Bush Leverage With Russia, Iran, China Falls as Oil Prices Rise

[cal04]

President George W. Bush, already weakened at home by the soaring cost of oil, is finding that it's also eroding his ability to achieve his foreign-policy goals. ``It's a geopolitical nightmare,'' says William Cohen, a former Republican senator from Maine and defense secretary under President Bill Clinton who is now chairman of the Cohen Group, a Washington-based consulting firm. Such nations as Iran, Russia and China ``don't see us as the colossus that can cause them any harm, either by our economy or by our prestige.''

Record-high energy prices are weakening Bush's prospects of assembling an international coalition to counter Iran's nuclear ambitions. They are diminishing his chances of influencing energy-rich nations such as Russia and isolating troublesome ones including Venezuela and Sudan. And they are straining U.S. economic and diplomatic ties with China, whose oil needs are skyrocketing.

Prices show no signs of abating in the last two-and-a-half years of Bush's presidency, with oil futures hovering near $72 a barrel through the November 2008 presidential election. That's creating a windfall for oil-producing nations that may thwart Bush's goal of promoting democracy and free markets from Asia to the Middle East and halting the spread of nuclear arms.


Bush acknowledged last week that high oil prices have decreased the U.S.'s power to sway events.
``Some of the nations we rely on for oil have unstable governments or agendas that are hostile to the United States,'' he said in an April 25 speech to ethanol producers in Washington. ``These countries know we need their oil, and that reduces our influence.''

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ar4D7HVGikXo&refer=top_world_news

[leveymg]

1. Gee, I thought it was "free markets from Asia to the Middle East" that

are bringing us high oil prices.

"Whatever the market will bear." Geez, when prices drop that's supposed to be taken as confirmation that energy is not a cartel. But, what about when they don't because of an ongoing crisis environment created by our very own pro-"free market" Administration?

This is a form of government support for prices. I call that the worst kind of market failure.

[leftchick]

2. Venezuela is "troublesome"?

Why? Because Chavez hates bush policies? Give me a fucking break!

[ixion]

10. yeah, right? what's troublesome is the way we've treated the whole

of Latin America over the last century. Can you say abusive exploitation? I knew you could. :-)

[liberal N proud]

3. All the bu$h regime has done since the took over Washington is piss off

all the oil producing nations. While attacking one country and threatening several others and making accusations about still others they blame everyone else for the high prices.

The bu$h regime has fucked over the American people once again, another problem that our children will have to deal with.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Guess he'll just have to......

..... go and sit in the corner and sulk.

[rodeodance]

5. so, we can't "sway events". In many ways that if good, but the effects

will fall on the little guy and gal.

....Bush acknowledged last week that high oil prices have decreased the U.S.'s power to sway events.
``Some of the nations we rely on for oil have unstable governments or agendas that are hostile to the United States,'' he said in an April 25 speech to ethanol producers in Washington. ``These countries know we need their oil, and that reduces our influence.''

[Grateful for Hope]

6. Doesn't anyone here think

that it seems coincidental that "high oil prices" are predicted to last for the rest of the Bush presidency?

I saw some threads yesterday that indicated Bush says "three more years".

So, does this mean that once Bush and Cheney are finally out of the WH, THEIR influence will no longer be a factor, and prices can begin to decline?

Also, is BushCO trying to force drilling in Alaska, using inflated oil prices as a wedge?

[rodeodance]

8. They are 'opportunists"--

....Also, is BushCO trying to force drilling in Alaska, using inflated oil prices as a wedge?

[Grateful for Hope]

9. I can see what you mean n/t

[rodeodance]

7. US 'sway"====has gone the way of the Bush Swagger