Copyright © 2002 The International
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As officials, executives and legislators discuss ways to bring more Russian oil to U.S. and global markets, they should not lose sight of oil as a strategic commodity and of the truly historic opportunity before the United States and Russia to form a partnership that could bring stability and security to the global oil market. That means they need to discuss the future of Iraq, the nature of U.S. and Russian interests there and the opportunity that a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq would present to the U.S. and Russian oil industries. Russian oil companies want better access to international capital markets and cutting-edge technology to sustain and expand oil production vital to Russia's growth and financial stability. But that is not all. The best and brightest among Russia's oilmen crave international acceptance because it is their best guarantee against the vagaries of the domestic political scene. The latest Iraq crisis is an opportunity that these Russian oilmen must have been praying for - a chance to sell out Saddam in exchange for a piece of Iraqi oil and a new partnership with Washington. - Eugene Rumer, commenting in The Washington Post Copyright © 2002 The International Herald Tribune |