Palast: Blood in Beirut: $75.05 a Barrel-IT's THE OIL

[kpete]

Blood in Beirut: $75.05 a Barrel
Published by Greg Palast July 26th, 2006 in Articles

The failure to stop the bloodletting in the Middle East, Exxon’s record second-quarter profits and Iran’s nuclear cat-and-mouse game have something in common — it’s the oil.

...........................

We are trained to think of Middle Eastern conflicts as just modern flare-ups of ancient tribal animosities. But to uncover why the flames won’t die, the usual rule applies: follow the money.

Am I saying that Tehran, Riyadh and Houston oil chieftains conspired to ignite a war to boost their petroleum profits? I can’t imagine it. But I do wonder if Bush would let Olmert have an extra week of bombings, or if the potentates of the Persian Gulf would allow Hamas and Hezbollah to continue their deadly fireworks if it caused the price of crude to crash. You know and I know that if this war took a bite out of Exxon or the House of Saud, a ceasefire would be imposed quicker than you can say, “Let’s drill in the Arctic.”

Eventually, there will be another ceasefire. But Exxon shareholders need not worry. Global warming has heated the seas sufficiently to make certain that they can look forward to a hellacious — and profitable — season of hurricanes.


more at:
http://www.gregpalast.com/blood-in-beirut-7505-a-barrel#more-1466

[station agent]

1. Follow the money

and you'll find the power... Simple method, but Palast gets closer to the truth than anyone.

[babylonsister]

2. Dimson, working in America's best interests yet again-sigh. nt

[bryant69]

3. Palast is good, but he does kind of have one answer to everything

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[lectrobyte]

4. Yeah, but the energy situation is the issue of our time. Do you think

we'd be in Iraq now if not for oil?

[bryant69]

6. If it wasn't for the oil, the Middle East would be like Africa

We'd just ignore it.

That said the answer to every question involving our struggles in the middle east isn't "Oil."

[PuraVidaDreamin]

7. I thank the goddess for Palast

I find his style helps me although still enraged,
deal a bit better.

[Toots]

8. Why is he good then?

It is apparent to almost all who think about it that this is all about oil. Maybe you meant his writing style and not his material? :shrug:

[IDemo]

15. Palast isn't real keen on the issue of Peak Oil

Open letter to Greg Palast from Richard Heinberg

[Warpy]

5. I inherited oil stock

so every gun that fired in anger makes me a little richer.

I hate this.

I would far rather be considerably poorer in a peaceful world.

[RB TexLa]

10. Nothing is stopping you from selling them

I have no problem with my dividends or my royalty checks.

[RufusEarl]

9. Just finished reading Armed Madhouse,

I know i'm late but it was a good read. It also answered my question why Gov. Richardson was always on cable news shows.

I enjoy his writing style, very fluid and funny. He may be hung up on oil, but he's probably right, it's the money stupid.

[DemReadingDU]

11. K&R

[LibertyorDeath]

12. You mean it's not about "security"

but the talking heads say it's about security.


Greg tells it like it is.

Bravo to Palast!

K&R

[FairVotes4all]

13. You mean these wars are not about security or even Tribal rights?

I'm positively shocked! :sarcasm:

[Vitruvius]

14. For Israel, it's about the WATER -- see "Indiana Green's" thread at

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2741641