Iraq

[Dunadan]

Todays' Guardian reports on a meeting between US and Iraqi opposition leaders:

At the meeting, on the future of a post-Saddam Iraq - details of which have been disclosed to the Guardian - the state department stressed that protection of the oilfields was "issue number one".

So, not tracking down and disposing of any hidden stashes of WMDs, or Al-Q'aida hideouts, then.

Asked whether US companies would operate the oil fields, Colin Powell said:

I don't have an answer to that question. If we are the occupying power, it will be held for the benefit of the Iraqi people and it will be operated for the benefit of the Iraqi people.

Nice sentiment. Slightly tarnished by the fact that the Iraqi people will be made to pay for the invasion and occupation of their own country, however:

"There are two competing needs here: the budgetary need for forces which will be extraordinary, and the need to get it up and running and show the Iraqi people some real results and some real improvement in life," said Andrew Krepinevich, a Pentagon adviser

no cheers

d.