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Waxman Says White House Knew About Hunt Oil Deal In Iraq
House oversight committee Chairman Henry Waxman says the Bush Administration knew about the September 2007 deal that Texas-based Hunt Oil struck with Kurdish officials in Iraq.
That contradicts what President Bush said at the time.
That deal was controversial because it came at a time of precarious negotiations in Baghdad about a possible revenue-sharing agreement between the warring factions in Iraq. The Kurds decision to forge a deal independent of the Baghdad government angered the Sunni and Shia Arabs in Iraq.
In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Waxman asked for further information about the U.S. involvement in Iraqi oil deals, the Hunt Oil deal as well as more recent deals. He quoted the president speaking shortly after the deal was announced almost a year ago.
Administration officials criticized the Hunt Oil contract because it jeopardized the efforts of the Iraqi parliament to come to an agreement on the national oil legislation. When President Bush was asked about the Hunt Oil contract, he stated:"I knew nothing about the deal. I need to know exactly how it happened. To the extent that it does undermine the ability for the government to come up with an oil revenue sharing plan that unifies the country, obviously if it undermines it I'm concerned"
Waxman said his committee has conducted an investigation of the Hunt Oil deal.
The documents that the Committee has received tell a different story about the role of Administration officials. Ray Hunt, the head of Hunt Oil, personally informed advisors to President Bush of meetings he and other Hunt Oil officials planned with representatives of the Kurdish government. Other Hunt Oil officials kept State Department officials informed about the company' s intentions.
Comments (16)
So did Bush lie (once again)?
Or did these "advisors" of his set up the deal without having him in the loop? I mean, who's really in charge there at the White House? (I think it may be Dick Cheney, not President Bush.)
Either way, can we ITMFA?
-- ARG
July 2, 2008 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, really, there's so much Bush hasn't known about.
Remember, he hasn't wanted the details on issues, just the bottom line. He's a headline reader, not a report reader.
And this is such a trivial thing in his world. The important thing for him has been to stay the course. And what it takes to stay the course? And what exactly is the course?
Silly questions. Our president isn't a detail man.
July 2, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, they tried to tell him, but "President" Bush immediately threw down his axe, stuck a finger in each ear, and began humming "NNNNAAAAA NAAAA NNAAAA NAAAAA NAAAAA," until the advisors had finished speaking, and walked away.
"President" Bush then went back to clearing brush and reciting "poor people" jokes to Condi Rice, who laughed and slapped her knee obediently.
July 17, 2008 7:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm thinking that the advisors don't need to clear any of these matters with Bush or Cheney, since they are already aligned on them. No need to check with the boss when you know his position. Just go ahead and act on it.
July 25, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing here, nothing here, just move on. we know Bush, Chaney and the Patriotic party would never stoop this low.
Just move on, nothing here...Right.
July 2, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
You may want to check out who bought the shopping center where the proposed Bush library will be located.
July 2, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Operation Iraq Liberation
O.I.L.
...and you thought we were there for the 'freedom'? how dumb.
July 2, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Waxman and a few others of his party seem to be on the level.
But given how the Democratic Party as a whole has caved in on one issue after another, and is now caving in on telecom immunity (which in effect will give immunity to George W. Bush, et.al.) the Democratic Party is just another Republican party.
You don't have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
July 2, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure that after al-Maliki's cousin was murdered by some U.S. troops, he will be in no mood to hear about how Bush lied to him about OIL.
July 2, 2008 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even if he is just a headline reader, if he is to say that he was not informed of this issue but it is clear that some of his closest aides new of such a deal, then why did they not tell him? And then if they did not tell him, what actions did he take upon finding out about this?
His statement seems to imply that he was not aware of the situation but quite simply where this action came from and if it is indeed true(which we now know it is) then how does it effect the overarching strategy in Iraq which Bush ins in approval of! I would have to believe that if he did not know and his aides did that then he would ask his aides to update him on the situation. If then they told him of the situation then what were his actions? Does he disagree with the position that this was harmful to the safety and security of Iraq and the United States in general? If so what was his reasoning!
July 2, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it's hard to hear what anyone's saying when you're on the treadmill, you've got your hands over your ears, and you're repeating "lalalalalalalala."
July 2, 2008 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice thing about dictatorial countries...
Getting caught doesn't mean a thing...
July 2, 2008 7:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: $4 per gallon.
In Canada (land of gobs of oil) over $5.
You go DICKIE !!
IMPEACH DEATH VADER FIRST.
Have a few pissed off vets turn off the lights of the DARPA bunker where he hides YOU paid for and he'll come out. (and NO, he has no pacemaker .. ) and face the LOCAL prosecutor.
As for BuZh, all he wanted were the scorecards of detainees wafting around in his desk.
July 2, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
All, Lady here is a republican troll. If you reveiw her profile you find that all she does is post hate filled comments about Obama.
July 3, 2008 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am having a hard time understanding why anyone, other than the deluded Republicans, would believe that Bush has any say in what is done in his administration. It is even difficult to believe that he knows more than the barest essentials, meaning enough to sound no more stupid than normal when he speaks, about anything going on in the world.
Surely we all know that Cheney, who hand picked the entire cabinet, is the one in charge, the man who keeps track of the details normally handled by a president. And, most of the "advisors" to Bush are, in fact, subordinate to Cheney, not Bush. After all Cheney is the one who chose Cheney as vice president. This has been the weirdest administration in our history, or at least the last 100 years of our history.
July 3, 2008 12:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
DUH!
July 3, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink