Eager to Tap Iraq's Vast Oil Reserves, Industry Execs Suggested Invasion

[marmar]

from Public Record:



Eager to Tap Iraq's Vast Oil Reserves, Industry Execs Suggested Invasion

Wednesday, 01 July 2009 12:40
By Jason Leopold


Two years before the invasion of Iraq, oil executives and foreign policy advisers told the Bush administration that the United States would remain "a prisoner of its energy dilemma" as long as Saddam Hussein was in power.

That April 2001 report, "Strategic Policy Challenges for the 21st Century," was prepared by the James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy and the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations at the request of then-Vice President Dick Cheney.

In retrospect, it appears that the report helped focus administration thinking on why it made geopolitical sense to oust Hussein, whose country sat on the world's second largest oil reserves.

"Iraq remains a de-stabilizing influence to the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East," the report said.

"Saddam Hussein has also demonstrated a willingness to threaten to use the oil weapon and to use his own export program to manipulate oil markets. Therefore the U.S. should conduct an immediate policy review toward Iraq including military, energy, economic and political/diplomatic assessments.

"Like it or not, Iraqi reserves represent a major asset that can quickly add capacity to world oil markets and inject a more competitive tenor to oil trade." ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.pubrecord.org/nationworld/978.html?task=view

[Botany]

1. Dick Cheney started the war over oil & money?

I thought it had to do w/ freedom & 9-11. :sarcasm:

[kenny blankenship]

2. We're not advocating war: we could call it "a police action", or foreclosure, or some such crap...

Advocating war would be illegal!

[jwirr]

3. Send them the bill.

[grasswire]

4. I want to throw up

There is no justice.

[Xipe Totec]

5. Some experts warned otherwise

As submitted to Oil & Gas Journal for publication February 3, 2003

All warning signs that existed prior to the energy crises of 1973 and 1979 exist today. Various energy security measures indicate that the potential for an energy shortage is high.

Various measures of US energy security indicate that the US might be heading for an energy crisis. Many of the warning signs that existed before the energy crises of 1973 and 1979 exist today and they indicate that the current situation could be even worse. US dependence on petroleum imports has grown steadily for over a decade and has been at record levels for several years. Petroleum inventories are low and the ability of Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) and commercial petroleum stocks to cope with an interruption in imports matches the historic lows preceding the 1973 and 1979 energy crises.

The potential for an energy crisis has never been higher. Oil prices have recently exceeded $30 per barrel and they may continue to increase. The disruption of Venezuelan oil supplies has increased the US dependence on Middle Eastern oil and made the US more susceptible to supply interruption. With the crisis in Venezuela, the capacity of OPEC to meet any additional supply interruption is limited and a war with Iraq would put OPEC at its limit. Any energy crisis in the near future will hinder President Bush’s efforts to stimulate the economy through tax cuts and other fiscal measures. An energy crisis could cause a recession, inflation, and higher unemployment.

http://www.wtrg.com/EnergyCrisis/index.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x77290

[imdjh]

6. And that would have been OK if they hadn't lied.

Real world time - the final negotiation in any commercial transaction is force. But don't wrap it in bullshit, if you want their oil go take their oil. Don't waste billions of dollars and people lives pretending to be doing a war of liberation or anti-terrorism act to save the world. Steamroll the place and take the oil.