but oh boy, in the heart of the military machine, these guys ain't happy. They blame it all on Shrub of course. Shrub's name is mud with these guys. They consider him a liar who is in it for his own self-interest. And honestly, the oddest thing about the conversation was not once did he mention oil. I thought that was odd, but there you have it.
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Put this one in the list of things "to do" vis a vis street actions and the war. Make signs, speeches and conversation about the oil/military connection. As a friend of mine recently observed: ************** (http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/010807A.shtml), Chris Floyd says "With its twin engines of corporate greed and military empire, the war in Iraq is a marriage made in Valhalla." His twin engines for the war are (1) the corporate profit motive and (2) the tremendous strategic advantages Iraq's oil offers to anyone interested in "full spectrum domination" of world affairs. In this piece, Floyd dwells on the corporate aspect; however, the geo-strategic considerations are critically important.
It's worthwhile to consider the two aspects separately, even though they intertwine. For one thing, the corporate motives associated with Iraq's pending hydrocarbon law and Production Sharing Agreements concern only Iraq. This is a hefty consideration, given that Iraq's proven oil reserves alone are almost 10% of the global total and are apparently among the world's cheapest to drill and pump. However, consider the strategic implications of a weak Iraqi government whose survival will depend for years to come on US military support. In other words, consider the regional implications of large, permanent US military bases in Iraq. Iraq, in combination with the three OPEC countries on its borders, holds more than half the world's oil reserves. A strong, permanent US military presence in Iraq adds substantial pressure on hostile Iran (with 12% of global oil reserves) while further securing US allies Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (with 22% and 9%, respectively). Meanwhile, recall that America's main strategic rival in the world, over the long term, is China -- a nation heavily dependent on energy imports but unable to project military power much beyond its borders. ********************
Regards, Mike B)
Watch the communist manifestoon! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1oGIffyVVk
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