Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq

Click here to access article by Paul Bignell from The Independent.

The article reports on documents recently obtained from the government (I presume the British government, but that is not clear to me.) which puts the lie to all the denials about oil being a factor in instigating the invasion of Iraq. The documents are to be revealed in a book entitled, Fuel on the Fire that will soon be published.

Over 1,000 documents were obtained under Freedom of Information over five years by the oil campaigner Greg Muttitt. They reveal that at least five meetings were held between civil servants, ministers and BP and Shell in late 2002.

Once again, we find the real truth about the war crimes of the Empire long after the deeds are accomplished. It will be interesting to see how mainstream media covers this disclosure, if they do at all.