Illegalities of the Iraq handover

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Illegalities of the Iraq handover
26
Sun, 08-08-2004 - 3:37pm
The Hand-Over That Wasn't

Illegal orders give the U.S. a lock on Iraq's economy.

By Antonia Juhasz

Antonia Juhasz is a project director at the

International Forum on Globalization in San Francisco

and a Foreign Policy in Focus scholar.

August 5, 2004

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-juhasz5aug05,1,3831327.story?coll=la-news-comment-

Officially, the U.S. occupation of Iraq ended on June

28, 2004. But in reality, the United States is still

in charge: Not only do 138,000 troops remain to

control the streets, but the "100 Orders" of L. Paul

Bremer III remain to control the economy.

These little noticed orders enacted by Bremer, the

now-departed head of the now-defunct Coalition

Provisional Authority, go to the heart of Bush

administration plans in Iraq. They lock in sweeping

advantages to American firms, ensuring long-term U.S.

economic advantage while guaranteeing few, if any,

benefits to the Iraqi people.

Although many thought that the "end" of the occupation

would also mean the end of the orders, on his last day

in Iraq Bremer simply transferred authority for the

orders to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi — a 30-year exile

with close ties to the CIA and British intelligence.

Further, the interim constitution of Iraq, written by

the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, solidifies

the orders by making them virtually impossible to

overturn.

A sampling of the most important orders demonstrates

the economic imprint left by the Bush administration:

Order No. 39 allows for: (1) privatization of Iraq's

200 state-owned enterprises; (2) 100% foreign

ownership of Iraqi businesses; (3) "national

treatment" — which means no preferences for local over

foreign businesses; (4) unrestricted, tax-free

remittance of all profits and other funds; and (5)

40-year ownership licenses.

Thus, it forbids Iraqis from receiving preference in

the reconstruction while allowing foreign corporations

— Halliburton and Bechtel, for example — to buy up

Iraqi businesses, do all of the work and send all of

their money home. They cannot be required to hire

Iraqis or to reinvest their money in the Iraqi

economy. They can take out their investments at any

time and in any amount.

Orders No. 57 and No. 77 ensure the implementation of

the orders by placing U.S.-appointed auditors and

inspector generals in every government ministry, with

five-year terms and with sweeping authority over

contracts, programs, employees and regulations.

Order No. 17 grants foreign contractors, including

private security firms, full immunity from Iraq's

laws. Even if they, say, kill someone or cause an

environmental disaster, the injured party cannot turn

to the Iraqi legal system. Rather, the charges must be

brought to U.S. courts.

Order No. 40 allows foreign banks to purchase up to

50% of Iraqi banks.

Order No. 49 drops the tax rate on corporations from a

high of 40% to a flat 15%.

Order No. 12 (renewed on Feb. 24) suspends "all

tariffs, customs duties, import taxes, licensing fees

and similar surcharges for goods entering or leaving

Iraq." This led to an immediate and dramatic inflow of

cheap foreign consumer products — devastating local

producers and sellers who were thoroughly unprepared

to meet the challenge of their mammoth global

competitors.

Clearly, the Bremer orders fundamentally altered

Iraq's existing laws. For this reason, they are also

illegal. Transformation of an occupied country's laws

violates the Hague regulations of 1907 (ratified by

the United States) and the U.S. Army's Law of Land

Warfare. Indeed, in a leaked memo, the British

attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, warned Prime

Minister Tony Blair that "major structural economic

reforms would not be authorized by international law."


With few reconstruction projects underway and with

Bremer's rules favoring U.S. corporations, there has

been little opportunity for Iraqis to go back to work,

leaving nearly 2 million unemployed 1 1/2 years after

the invasion and, many believe, greatly fueling the

resistance.

The Bremer orders are immoral and illegal and must be

repealed to allow Iraqis to govern their own economic

and political future.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-12-2004 - 2:53pm

Funny.....Here I was having a respectful exchange with Sondra and ín come 2 posters telling me how I am "darn

Djie

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Thu, 08-12-2004 - 4:34pm


You coulda fooled me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 08-12-2004 - 9:49pm
<<"You coulda fooled me.">>... yes, apparently and unintentionally

Djie

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 12:14am
It does seem odd to go to work for those you feel are somehow criminals, or doing something illegal... it's like denouncing the mob, then applying for membership... it seems odd...
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 5:30am
Yes, and never mind that Sondra was/is perfectly willing to

Djie

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 7:44am
The concept behind political correctness is to stop questioning, to cease thinking... essentially it's a component of fascism. Slogans like "every child a wanted child" or even "re-defeat Bush" are intended to generate mindless unquestioning. Sadly Republicans are learning from Democrats who currently have the lead in mindless propaganda, but the gap has been steadily closing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 10:10am
I do not care what you think actually. What I do is my business, and the only reason I mentioned it to anyone is becuase I thought some people here would care. I have stated the war is wrong, but when I have said that Halliburton are criminials or doing illegal activities??? It doesn't matter, becuase I do not have to justify myself to you and I won't.

To the 2 other ladies thank you for trying to defend me. Becuase I didnt want to have this discussion in open I did email djie. You were rite that I do not have to defend myself to anyone, it is no one's busienss why I made the decision. I do not try to question why people choose their line of work, even though many do not make sense to me.

Last thing I will say: Me taking this job has no sin connected to it. Halliburton did not start the war, nor will they end it. While they do not hire any Iraqis, it is not a sin to do so. They are not involved with killing Iraqi's so again no sin. I believe soon enough this will change, therefore, I am part of something that will in the future do good for Iraq. If you can find and prove to me that the work they do is a sin, please forward it.

If you like to believe they are criminals or whatever feel free. Everyone has their own perceptions. I do not do soemthing without fully knowing what it is about.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2003
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 10:34am
Well, war profiteering is an accusation often leveled at Haliburton... also those who work for the US by a private contractor are still helping the US achieve it's goals... thus you become party to the thing you denounce. I do NOT ask you for any justification, and do hope the money is good for you :-) You even have my wish and prayers for safety. Nobody should die trying to help others even if they join to do so for their own self interests :-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 11:41am


Yes they are accusations, just like i can accuse you of being a murderer doesn't make it so. Exactly what are the U.S. goals now? Is it oil??? But I thought this war was not about oil. It would be suspicous but Halliburton is located in many countries, not just Iraq. Is Halliburton profiting from the deaths of Iraqis? Is Halliburton the muscleman behind the war and not Bush? Is Halliburton the reason we went to war? What is it that you know that you are not telling the rest of us?



Very true, and many people in the armed services are there becuase they signed up for free college(self-interests), not a war. just one of the side effects.. by the way we all are going to die it is not by choice that is just a fact that you can't change. If I die it is ok becuase I try not to have regrets. I just hope I can survive the flight over, that is my only concern. I have a good life and a great family. What else do I have to prove but that?



No you did not come out and ask me, instead you were insinuating i was doing something wrong. So you were forcing me to justify by your words. I know it is hard to accept that there are people who just do not sit around and complain how bad the world is. There is more good in this world than bad, and that is something you will just have to accept. :-)

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 12:09pm
In the interest of openess, honesty and free exchange - how about putting up some personal information, including Your most deeply held religious beliefs so the rest of us can pick-pick-pick at you, and slip in a few snide remarks :) I want to know who you work for, hey what kind of money do you make? Do you go to church, have you sinned lately? This would be a great opportunity to begin an open, frank and educational discussion between all of us. :)

Someone trusted us and I for one am appalled at your response to that trust.

We now discover that the received e-mail was meant to stop this whole exchange. That's not the way it was portrayed to the rest of us - how very sneaky of you two - gotta give you credit for that much.

So come on, put up or shut up - you like openness? Open up, actually it would be better on this one if you just shut up - or do you even have that ability?