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Schaffer comments further on Aspect Energy’s work in Iraq
Former Congressman and GOP Senare candidate Bob Schaffer clarified his understanding of the U.S. government’s policy against doing deals with the Kurdistan Regional Government in comments published today in The Denver Post.
According to the article, Schaffer has defended the deal he helped lay the groundwork for in 2006, calling the State Department’s position “ambiguous.”
Schaffer also defended his company’s work in the country, questioning whether the United States wanted to foreign firms benefiting from oil deals instead of U.S. firms.
“In the broader picture, it ought to be the highest priority of America’s diplomatic policy to (encourage) private investment in the Iraqi economy. Asking the Kurds or anyone else to be poor longer is ludicrous,” he told the newspaper.
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Perhaps as a side note, Schaffer’s comments — and those from Aspect Energy — defending the firm’s work in Iraqi Kurdistan include noting that other non-U.S. firms would have benefited from the Kurdish deals.
This reasoning is the same logic the congressional office of Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall used last year to defend his bid to allow U.S. energy companies to drill for oil off the coast of Cuba.
A Udall spokeswoman told Political Notebook in August: “Cuba’s already decided they’re going to develop this. This is a decision that’s already been made. It’s going to happen. We just think American companies should have access to the same opportunities as (Canadian and Chinese firms).”
Curious.
*Schaffer photo from the Associated Press. Udall photo shot by Political Notebook.
Comments
By Gary
July 18, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this
Big difference, Mike. Drilling off the coast of Cuba only happens with sanction by their government. The Iraq government did not sanction Schaffer’s dirty deeds. What Schaffer did would be like if Udall went to the mayor (or equivalent) of Mariel and set up an illegal deal with him. Plus the Cuba deal, unlike the Schaffer’s deeds, did not put American lives in danger. What Schaffer is saying is much like a Mafia boss saying “we need to rub out the other crime families before they move in on our illegal activities.”
Udall’s comments were about gaining a legal advantage. Schaffer’s comments are about gaining an illegal advantage. Not “the same logic”.
By Ralphie
July 18, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
Gary beat me to it. American men and women aren’t dying to provide security for war profiteers off the coast of Cuba.
By Political Notebook
July 18, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
Indeed, Gary and Ralph, I understand Cuba and Iraq are completely different cases. Nonetheless, I was merely sharing that I was struck by the use of virtually the same argument on both sides of the Senate race to deflect critiques of their actions in the foreign policy sphere.
By Ralphie
July 18, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this
The mere use of an argument doesn’t make it a valid argument.
Unless, of course, you’re Bob Schaffer, Dick Wadhams, or Lewis Carroll’s bellman (with apologies to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia): “I have said it thrice: What I tell you three times is true.”