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Why Poland became involved in the Iraq war? [5]
ahem... news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3043330.stm
Quite surprising that BBC presented it that way... so I checked what actually was said...
wiadomosci.wp.pl/kat,1342,title,Cimoszewicz-celem-Polski-dostep-do-irackich-pol-naftowych,wid,1160663,wiadomosc.html
"The objective of companies represented by Polish Oil group is to get access to the Iraqi oilfields" and below is more details about the prospects of economic cooperation in various sectors. Poland has quite well developed oil & gas sector but barely any own sources, so Polish companies have been active in various places across the world. For example:
gk.com.pl/o-nas/gk-na-swiecie
Besides, that's how it works in this sector. There are many foreign companies in countries like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait. They are invited by these countries to invest their money in exploration and then profits (If there are any...) are shared. Similarly, Poland invited many foreign companies to the shell gas related projects. Most of them soon later left as the tests proved to be disappointing... but that's the common business model in this sector. Post war Iraq sure needed foreign investments in that sector and it was not about "stealing" their oil. Besides, I don't think that any actual cooperation in that sector took place in Iraq, I think due to "lack of stability" over there. Instead Polish companies invested their money in other places, for example in Norway:
lotos.pl/en/702/lotos_group/our_companies/lotos_exploration__production_norge
I don't think Norwegians complain that we got access to their oilfields... they make money out of it.
And generally, If a country like Iraq gets "opened" to the international trade, that's what you get, companies are lining up to do business there and governments don't mind to do some "lobbing". The same happens with Iran now as sanctions are lifted.
polskieradio.pl/42/1699/Artykul/1497272,Iran-od-stycznia-otwiera-sie-na-import-to-szansa-dla-polskich-firm
Polish gov is launching a special program to support export and investments over there and I'm sure Chinese, Germans and others are doing the same... or likely 100 times more so their companies can make some money there.
BBC took some words out of context and then some conspiracy websites picked it up. Not sure why this stupid war was started but sure not to steal Iraqi oil - more likely Saudis used Americans to take down their market competitor... and If Polish government wanted to "steal" some oil over there, they sure wouldn't say that openly.
