[lbo-talk] Unocal, China and the Middle East

[Mycos]

Doug Henwood wrote:
> Mycos wrote:
> 
>> Now here's something you can be sure has the neocon's full attention. 
>> Many, including myself, feel that a great deal of US behaviour in the 
>> Middle East, particularly Afghanistan and Iraq, can be traced back to 
>> the Unocal pipeline that is being proposed to run through those very 
>> areas.
> 
> 
> Oh really? Can you think of any sane businessperson that would invest 
> billions in a pipeline across Afghanistan, one of the least stable 
> places in the world (and with little hope for that changing in the 
> forseeable future), when other alternatives are available? And if this 
> really were the US motive, wouldn't they be doing a bit more to 
> stabilize the country than sending the occasional patrol around to hunt 
> for random Taliban?
> 
> Doug
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
> 
> 
The pipeline isn't a fantasy of my own making*, so apparently there 
has to be *some* businessmen who see the project as worth pursuing, 
or pursuing once American friendly governments have been installed.

And you say "wouldn't they be doing a bit more?"

  How much more do you want? The military has invaded Afghanistan, 
installed a puppet government, and continues to "secure" US 
Middle-eastern interests through the invasion of Iraq, tough talk on 
Syria, Iran, Turkey, etc. etc.

* (*Editors Note | Since September 11th, 2001, there has been 
intense speculation regarding Bush administration negotiations with 
the Taliban regarding this very project prior to the attacks. 
American petroleum giant Unocal very much wanted this project for 
years, but it was stymied in 1998 after bin Laden blew up two 
American embassies in Africa, causing the Taliban to be 
diplomatically isolated. There are a number of reports that describe 
a reinvigoration of this pipeline plan after Bush took office, and 
further describe the Bush administration's negotiations with the 
Taliban including threats of war if the project was not allowed to 
pass through Afghanistan. Some say these threats, in the name of the 
pipeline, triggered the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban is gone, Afghan 
President Harmid Karzai is a former Unocal consultant, and the 
pipeline deal is finally done. - wrp)

Agreement On US 3.2 Billion Gas Pipeline Project Signed
PakNews.com

December 28, 2002

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan on Friday signed here a 
framework agreement for a US $ 3.2 billion gas pipeline project 
passing through the three countries.

The ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace with the three 
leaders, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, President 
Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan and Afghan President Hamid Karzai 
signing the document.

The framework agreement defines legal mechanism for setting up a 
consortium to build and operate the pipeline.

According to a study by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the 1460 km 
pipeline would use gas reserves at Dauletabad fields in 
Turkmenistan, which has world's fifth largest reserves, while 
passing through Afghanistan into Pakistan.
"Thursday, December 4, 1997 Published at 19:27 GMT

http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/12.30A.afgh.pipe.htm
"

Or
http://www.google.ca/search?biw=1014&hl=en&q=UNocal%2C+Oil+pipeline+%27afghanistan&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
-- 

Gary Williams

"Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
- John Stuart Mill

http://mycos.blogspot.com/

Todays Iraq Body Count

   Min       Max

  22563     25560