After a very high profile ouster from his role as Deputy Special Representative to Afghanistan just over a month ago, former US Ambassador Peter Galbraith has landed on his feet in a big way.
Galbraith, an outspoken advocate for Kurdish secession, helped the Kurdistan Regional Government negotiate when Iraq’s constitution was being written in the Summer of 2005, and is now reportedly standing to earn over $100 million for this brief advisory role.
The rub, assuming there needs to be one, is that Galbraith was also evidently on the payroll of a Norwegian oil company called DNO and helped them negotiate an exploration deal with Kurdistan that paid off big, and he stands to share greatly in the profit of a strike he holds interest in largely because of laws regarding oil revenue distribution that he helped put into the constitution.
DNO chief Helge Eide insists that as far as they know, Galbraith had no official political assignments at the time of his employment. He was working for the National War College as of 2003 but resigned to advocate more freely for Kurdish independence.
Top Iraqi official Feisal Amin al-Istrabadi expressed dismay that, in effect, “an oil company was participating in the drafting of the Iraqi Constitution.”
Wow, I feel like quoting Eric Cartman. 🙁
Although, honestly, I don't think he was wrong about the Afghan election. And, despite his profit, the idea of Kurdistan isn't necessarily wrong either. This is a region that was cut in three after WW2, and now takes up part of Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. It probably should be independent. Though I notice he's only focused on the Iraq part.
But still, I can't quite find the words. 🙁
As a Kurd, I am delighted to see that Peter Galbraith is rewarded for his more than 20 years of unflinching loyalty to Kurdish people and support for independent Kurdistan. He stood by our people through thick and thin, helped document the crimes committed against us by Saddam Hussein's regime during the genocidal Anfal campaign, initiated informal meetings with low-ranking state department officials who were avoiding Masoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani as though they were from a leper colony, and championed the Kurdish cause at great risk to his own political ambitions. In my view, had Peter Galbraith not involved himself so deeply in the promotion of Kurdish cause, an unpopular cause for decades in Washington, he would now be a high powered political leader in the US.
Following the removal of Saddam Hussein from power, Mr Galbraith provided superb expert advice to Kurdish leadership that enshrined Kurdish autonomy in the Iraqi constitution. Although Kurdistan did not achieve independence, the correct balance was achieved so much so that Kurds are now happy to remain as part of Iraq. Galbraith also helped transform fiery Kurdish guerilla leaders into wily politicians. Should an independent Kurdistan ever become a reality, Peter Galbraith will be remembered as one of the founding fathers of the new state. Thanks to Peter Galbraith's help in devising the constitution, an independent Kurdistan will not become a reality because Kurdish people pushes for it but because Baghdad denies Kurds what was agreed in the Iraqi constitution.
Again, as a Kurd, I am very happy to hear that Peter Galbraith has benefited financially at least for his two decades long unique contribution to Kurdish people's freedom at great risk and cost to his own personal political ambitions. Biji Peter Galbraith!
Mr. Amed, you are not nor have become "independent" as you put it.
The Kurdish government, as Iraqi and Hamid Karzi in Afghanistan government are yet another puppet and slave to the international cartel of Oil companies and their primery job is rubbing the people’s wealth and off course they have to reward those who have helped them to implement such idea. The Kurdish people independent and struggle is always been about the oil and now the Kurdish and Iraqi government have given it to the Oil companies for fre, just look at a article in NY times last week about the Oil wealth and the poverty of Iraqis living in Basra. Once again if you think that you have become independent good for you, but don’t talk about the Kurdish people. in that regard and if you are interested in getting any answer try question your foreign minster Hoshang Mazyar or for that matter Talabanies family.., and pleas if you ever get the answer let the people reading Anitwar know the answer.
Dear Bijan, I don't know what planet you live on. On this planet, DNO is a small Norwegian oil company that was recently ordered by the Kurdistan Regional Government to halt exports over a small breach of agreement. On this planet, Kurds who don't have oil under their feet fight for land and freedom too. On this planet, Basra (and Kirkuk) residents are poor, despite eight billion dollars spent to re-vitalise Iraqi oil industry, because inept oil ministry in Baghdad chose not to follow the example set by the Kurds. And finally, on this planet, Iraqi foreign minister is Hoshar Zebari. I hope you are having a good day on your planet.
I know Peter, and I wonder about the amount of money being banded about that he will get.
As far as i can tell he had no conflict of interest, and has always been a strong advocate of Kurdish interests. If he had been in a position where he was to have been a neutral arbitor or advisor. Or had an official capacity as an American diplomat, then I could see this being an issue.
My understanding is that he was not involved in any negotiations about how to effect oil revenues of development regarding the constitution.
I think that issue could be looked at, and if i was a Kurd I would want to know how his commercial interests affected the money that the Kurdish people would receive.
I remmember asking him about the oil question a few years ago when he gave a talk in Vermont and he hedged on his answer, sayoing it was extremely complicated.
I have always known Peter to be honest and extremely insightful about any issue, and there is nothing in these revelations that strikes me as diminishing that, he has answered very clearly what his situation is, that he has always been an advocate for Kurdish autonomy, and I see nothing worng with him making money from it, if it is a legitimate business dealing.
I think it funny that a right wing website broke this story in the US also with no damning evidence, just insinuation of wrong doing, and they said that when asked about the allegations that he "ran away from them" . there was an accompanying picture and it showed him walking his dog!!
Galbraith is indeed quite insightful. Well before the 'surge' and 'the Awakening' and the 'Sons of Iraq', at a time Americans were in total loss and despair at huge casualties in the 'Sunni Triangle', I remember Galbraith saying Sunni Arabs will collaborate with the US forces in order to preserve their communal interests against Baghdad's new Shia government. What could have easily been dismissed as a ludicrous prediction in the context of the events of time proved correct later on. Sunnis realised they were fighting the only power that could protect them; they named their price; the Americans paid; and 'the resistance' thus came to an end.
He always has an 'unflinching' loyalty to money. He has been a force behind the independence of Croatia, and made pretty well from that Balkan mess. And what about all those former officials of Bill Clinton's administration that profited handsomely from the "independent" Kosovo.
Yes, why cannot we all have our country. I have plenty of my own back yard, and I cannot see why do I have to pay all those taxes from which I never see anything, except perhaps local taxes. If only I can find a sponsor with some interest, and here we come. Another "independent" country. Kurds will have less independence by being "independent". Foreign interest will take over everything that has any value, local chieftains will get their well paid spots in the "government", to insure that natives behave. It will be bitter for the rest.
Pray tell who in this world doesn't have an "unflinching loyalty to money". Right now this webpage keeps popping up an ad each time it is re-loaded asking its readers for money. Except for hunter-gatherer communities still out there, everybody needs money because they want to buy lunch with it.
As for Peter Galbraith's loyalty to money, rest assured, when he first visited Iraqi Kurdistan in September 1987, there was only the smell of mustard and sarin gas in the air, not the whiff of oil.