that ended once Saddam was overthrown.
The deal with Sonol, one of Israel’s largest oil-product marketing firms, is the first known commercial link between Israel and Iraq since US-led forces toppled Saddam in April 2003. But there may well be others, because Israeli companies have been trying to find a way around political roadblocks that prevent them from operating in Iraq under US cover.
</snip>

Do the math:
1 liter = 0.264172 gallons x 25 million liters = 6,604,300 gallons

$75 million / 6,604,300 gallons = $11.36 /gallon

Not only does this throw gasoline on a raging inferno in Iraq by bringing Israel into Iraq, it also is more ripping off of US taxpayers!

More at http://www.dailystar.com.lb/business/17_03_04_d.asp

[Zero Gravitas]

1. They're not paying $11/gal

They're charging the US Government $11/gal to deliver the gas into occupied Iraq. They'll pay much less than that for the gas and then have the additional cost of transporting the gas into Iraq and get it to the supply dumps. I'd be surprised if their total cost per gal was anywhere near $11, its probably largely profit.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Another reason why it's probably not $11 per gallon

It's 25 million litres per month, and a $70-80 million contract - but it doesn't say that's per month. If it is, say, a 6 month contract, then it would be more like $1.80 a gallon.