Thanks for providing the details about that article Bobert, read it with interest.

My apologies for pissing in your Cornflakes BUT:

1. I thought that it was general knowledge that a condition of American Aid is that the money is spent in America - that goes back to the Marshall Plan era.

2. With regard to the oil industry - world-wide it is very much an American game - in this game it is a mistake to believe that the major players are those "Big Bad Oil Companies" - they are not - the real players are the major service companies - guess who they are Bobert - they are Halliburton; Schlumberger; Fluor and Bechtel - all American. It wouldn't matter a jot if current contracts in Iraq were honoured. The French and the Russians would still have to go to - Yep you've guessed it again - Halliburton; Schlumberger; Fluor and Bechtel - if they wanted to get anything done.

3. The work that has to be done, irrespective of war is massive. To actually attempt to undertake that work using anyone other than the major service companies would be totally irresponsible and terribly inefficient. The type of contracts to be awarded would be massive EPCI contracts - those are not awarded to anyone other than those you as customer, are convinced can deliver on time, on budget.

The one advantage of contracting such work to the companies mentioned above is that they bring a particular American trait to the enterprise - They are not overwhelmed by magnitude - I have personally seen that on numerous occasions.

Sorry Bobert - no corruption reeking to high heaven - just merely the application of good common sense.