Bill Wilson MSP

Iraqi MPs’ Oil Law votes bought?  MSP “depressed but not surprised” by allegation that oil companies bribing politicians for Iraq’s oil.

The press release below, and this one on green and ethical business awards, were mentioned in Douglas Fraser's blog. 

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, today spoke of his dismay at the latest news coming out of Iraq regarding the Oil Law, a piece of legislation that effectively hands control of Iraq’s oil reserves to multinational oil companies and against which he has long been campaigning.

Dr Wilson was referring specifically to the charge by an anonymous Iraqi MP, reported in Akhbar Alkhaleej newspaper, that Iraqi MPs are being offered $5 million each to back the controversial Oil Law.  He said, “Frankly, I don’t know whether the allegation is correct, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it is.  It would be just another piece of depressing evidence that the US-led invasion of Iraq had little to do with the promotion of democracy, human rights and the wellbeing of Iraq’s people and everything to do with the profits of multinational oil companies.”

He concluded his brief remarks by saying, “My previous statements have made it clear what I think of the Oil Law.  The people of Iraq should control their own resources.  It’s hard to avoid concluding from events there that a divide-and-conquer strategy has been followed all along, and that the people of Iraq have been sacrificed to line Western pockets.  Five million dollars is a lot of money to one man but, even multiplied by the number of Iraqi MPs that ‘need to be persuaded’ to sign away their country’s assets, it’s trivial compared to the money that oil companies stand to siphon off.  Iraq’s resources should help Iraq’s reconstruction, not keep Hummers rolling on cheap gas.”

Notes to Editors

1.  Akhbar Alkhaleej report

https://www.roadstoiraq.com/2008/01/29/american-oil-companies-offered-five-million-dollars-to-each-iraqi-mp-to-pass-the-oil-law/

2.  Bill Wilson’s previous press releases on related subjects

Iraqi deaths order of magnitude greater than Kosovo ethnic cleansing, says MSP

IRAQI OIL-WORKERS HAVE A RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION, SAYS MSP

MSP WELCOMES VISIT OF IRAQ OIL UNION LEADER TO UK

Iraqi oil for the Iraqis, urges MSP