Four Western oil companies are in the final stages of negotiations this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose to power.

[...]

The deals, expected to be announced on June 30, will lay the foundation for the first commercial work for the major companies in Iraq since the American invasion, and open a new and potentially lucrative country for their operations.

The no-bid contracts are unusual for the industry, and the offers prevailed over others by more than 40 companies, including companies in Russia, China and India. The contracts, which would run for one to two years and are relatively small by industry standards, would nonetheless give the companies an advantage in bidding on future contracts in a country that many experts consider to be the best hope for a large-scale increase in oil production.

Europe as a whole, with Germany's economy leading, is just a bit better prepared for what passes in today's political world as a sustainable future.  There are so many examples in the ECB's positions, in the position of European export leadership in products that matter, and in the general foundation of the economy... which doesn't exist in the US.

Today China announced an increase in energy prices for its citizens, an indication (but only an indication) that they understand at least some of the rules of the new game.

It is amurkan money which has led the globe down a false path, even though one of the largest conduits was through London.  But the economic foundation which is currently being built in Europe will be the deciding factor in trans-atlantic so-called relations.

Skennah Kowa

 Americans have a rich constitutionalist tradition of their own, together with a long and successful experience with international cooperation. But following the demise of the Soviets, America seems to have lost its way. Something has gone wrong with its system of checks and balances; the Roman Republic has been turning into the Roman Empire. (My bold.)

This is the deepest fear of many of us still here.  May we reclaim that rich constitutionalist tradition and soon.

again

America's recent evolution suggests a broader lesson. Nowadays, too much power is agglomerated in Washington to be contained successfully within a purely national constitutional structure. Checks and balances at home require a correlative balance of power abroad. Constructing such a balanced state system for itself on a regional scale has been post-war Europe's great achievement. Successfully implementing that balanced system has depended heavily on a supportive America. Perhaps it is time for Europe to return the favour. Balancing, it seems, is always necessary, even among friends. And among friends balancing is also more likely to be successful. That Europe can find the will, the means and the confidence to rise to the occasion - to be America's balancing partner - can hardly be taken for granted. What does seem clear is that a Europe that wants to be cohesive and strong, and on good terms with its neighbours, will not fit easily in a close transatlantic alliance with an America actively pursuing global hegemony.

Am I delusional in assuming there is a plan by global corporate elites to depopulate the US and create a gigantic nature preserve?

Anotherwards; EU is good cop, US is bad cop. Until the capitalistic system destroys itself and it is on its way to doing that; and a new system emerges-the EU and the US will always be under the influence of the multinationals etc.

The film Network contains a scene from Paddy Chayefsky's script where Ned Beatty is playing the multinational CEO which owns the network and he is speaking to Peter Finch who plays the anchorman gone wild and surmising it states ' There are no such things as countries which control the world. Its only companies'. The script was written in the early 1970's and if anything, the corporates have even increased their domination over governments.

So please you EU proponents; please get off your high horse and realize we are all screwed until we can take away the levers of power from those whose only concern is profit and forge a new system which guarantees social justice as the priority and the individual's freedom to coexist with each other.