Oil and terrorism drive the presidential tour

[kayell]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,993022,00.html

Julian Borger in Washington
Monday July 7, 2003
The Guardian

President Bush's trip to Africa this week signals a recent strategic decision to increase America's military presence to bolster what Washington now sees as two important national interests on the continent - the supply of oil and the struggle against terrorism.
On the eve of departure, General James Jones, the commander of the US European command with responsibility for African operations, said the US was trying to negotiate the long-term use of a "family" of military bases across the continent.

This would include big installations for up to 5,000-strong brigades "that could be robustly used for a significant military presence," Gen Jones told the New York Times. It would also involve smaller, lightly equipped bases available in times of crisis to special forces or marines.

The bases would not only be established in north African states such as Algeria, where Islamic extremism is already a potent force, but also in sub-Saharan African nations such as Mali.

more

[kimchi]

1. Now THAT will make Haliburton happy!

"and the money keeps rolling in"

[Amaya]

2. I just can't say it enough:

I HATE THAT FUCKER! :grr:

[leftwingnut]

3. good idea...

...lets put MORE Americans in hostile countries where they can be targets for people who have prayed to get their chance to kill the 'infidel' Americans...do they actually think that we are going to 'get all the bad guys'...seriously... :wtf:

[baby_bear]

4. The need to take over oil is paramount

from the same story:
<snip>
At a meeting organised last month by the Corporate Council on Africa, a senior CIA official, David Gordon, predicted that over the next decade African oil would be potentially more important to the US than Russia or the Caucasus. According to other participants at the meeting, he went on to warn however that over the following decade the oil industry ran the risk of imploding as a result of the region's inherent instability, unless the US did more to prop it up.

In a report to Congress last year, an advisory panel including Pentagon officials recommended greater military cooperation with oil states.

</snip

And what happens to these countries if they decide American military presence on their land is contrary to their own principles and needs?

Can they just say no to the Bushies?

s_m

[Dover]

5. Remember when the Republicans insisted this was NOT about oil?

Remember the impassioned, angry, venomous
accusations from them to "nonpatriots" that it was all about "terrorism" and had nothing to do with oil?

If we look at a map of all the major oil producing areas of the world, that is where we'll find the alleged "terrorists". X marks the spot.
And Africa is another militarily weak area available for the taking. And just think of all the other resources there....gold, water, etc.
Skull and Bones should be the new American flag...pirates looting the world.

[LisaM]

6. Doesn't Bush1 have a stake in a gold company, with mines in South Africa?

I recall reading this in Greg Palast's book - Barrack (sp) was the company's name. In which case, it is likely a Carlyle Group investment.

[catzies]

7. "Barrick" Barrick Mining. I don't know if it's Carlyle

but it's definitely Poppy's baby.

Can't wait til the old DU is ready for read-only. There's a wealth of links in them thar threads.

[guajira]

8. I Recently Read that Nigeria is Our 5th Largest Supplier of Crude Oil

Just like Iraq - IT'S ABOUT THE OIL!!!!!!