Posted on 04/12/2002 9:54:05 PM PDT by Jean S
And while we seek to support Israel we are looking out for our best interest which is continuing the current trade of oil from a stable, proven source.
The Saudis will continue to trade with us because we are their number one customer as we will seek to trade with them.
Domestic sources will only solve the problem for the short term.
The tough sell on the part of the current administration is convincing the American people that we will combat terrorism without actually naming the source.
Back when I was working for, gasp, Halliburton, in 1998, approx. 30% of Texas land rigs were idle and about 20% of offshore. costs for deep recovery of reserves was prohibitive because at that time oil was about 10 bucks a barrel. As to ANWR it has already been geologically mapped and much of the infrastructure is in place with the pipeline and equipment available from the North Slope fields. You have to remember that in the beginning the Saudi fields were called "gravity flow" fields meaning that the reserves were so close to the surface that very little drilling was required. Those days are long gone now. Their remaining reserves are as deep and expensive to exploit as ours. The cost/benefit of ME oil is about to tip towards domestic resources regardless of war or peace. The US has had very little to do in the ME as far as production and refining is concerned in the last 15 years. The big presence in the ME are the Japanese, Brits, Koreans, Germans and French. The Us market shifted to the Pacific Rim, and Central and South America, Australia and to some extent Canada in the 90’s.
Just a question off hand. If Hitler had oil How many people would you kick into an oven to get it?
You jumped to a conclusion not supported by anything I have said. I said we are NOT dependent on ME oil reserves. You have no idea what "proven reserves" are. ME "proven reserves" are nothing more than extrapolations of existing fields that are fast drying up. It is just as valid to extrapolate "proven domestic reserves based on our existing fields. I could actually care less about Israel since it are quite capable of taking care of itself.
Coming soon to a mall near you!
I don't see Sharon creating the conflict that in any way could spread to Saudi. Even if the people of Saudi could have a voice they won't raise it while benevolent kings keep them complacent.
Remember Islam targets the poor and disenfranchised. As long as the kings keep the people happy they can appease their anger by having a telethon to support the Palestinians. The trick is to have the bombers do your dirty work while all you do is write a check and stand back.
It's a win-win. And they've been doing it for years.
And you call me a simpleton?
Hmm. Sharon fighting terrorism "creates" more Saddam's and Ayatollahs? So it should stand to reason that our actions against Al Qaeda and The Taliban do as well, should they not?
And I notice how you don't believe that we should be truly uninvolved, but rather come down hard on Israel, and for doing, what? Well, doing what we are doing. Like I said that's called hypocrisy, it's shameful. But I guess I have it all upside down you see I'd rather be a neo-con than a neo-Clinton. silly me.
Like I asked before, if Hitler had oil, how much oil would it take to give him your blessing when he fires up the ovens, what 1 million, two maybe?
You see it might be in my "best interest" to look the other way, or slam the good guys to get something from the bad guys, but its, wrong. It also might be in my "best interest" to take money from another person, but it's wrong. And it might even be in my best interest to lie and cheat, but again, it's wrong.
And it might appease the neonazi ragheads to throw Israel under the bus for doing what we are doing (although I think not, they need our money more than we need their oil, and they will hate us no matter what we do) but it's, guess what??? wrong, wrong, wrong.
It's not about putting Israel first, It's about putting one's conscience first. But then I guess that's just a neo-con thang I wouldn't necessarily expect you to understand.
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