The Hand-Over That Wasn't: Illegal Orders give the US a Lock on Iraq's Economy
Wednesday, September 22, 2004 at 04:36PM
TheSpook
Officially, the U.S. occupation of Iraq ended on June
28, 2004. But in reality, the United States is still in charge: Not
only do 138,000 troops remain to control the streets, but the "100
Orders" of L. Paul Bremer III remain to control the economy. These
little noticed orders enacted by Bremer, the now-departed head of the
now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority, go to the heart of Bush
administration plans in Iraq. They lock in sweeping advantages to
American firms, ensuring long-term U.S. economic advantage while
guaranteeing few, if any, benefits to the Iraqi people. The Bremer
orders control every aspect of Iraqi life -- from the use of car horns
to the privatization of state-owned enterprises. Order No. 39 alone
does no less than "transition [Iraq ] from a ... centrally planned
economy to a market economy" virtually overnight and by U.S. fiat.
Although many thought that the "end" of the occupation would also mean
the end of the orders, on his last day in Iraq Bremer simply
transferred authority for the orders to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi -- a
30-year exile with close ties to the CIA and British intelligence. [more ]
Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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