Al Gore: Iraq War about OIL THEFT

[yurbud]

Most of the Democrats in congress and even those running for president seem to agree with the Bush administration on a fairly crucial issue: by omission, they imply that the Iraq War is not about oil. The Democrats in Congress even went as far as including as including a benchmark in their Iraq funding bill requiring Iraq to pass a http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2007/03/juhasz-whose-oil-is-it-anyway.html">Hydrocarbon Law that gives up to 80% of their oil income to American oil companies, claiming that the law was about dividing the money between ethnic groups even though that is only 3 lines of a 33 page document.

Al Gore is seen as the natural candidate for president by many Democrats, so when his book http://www.powells.com/biblio/18-9781594201226-0">THE ASSAULT ON REASON came out, I wanted to see if he was honest about the oil motive for the Iraq War or gave the same evasions or vague statements of other like "We wouldn't be there if their main product were coconuts," the equivalent of a cop investigating the murder of a loved one never getting past saying "He was in a dangerous neighborhood."

To my surprise, he was honest.

What he says is not new, but he is the highest ranking American establishment figure to acknowledge these facts.

For example on page 118, he talks about the Cheney Energy Task Force looking at the map of http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2007/04/iraq-may-have-twice-as-much-oil-and-war.html">oil exploration blocks in Iraq, and quotes a Canadian journalist as saying it looked like "a butcher's drawing of a steer with the prime cuts delineated by dotted lines." On the next page, he mentions the Bush administration blending its policy toward rogue nations with the energy policy of capturing new oil reserves.

On page 119, he says the http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2007/03/juhasz-whose-oil-is-it-anyway.html">Hydrocarbon Law was written in Washington, DC for the benefit of oil companies and given to the Bush approved government to pass.

He revisits the http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2007/03/juhasz-whose-oil-is-it-anyway.html">Hydrocarbon Law on page 195:

EXCERPT:

Later, during the invasion itself, even as looters were carrying off many of Iraq's priceless antiquities from the museums designed to commemorate the "cradle of civilization," only one government building was protected by American troops: the petroleum ministry. In 2007, even as Iraq was disintegrating into sectarian violence, the Bush administration was carefully crafting legal documents --while the United States was still the occupying power--guaranteeing preferential access to the enormous profits expected from production of Iraq's vast oil reserves for ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, and Shell.

Critics like http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2005/crudedesigns.htm">Greg Muttitt of the human rights and environmental group Platform, which monitors the oil industry, described the proposed law as a terrible deal for the Iraqis and regional citizens, who were totally cut out of the process. "The draft went to the US government and major oil companies in July <2006>," Muttitt said in January 2007, "and to the International Monetary Fund in September. Last month I met a group of twenty Iraqi MPs in Jordan, and asked them how many has seen the legislation. Only one had."

I would like a president who speaks this bluntly about who is buying our foreign policy. Corporate American would not, and would likely try to ridicule, taint with scandal, or kill him to keep him out of the White House.

http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2006/09/iraq-oil-war-resources.html">IRAQ OIL THEFT RESOURCES

[MADem]

1. Well, we defended Kuwait when they had their drinking straw stuck in Saddam's root beer float

When you go back to the Poppy War on Iraq, you recall that Saddam's complaint to our envoy was that Kuwait was engaging in what's called "directional drilling" or "slant drilling"--i.e. drilling on an angle from Kuwait into Iraq in order to use their straw to sip from his cuppa black gold. It's a pretty sleazy tactic, and Kuwait WAS doing it.

Of course it's about oil. It's certainly not about dates, figs, pistachios or carpets....Iran does much better in the carpet department, anyway.

[yurbud]

9. yep, but most Dems don't go past saying it's not about dates, figs, or pistachios

which isn't terribly helpful.

[MADem]

15. I dunno. I think it's one of those "We hold that truth to be self-evident" kinda situation

As if the poorly named Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) in the draft workups wasn't bad enough, they had to top it off with a whipped bit of CRUSADE froth to really stir the masses on both sides of the imbroglio.

I think most Democrats realize the trade was ounces of blood for barrels of oil, and that's why they don't keep mentioning it. They also don't want to alienate the 'coming around to antiwar' types who are still pro-gas guzzling vehicles. A lot of these folks don't watch the news shows that show the young faces of the dead. They aren't exposed to the reality. They certainly don't like war, but they also don't like expensive gas. Gee, what to DO?

It's a conumdrum for these types... And they DO exist, the ones who don't quite make the connection, though they aren't the critical mass.

And on the flip side, there's still that bunch of mouth breathers who believe that we've NEVER lost a war (yeah, sure) and who think we have to stick it out, no matter what. You'd think we'd have, given all that has happened since WW2, a more nuanced population, but then, they don't learn anything when they turn on their tee vees.

It's unfortunate that there actually ARE people in this world who think that paying under two bucks at the pump is worth having our youth in the sandbox, paying for our fillups with their blood. They're often the ones who don't know anyone in the military, who have no friend or relative working as a civilian contractor over that way, and for whom the war is as distant as a little dustup in Vietnam was during the Ike-JFK era.

[yurbud]

25. it's obvious if there is a pile of dead bodies too, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't look for the

killer.

[MADem]

27. But the Dems aren't the killers, here. They're just trying to move the ball forward. NT

[yurbud]

29. the Dems are the cop, and they keep stepping over the bodies while reminding Jeffrey Dahmer not to

litter.

[ikojo]

36. Oh I disagree with this statement...

"They certainly don't like war, but they also don't like expensive gas. Gee, what to DO? " I don't think Americans have suddenly become an anti war peace loving people. If the tide has truly turned against war it is only against THIS war at the moment and IMHO, it's because the US isn't "winning." Remember the parades and hoopla of the early 1990s when the US went into Iraq and was only there for a short while? People bought T Shirts glorifying a WAR!

If the US went into Afghanistan and seriously began looking for Osama's bin forgotten, support for the war would to up, way up. If the tide turned in Iraq, support would go up.

For the record: I was against "operation desert shield/desert storm" and going into Afghanistan and most definitely going into Iraq.

[MADem]

40. Well, I was in the profound minority on those engagements, too.

I was in uniform, though, so there wasn't much I could say about it, save "Bad idea."

I will say that many of my cohorts who were initial cheerleaders for this latest mess (some warfighters want to practice their craft "for real" unfortunately, regardless of the circumstances, and forget about that DEFEND word in their oath) have turned, and it's not the "because we aren't winning" reason, it's the "shitty planning, shitty execution, insufficient numbers, ya-shoulda-listened-to-Shinseki, no-postcombat planning" reasons that I hear. Now, that might seem like parsing, and maybe it is, but if we had been winning, we'd have already won, and we wouldn't be in this meatgrinder now. It would have been a Quick In, Install Democracy/Puppet Who Will Give Us Oil, and Quick OUT...on to...Iran!! Or Libya!!! Or wherever people don't see things OUR way!

I think it is too late for Osama Bin Hiding, too, especially since he's in Pakistan, not the A-Stan, if he's not buried in an unmarked grave under a pile of rocks. Even if we went into the Stan in HUGE numbers on a highly publicized Search and Capture effort, people here would see it for what it would be--a publicity stunt by BushCo. I can't see the tide ever turning back to having a majority approve this mess. Too many people have been educated as to Saddam's non-involvement in Nahn Wun Wun. Any further involvement means a draft is downstream, because the military IS broken.

Now, if some genius came up with a machine that turned brackish water into propulsion, and everyone could retrofit their existing car to accomodate this miraculous device for say, under a grand, why, there would be a decided unwillingness to continue to deal with the OPEC nations for anything, save perhaps dates, figs and those big pistachios (California would probably out produce them on those if the market took off, though).

[Vincardog]

2. I will not be afraid nor will I be represented by a President who allows himself

to be intimidated.

"or kill him to keep him out of the White House."
I have seen this here too often.

[yurbud]

5. could you explain that a little further?

[Vincardog]

14. I am tired of hearing how "they" will kill to keep Gore out of office.

I do not believe that AG is intimidated by those veiled threats nor do I choose to be.

[yurbud]

22. I hope you are right. I didn't mean that as a veiled threat, but a prediction that I hope would be

wrong.

[yurbud]

41. on further reflection, Democrats have done a poor job of forseeing what the right will stoop to

and sometimes even when they do see or are warned, they fail to take appropriate action

[Turbineguy]

3. If it is theft, they are incompentent criminals indeed

The cost of the Iraq War (not counting the human misery and other issues) comes to about $12 per barrel of Iraqi reserves. When Clinton was President we could have just bought their oil for $10 per barrel.

That's what happens when you put the dumbest motherfucker in class in charge of things.

[yurbud]

7. we pay that cost per barrel in taxes--oil companies get the country for free

so it's a very good deal for them.

Harper's figured out who much we spend militarily for each barrel of oil a couple of years ago, and it was about three times the price of a barrel of oil. But that's not a problem for oil companies--they aren't paying for the military expense.

[fwiff]

11. The theft is less about money than CONTROL of the oil market

In my understanding of the whole PNAC deal and manipulation of foreign policy in the ME, Iraq was always targeted for it's huge oil output, and the subsequent power controlling it could wield in dealing with other nations not ordinarily heavily influenced by U.S. policy.

[yurbud]

12. that's a side benefit of giving the spigot to our oil companies. When they tighten supply...

they profit AND put the squeeze on fast developing competitors.

[Vincardog]

16. WE pay the cost of the cluster fuck in Iraq. They (or their corporate masters) reap the benefits

How much extra profit do you think there has been from keeping Iraqi oil off the market? Did YOU see that much extra income?

[Tom Joad]

4. Outside Kucinich and a handful of others, the Iraqi oil law is not even debated within the Dem/Rep

Party.
the Hillary/McCain/Obama/Thompson team love the oil law. as much as they support US military presence for the next decade or so.

let their souls rot in Iowa.

It's Despicable!

[OzarkDem]

20. Obey Refers to Us as Idiot Liberals

and he made a point of targeting Kucinich when Dennis pointed out the new Bush War bill contained provisions to privatize Iraqi oil reserves..

"But everyone agrees that Obey said something that some folks found offensive. The Obey-Kucinich exchange came during a caucus meeting to discuss the Iraq supplemental spending bill.

Kucinich asked Obey about language dealing with privatization of Iraqi oil. Obey’s reply included some magic words, which prompted Rep. Diane E. Watson (D-Calif.) to declare that she was not attending the meeting to hear such vulgarity.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) attempted to make peace, but some still were not satisfied."

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/05/more_particulars_obeykucinich.html


Let me say it in language Obey can understand - F*ck You, Obey.

[Tom Joad]

21. Obey takes etiquette lessons from Cheney it seems.

[IDemo]

6. I have never seen a clear explanation

for what part of international law that allows one nation to dictate to the legislative body of another 'sovereign' country.

Anyone??

[yurbud]

8. check Hague and Geneva Conventions

it's a war crime

[IDemo]

13. But the Geneva Conventions are so pre-9/11, don't you think?

[yurbud]

23. Like Bush said about FISA, "that's an OLD law! ya caint spect me to member something more than 5

minutes ago."

[liberal N proud]

10. A government for the corporations by the corporations

[mopinko]

17. the mention of the museums

really endeared him to me. not like he could be an more dear to me, but... :shrug:

[Cha]

18. AND we were absolutely

correct when we wore our "NO BLOOD FOR OIL" pins at the Feb 15, 2003 world wide protest in NYC and such skeptics called us "insane".

Let's see :think:.. a bunch of oil barrons start a war based on deliberate LIES in a war rich country and it's not about the OIL? :silly:

Too bad all those soldiers and Iraqis died and are maimed because of the bushits' GREED.

We actually tried to save them but the US corporatewhoremedia made sure we didn't.

[RogueBandit]

19. It's the Oil Stupid!

Be a good campaign slogan.

[AntiFascist]

24. Excellent, now connect the dots....

Does anyone doubt that our military efforts are all about getting the oil when Bush, Cheney and Rice are all former oil company executives? Bush admin's oil greed is destroying the planet.

[Toots]

26. "To my surprise, he was honest."

What an asshole... gore was considered the most credible man in Congress up until the 2000 Presidential Campaign and the Republicans smeared him as dishonest with a ton of dishonest ads such as the "He invented the internet" smear and the "Love Story" smear. All were Lies against an honest man..I actually heard them discuss one day on their strategy for attacking him. They said they would do what Rove suggested and attack him on his strengths. They go for absolute balsy shit so that people will think they couldn't possibly be that wrong.... It works every time..LIARS......"BIG TIME"

[Old and In the Way]

28. In defense of yurbud, I don't think he was attacking Gore's honesty, but surprised

that he'd honestly address this issue when so few Democrats are willing to speak out.

It is the $100TT question. Does this country stand for the legal thievery of another nation's assets by declaring war on them? We cannot have an honest political dialogue about this war and what we stand for until we openly acknowledge that this Hydrocarbon Law is the only reason why Bush and Cheney are willing to spend trillions and kill hundreds of thousands of people that ultimately will enrich the bottom line of a few major republican corporations.

If the issue was...."we have a problem folks....we are very dependent on oil and we cannot afford to have this oil fall into the wrong hands" back in 2000, then we could have looked at the pros and cons of attacking Iraq. What could we have done with $1.5TT invested here to offset our depency on oil? How would that investment help our domestic economy? How does a pre-emptive war to steal another country's resources help our international reputation? In short, we should have had an honest debate about our national security and energy policies for the 21st century. But Dick Cheney's priorities were delivering a big payday to his benefactors - Big Oil. That's why they can't let us see the notes, memorandum, and evidence that Scalia kept locked up when Cheney was taken to the Supreme Court to get this information released. The Secret Energy Task Force meetings were the planning sessions on dividing up the oil and getting the major oil companies on-board for the Big Steal.

The cat is out of the bag. The public knowledge of the Hydrocarbon Law was supposed to be kept secret and passed by the "democratic" Iraqi national assembly. The law would have given us the cover for legal theivery. But the Iraqis are unanimously against this (probably the only thing the Kurds, Shia, and Sunni's agree on). The word is spreading around the world. The delusional dreamers that ghatched this hostile takeover of Iraqi National Oil deluded themselves into thinking that the Iraqi's would gladly give up their future if we got rid of Saddam. What a bunch of fools....we will never get the oil until every man, women, and child are liquidated in Iraq.

[yurbud]

31. poetic justice on Hydrocarbon Law is major oil companies are waiting for it to pass before signing

contracts.

So if the situation totally implodes, they could end up with nothing.

[Old and In the Way]

34. Until we recognize Iraq's right to determine their own development

of their resources, the situation won't change. It wouldn't surprise me now if the state of Iraq will eventually become balkanized into 3 territories, protected and essentially annexed by SA/Iran/Kurdistan. They will then have the resources to redevelop the oil fields...and we'll be left with a $1.5TT bill for wrecking their country. Heckuva job Bushie.

[yurbud]

38. Biden and some pugs have pushed for that, and they are probably astroturfing ethnic violence

to make it happen.

It's easier to push around three smaller countries than one big one.

[yurbud]

30. I meant compared to others in Congress and presidential candidates, not compared to himself

[yurbud]

32. VOTE this up on newsrankers like buzzflash.net, digg.com, netscape, etc. LINKS

http://buzzflash.net/story.php?id=17703">buzzflash

http://digg.com/politics/Al_Gore_Iraq_War_about_OIL_THEFT">digg

http://news.netscape.com/story/2007/07/08/al-gore-iraq-war-about-oil-theft">netscape

[Kurovski]

33. K&R. (nt)

[ikojo]

35. I suspect that if Al Gore was serious about

ever being a candidate for public office again, he'd not be saying and doing many of the things he is doing. He'd be far more reserved in his actions, lest he tick off his corporate campaign contributors. Because he isn't a candidate he is able to be a bit more honest.

[Apollo11]

37. Let's keep the Gore bandwagon rolling on !!

Al can't change the world by himself. He needs our help!

Let's all find ways to show our support for Al Gore! :patriot:

Sign the Live Earth Pledge: www.liveearthpledge.org

Then ask all your friends and family to sign it too! :-)

Visit Al's site www.algore.com and read his blog http://blog.algore.com

Sign the petitions at www.algore.org and www.draftgore.com

:kick:

[yurbud]

39. Is there a contact link on any of that? I'd like to ask Al if he knows why Dems are being quiet

about this.

[dysfunctional press]

42. if exxonmobil, chevron, bp and shell don't get their hands on the oil...

then all those soldiers, merceneries and innocent iraqi civilians will have died in vain.