Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) said on MSNBC today that "we're in Libya because of oil".

[kpete]

Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) said on MSNBC today that "we're in Libya because of oil".

Mithchell: Before I let you go, Congressman, do you have any reservations about the military operation in Libya?

Markey: Well, we're in Libya because of oil.

And I think both Japan and nuclear technology and Libya and this dependence we have on this imported oil have both once again highlighted the need for the United States to have a renewable energy agenda going forward.

I think the president did notify Congress that he was going to take action. I think it is going to be limited in scope. I think it is consistent with siding with the aspirations of young, more educated people who are seeking a new direction for Libya in the 21st century.

But it all goes back to the 5 million barrels of oil that we import from OPEC on a daily basis and the Republicans in Congress -- and I'm just going to finish on this note -- last week in the House of Representatives, in the Energy and Commerce Committee, stripped the Environmental Protection Agency of their ability to increase the fuel economy standards of the cars and trucks and planes and trains that we put the oil into. And, by the way, in a bill that passed three weeks ago, zeroed out all the loan guarantee money for wind and solar, while leaving in the money for nuclear power.

the rest:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/21/958776/-Rep-Ed-Markey:-Were-in-Libya-because-of-oil

[ClarkUSA]

1. "it is consistent w/siding w the aspirations of... people who are seeking a new direction for Libya"

"the president did notify Congress that he was going to take action"

"it is going to be limited in scope"

The only problem with his comment is we didn't intervene in any other ME country's conflict except this one. Pres. Obama was very reluctant to enter into this conflict and only when Gaddafi threatened genocide did he do so.

[El Supremo]

2. Geezus, he's better than Dick Tracy or Sherlock Holmes!

:sarcasm:

[aquart]

3. Yes, there is no complexity in this world and everything is about only one thing at a time.

Simplistics for the simple.

[bigwillq]

4. DUH!

:rofl:

[former9thward]

5. He told the truth. We want Libya's oil.

Apparently "the aspirations of young, more educated people who are seeking a new direction" in countries like Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia don't count because they have offered up their oil.

[ClarkUSA]

6. That doesn't make sense. If it was about oil, then nations would've let Gaddafi crush the rebels.

Nations would have stayed on totalitarian dictator Gaddafi's good side. Then the flow of oil would continue unabated instead of spike like they did yesterday based on continued uncertainty on the futures market. FYI, Gaddafi has already threatened to withhold oil from all nations participating in the UN resolution, so if the no-fly zone UN resolution was really about Libya's oil, it's been a pretty stupid way to go about getting it.

Pres. Obama was very reluctant to enter into this conflict and only when Gaddafi threatened a Rwanadan-style genocide against the "rats" aka. his opposition did Pres. Obama do so.

Rep. Markey is well-meaning but clearly, his strength isn't logical deduction.

[killbotfactory]

9. Exactly, the west were more than happy to deal with Gaddafi to get oil contracts.

You can thank the grandmaster foreign policy strategists Bush and Blair for spearheading that effort.

The world clearly doesn't want the oil markets destabilized the way they have been, but if that was the main concern we would have let the opposition be slaughtered (which would have made the people complaining about our involvement start singing Obama's praises, I'm sure. :eyes:).

[ClarkUSA]

11. Absolutely. Knee-jerk "it' all about oil" cries whenever it's the ME has become dogma for some...

... even when it makes zero sense.

<< The world clearly doesn't want the oil markets destabilized the way they have been, but if that was the main concern we would have let the opposition be slaughtered (which would have made the people complaining about our involvement start singing Obama's praises, I'm sure.:eyes:).>>

I agree 100%, especially with the part that I bolded. You know it.

[Historic NY]

16. We imported less than a 1000 bbls a month & mostly it comes from Algeria....

its all part of them OPECer's

[Little Star]

17. I'm not being knee-jerk about it . Qaddafi has become a ...

problem in other ways than about oil. He has to go. The US and it's allies still want the oil. They will pretend to be friendly with the rebels so that when Qadaffi is gone, they can still get their mits on the oil.

"It" being all about the oil, makes perfect sense to me. We'll get that damn oil one way or another!

This government and others don't give one shit about the genocide! If you believe they do, then I have a bridge in NY to sell you.

[Nevernose]

13. Greg Palast's theory on Iraq was that Saddam was bad for business

As long as he was just a murderous thug, we were okay with it. But when he became erratic, so did the oil market, and that was bad for business. In one of his books he provides a great deal of support (if you remember, Palast was the main journalist who blew the lid off of all the behind the scenes BS during Florida 2000).

Under this theory, it would be in the best interests of big business to see Kadaffi go now. We didn't like dealing with him to begin with, and during a potentially protracted civil war the oil markets would be even less predictable, especially given that Libya is one of the major suppliers of Western Europe's oil. Also, this gives oil companies a potentially better deal when negotiating with the victors.

We were fine dealing with a madman, as long as he was a predictable madman.

If it doesn't directly affect European/American business interests, we don't seem to be interested in military intervention, do we?

[killbotfactory]

7. The rebels have requested the NFZ, they must be in it for the oil.

Uppity bastards, serves them right for being shot down in the street with anti-aircraft cannons.

[El Supremo]

14. Probably.

[madrchsod]

8. american oil firms have been in libya for over 50 yrs.

most,if not all, of the oil from libya goes directly to the refineries in italy for european consumption.

[sasha031]

10. finally some honesty from the Beltway, thank you Congressman Markey

[Tx4obama]

12. I guess no one showed him the photos below ....

Libyans that were killed BEFORE the UN's no-fly mission

Photos of dead Libyan protesters below - WARNING VERY GRAPHIC

http://yfrog.com/h4oacietj

http://yfrog.com/h7ucplxj

and video of the burnt soldiers that refused to attack citizens:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x556426

[Billygoat Gruff]

15. As long as we continue to elect

Attorneys we will get double talk and out right lies. We elect people because the tell us what we want to hear, they look nice, and can read a speech prepared by some flunky. I haven't seen a real Statesman in many years. I'm 70 and not likely to see one in the life I have left.

This war has nothing to do with the people of Libya. It is only about oil for Europe and a little for us. If we cared about people we would be all over Darfur and a dozen other places around the world.