Committee Questions State Department Role in Iraq Oil Deal

by: James Glanz and Richard A. Oppel Jr., The New York Times Congressman Henry Waxman speaks at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. That committee has concluded that Hunt Oil, which is closely associated with President Bush, had plans to arrange a covert oil deal with Kurdistan's government, circumventing both American and Iraqi authorities. (Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP) Bush administration officials knew that a Texas oil company with close ties to President Bush was planning to sign an oil deal with the regional Kurdistan government that ran counter to American policy and undercut Iraq's central government, a Congressional committee has concluded. United States policy is to warn companies that they incur risks in signing contracts until Iraq passes an oil law and to strengthen Iraq's central... [read full story]