How did that turn out?

Do you remember the run-up to the Iraq War and the conspiracy theory that the invasion’s sole purpose was to enrich US oil companies?

US oil groups were all but shut out of Iraq as the country completed the biggest oil field auction in history at the weekend.

European groups, including Royal Dutch Shell, Lukoil and Gazprom, and Asian groups, such as China’s CNPC and Malaysia’s Petronas, were the main winners at Iraq’s second oil auction, which completed the sale of its large fields .

(…) Iraq has auctioned off more proved oil reserves than are held by the US, Mexico and UK combined.

 If that was the plan, the execution has been somewhat flawed.