There's no doubt that Royal Dutch Shell of the Committee of 300 is one of the oldest and largest of all the oil companies operating in the world today. Its sales in 2005 were $306.73 billion. The late Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, Lord Victor Rothschild, Prince Nasi of Africa Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, the London Samuels and the House of Windsor are Royal Dutch Shell's largest shareholders.

On Juliana's death, her shares passed to the House of Orange (Netherlands). nn n nn This historical account of the oil industry takes us through the twists and turns of the diplomacy (lies, false promises, blackmail, double-dealing, political pressure, bullying and unfair theft) of Iraqi land and oil, coveted by all nations, but above all by imperialist Britain, industrialized and oil-deprived Britain, which has interfered in the internal affairs of Iraq and Iran for almost a century, seducing, cajoling and extracting concessions, one after the other, on the basis of promises never kept and under the threat of an iron fist concealed in a velvet glove. nn n nn With the discovery of rich crude oil deposits in Iraq and Iran, a prolonged state of conflict with the USA and both countries has continued over the past 95 years. nn