“The US and Britain produced a blueprint for postwar Iraq. In this document, which was adopted by the UN in Resolution 1483 on 22 May 2003, the allies not only identified themselves as ‘occupying powers’ but awarded themselves total control of Iraq’s oil revenues on the basis that it would be needed to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure. The US was aware that there would be a lot of resistance to oil privatization, which would see Iraqi oil handed over to multinational corporations. But quite apart from the enormous financial incentive, there is a crucial political goal. If the US can implement privatization of the Iraqi oil industry this will undermine the enormous power that the OPEC [Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries] countries might follow suit, with an oil privatization bonanza in the Middle East.”
– Abdel Bari Atwan, The Secret History of al Qaeda, Page 198