this entry is from today's post on my blog, notesfromthehovel.blogspot.com
This Hunt Oil-Iraqi Kurds agreement seems to me like a much bigger deal than people are making of it. Here's a summary:
- Ray Hunt, a prominent Bush fundraiser, who sits on the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, makes a deal with Iraqi Kurds to drill for oil in Northern Iraq. This deal, which Iraq's oil minister called illegal, has apparently contributed to the collapse of negotiations for comprehensive oil revenue sharing legislation in Iraq - legislation that is considered a key step in political progress.
- When asked about the Hunt deal at a press conference, President Bush says he had no prior knowledge of it.
- On September 28, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey says that American oil companies had been warned that any such deal would be "unhelpful". Casey also said these type of deals "elevate tensions" and "don't contribute to a resolution that is in the best interest of the Iraqi people." However, no action has been taken to keep Hunt's pact with the Kurds from going forward.
- Today, Ray Hunt tells the Wall Street Journal that Hunt Oil did not consult with anyone in the U.S. government prior to signing the deal, and that "the State Department must have been misinformed."
So where does this leave us?
A. Tom Casey, who presumably has no reason to lie, is somehow either "misinformed" about whether his own State Department advised Hunt about this issue. President Bush and Roy Hunt may be, but are not necessarily, telling the truth.
B. President Bush had no idea that a close associate and fundraiser signed a massive oil exploration deal with the Kurds, the first of its kind by an American firm, and one that contributed to a major setback in Iraq's political progress. Bush remained unaware despite the fact that his State Department consulted Hunt about the deal prior to its execution. Hunt is lying, Casey is not misinformed about whether his own department advised Hunt on a major foreign policy issue, Bush is blissfully unaware of this incredibly important development in Iraq.
C. Hunt was not one of the American oil companies advised by the State Department. Hunt Oil decided to sign a dubious contract with the Kurds, risking millions of dollars on the deal, as well as possible asset seizure for contributing to the destabilization of Iraq, without first notifying or seeking advice from the U.S. government. Everyone is telling the truth, and Ray Hunt is the worst CEO ever.
D. President Bush did know about the deal, and put Hunt's interests ahead of those of Iraq and the United States. Bush and Hunt are lying, Casey is not misinformed about whether his own department advised Hunt on a major foreign policy issue.
Three of these scenario's seem exceedingly unlikely. All four involve at least arguably illegal conduct relating to a central issue of national security, or incompetence on a scale one would hope was out of reach of even this administration. The only plausible scenario is extremely troubling, and may even constitute conduct by the president which would justify impeachment.
Sounds like a big deal to me.