Esso and war on Iraq

Posted by bex — 4 April 2003 at 9:00am - Comments
Esso's drums of war

Esso's drums of war

The links between the Bush administration and Esso are an "open secret" in the US. A Deutsche Bank report stated that Esso's "political clout" means it "may find itself in pole position in a changed-regime Iraq".

As opposition to war on Iraq increased, and oil emerged as one of the reasons for war, even the Bush administration tried to distance itself from Esso. In November 2002, one of Bush's advisers spoke to the New York Times on the condition of anonymity, noting that, "If you are trying to talk about Iraq and if you were not encumbered by the fear that your actions would be linked to ExxonMobil [Esso in the UK] or the oil industry, you'd be talking about oil issues."

During the war, media reports revealed that US troops named the oil fields they secured after American companies - including Exxon Mobil.

Of course, Esso did not openly support a war - although in the past its staff have often publicly acknowledged that the company wants and needs Iraq's oil. Instead, the various right-wing industry front groups Esso bankrolls gradually emerged with pro-war stance:

 

"For as long as Saddam is in power, he will threaten the US and the rest of the world. There is no benefit in waiting; the danger must be met head on."
- The Board of Trustees of the American Enterprise Institute, which received $230,000 from Esso in 2001.

"[The Bush administration] should make it clear that a US military presence in post-war Iraq will be deployed to secure vital US interests".
- The Heritage Foundation, which received $65,000 from Esso in 2001.

"[The aims of the war should be to] ... protect Iraq's energy infrastructure against internal sabotage or foreign attack, to return Iraq to global energy markets and ensure that US and world energy markets have access to its resources".
- The Heritage Foundation again

"We need a formal Bush Doctrine that states our redlines, that says quite clearly that Gulf security and the continued flow of oil is a vital US national security interest, and that we will remain committed to military containment and close cooperation with our Gulf allies as long as there is a threat from either Iraq or Iran."
- The Centre for Strategic and International Studies, which received $135,000 from Esso in 2001.

 


Download our report, Esso: The Tiger in the Tanks, for more information on Esso, oil dependancy in the US and war in Iraq.

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