In Reguard to the Middle Eeast and Oil

[kylebisme]

I saw this mentioned in another section of this form and I just want to see where this forum stands on this argument:

Ah yes, because we are not paying for oil as always, we are stealing it. That's why our gas prices are at record highs, $1 higher than last year. Speak with fact not knee-jerk reaction emotion.

 

[sandorski]

Stealing doesn't necessarily mean "cheap". It just means that it's yours.

 

[jrenz]

Originally posted by: sandorski
Stealing doesn't necessarily mean "cheap". It just means that it's yours.

I've read that 30 times and it still doesn't make sense

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: jrenz

Originally posted by: sandorski
Stealing doesn't necessarily mean "cheap". It just means that it's yours.

I've read that 30 times and it still doesn't make sense

It's as plain as day.

 

[The Green Bean]

Iraq was a threat to Israel. It was eliminated.
Iran is a threat to Israel. It is on the hit list.

Pretty simple actually.

 

[5150Joker]

The high margins on oil are filling the coffers of the Saudis and oil executives in the US. As usual the American public take it up the rear, what's new?

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean
Iraq was a threat to Israel. It was eliminated.
Iran is a threat to Israel. It is on the hit list.

Pretty simple actually.

That's only a fraction of the overall equation. Think bigger...like red China's unquenchable thirst for oil.

 

[kylebisme]

Bump for more votes.

 

[her209]

"What is our oil doing under their sand?"

 

[Aimster]

U.S pumps out more oil than Saudi Arabia.

We just use up so much

 

[2Xtreme21]

The oil under the Middle East we will not see, though a huge reason we invaded Iraq was BECAUSE of the oil. It merely goes to all the no-bid contractors that were set up immediately after the invasion to "regulate and protect" the oil so they can line their already enormously overflowing pockets with even more dinero.

It's a shame really.

 

[Aimster]

Iraq wasn't a threat to Israel.

Their army was destroyed as well as their economy 16 years ago.

 

[zephyrprime]

Iraq is a good example of what happens to oil production when a country becomes unstable. Lots of bombing and RPG attacks destroy the pipelines needed to deliver oil.

 

[Rainsford]

I think it's really impossible to say who's motivated by what here, but the high gas prices alone prove nothing. Imagine, if you will, how oil could be a motivator for the government and still not result in low gas prices.

1. They could be "stealing" the oil, but not for us. Lest we forget, Bush and Cheney are very much tied into the oil industry, and it wouldn't exactly be unusual for Republicans to be motivated more by helping huge oil companies make make massive profits than by helping Americans have cheap gas.

2. Perhaps the goal is to secure ACCESS to oil in the Middle East in a century poised to see a huge rise in power in China and India. The world needs more oil, and it's easier to make sure you get your share if you have control of an entire country in the region.

I'm not saying either of those situations is what's going on at all, just pointing out that it's not quite as simple as the OP suggests.

 

[BoomerD]

IMO, it's not about HAVInG the oil to generate low prices, but rather to CONTROL the flow of oil, to ensure profits. By taking Iraqi oil out of circulation, prices went sky high. Yes, speculators are driving much of that, (along with India and China actually thinking they have a right to oil :roll: ) but the oil companies and their shell companies are some of the biggest players in the oil speculation game. PLUS, the oil companies drill the oil in oil fields they own (like here in the USA) then sell it to themselves at market price, even though it may be FAR above their actual costs. Generating profit on top of profit...winnar.

 

[OSX]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
IMO, it's not about HAVInG the oil to generate low prices, but rather to CONTROL the flow of oil, to ensure profits. By taking Iraqi oil out of circulation, prices went sky high. Yes, speculators are driving much of that, (along with India and China actually thinking they have a right to oil :roll: ) but the oil companies and their shell companies are some of the biggest players in the oil speculation game. PLUS, the oil companies drill the oil in oil fields they own (like here in the USA) then sell it to themselves at market price, even though it may be FAR above their actual costs. Generating profit on top of profit...winnar.

They have a right to oil, because they're paying for it. Their 'right' to oil is guaranteed by their paying higher prices.

Personally, I'm against having oil companies. It has been shown by companies such as Exxon that they have no compassion at all for any of their customers. We need to remove them from the equation, or find another source of energy.

 

[Polish3d]

"The One Percent Doctrine" by Ron Suskind is supposed to be a Woodward-esque chronicling of the Bush admin and USG from 9/11 onward including some of the rationale for going into Iraq.

 

[Polish3d]

PS, and you should be more specific in OP about what the "actions in the middle east" statement mean

 

[Todd33]

The only reason any of the world has interest in the ME is oil. The reason we support Israel is because of oil. The reason we are in Iraq and support "democracies" in the ME is oil. If there was no oil, it would be like the oil-less parts of Africa. Where? Exactly...

The ME contains over 50% of the worlds oil reserves, you wonder why we have our military there (and support Israel)?