Fury Over Iraq Oil Deal

BP have been accused of cashing in on the Iraq war by striking a massive deal to search for oil there. The UK firm and a Chinese partner won Iraq's first international oil auction in 30 years. Commentators have claimed the contract was proof of Britain's real reasons for joining the invasion six years ago. War on Want's executive director John Hilary said: "This is why the Iraq war was fought.It was fought so companies like BP and Shell could go into Iraq and get hold of these contracts.
Our concern all along has been that Iraqi oil and Iraqi oil wealth should be there for the benefit of the Iraqi people."
BP and Chinese firm CNPC were the only winners in the auction for development rights to the 17.8billion barrel Rumaila field.BP will hold a 38 per cent stake and CNPC 37 per cent, with Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization controlling the rest.
Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German said: "We always said this war was at least in part to grab the resources of Iraq, despite the wishes of the vast majority of the Iraqi people and the oil workers' union. The oil companies and governments backing them have decided to privatise the oil industry. It confirms exactly why we went to war in the first place.
A BP spokesman said:"We were awarded the contract in June and we have initialled it and passed it to the Iraqi government for their approval."