Lukoil of Russia and Statoil of Norway on Tuesday formally signed a contract with Iraqi authorities to develop the vast West Qurna 2 oil field. The untapped reserves are seen as critical to Iraqi reconstruction efforts.

BAGHDAD, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Oil Ministry signed on Tuesday a preliminary contract with a consortium led by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to develop the Halfaya oil field in southern Iraq.

The group, which also includes Malaysia's Petronas and France's Total, will develop the Halfaya oil field to produce 535,000 barrels per day (bpd) from its proven reserves of 4.098 billion barrels of oil

MOSCOW — During talks this week with his American counterpart, Russia’s top drug enforcement official, Viktor P. Ivanov, will press the United States to step up efforts to destroy Afghan poppy cultivation, which he said was feeding a devastating drug problem in Russia.

The request comes just as American policy makers have swung sharply away from Bush-era programs to eradicate the opium poppy crop, which is used to produce heroin. After a visit to Afghanistan in July, the Obama administration’s special envoy for the region, Richard C. Holbrooke, said poppy eradication had alienated poor farmers and was “driving people into the hands of the Taliban.”

Nato’s International Security Assistance Force said that there was “no direct evidence to substantiate” Mr Wafa’s claims that unarmed civilians were harmed in what it described as a “joint coalition and Afghan security force” operation.

“As the joint assault force entered the village they came under fire from several buildings and in returning fire killed nine individuals,” he said.

Originally posted by Occy Anonymous
reply to post by SLAYER69

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Of course america is not going to attack China, it has equal military might. The American Government only goes after the weaker countries. The government knows that american soldiers will die if they attack China and the majority of Americans will only protest a war if there own was dying.

Originally posted by Occy Anonymous
reply to post by SLAYER69

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HAHAHA, I put that in the wrong thread I was meant to put that monologue in my thread got them mixed up.

But yes, America has been victorious before BUT THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. Once upon a time Germany threatened the entire world, these day not so scary. Alot can change and the fact is China has become a superpower of equal ability.

PS. Could you start a thread posing that question? I think it would pose for a very interesting debate of sorts.