Posted on 04/24/2002 6:46:46 PM PDT by Pokey78
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In 2000, Saudi Arabia supplied 1,566 thousand barrels per day.
That's approximately 14.1% of our imports and 9.25% of our total consumption.
Not an insignificant amount, especially should other OPEC nation's cooperate.
This is the price we pay for Congress's absolute failure to produce a coherent energy policy over the last 30 years.
Our best opportunity to extract ourselves from this quandry is to build clean-coal and nuclear power plants to increase our electric generating capacity. Construction of electric powered mass-transportation systems in our nation's most densely populated regions and urban areas could then reduce our petroleum consumption and foreign dependence.
NY Times whines for Saudi
Now that's a credible source.
In a bleak assessment, he said there was talk within the Saudi royal family and in Arab capitals of using the "oil weapon" against the United States, and demanding that the United States leave strategic military bases in the region. Such measures, he said, would be a "strategic debacle for the United States."
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh No!
PS We are ALREADY leaving our bases in saudi arabia -- could be bad news for them!
He also warned of a general drift by Arab leaders toward the radical politics that have been building in the Arab street.
Who gives a f*ck about the mongrel arab street.
Sounds like they'r getting pretty scared. I say it's time for them to be afraid. Very afraid.
1) CANX the meeting with the Clown Prince.
2) Covertly let Saddam know that Saudi is now available on the free market.
3) Announce to the world that the US will not be bothered with the "internal politics" of the Middle East.
4) 'wave some popcorn and watch the show.
5) Go take Saudi and Iraq. Claim as new "provinces".
6) Give Israel the Green light.
7) 'wave some more of Orville's finest and watch the show.
8) Announce that Islam is nothing more than a terrorist organization and will be prosecuted / exterminated to the fullest extent - where ever it exists.
9) Use every opportunity to point out the DemoRat support of the terrorists - you know, Clintoons kissing AraRats, etc.
Just passing thoughts.
LVM
I think you're on to something. Rumsfeld and Cheney are going to present the steel fist, Bush will then give the velvet glove.
What's it gonna be Abdullah?
"W": "Let's stroll out to my garage"
Abdullah (in the garage): "What's that?"
"W": "Well, that's kind of complicated. But that little thing runs and runs and runs. And there is not any fuel. That little box could power everything around us for 250 miles. And pretty soon it will even power automobiles."
Abdullah: "Uh, no petrol?"
"W": "Yea. Kinda neat, eh? But don't tell anybody about it yet. We have to be careful about how we introduce it to the world. At least those in the world we will allow access to this technology. Israel get access first in your part of the world. ("W" smiles). Hey what's that smell".
Abdullah: "I pooped my pants!"
"W": "Now, what were you saying?"
This story was floated by the Saudis. You can bank on it. It should tell Bush, Cheney, Rice, Powell, and Rummy all they need to know: the Saudis are dealing from a position of weakness. They see us moving out of our bases there, reducing ties to them. Actions, not words. They are making a desperate attempt at intimidation, because they have cast their lot with Saddam. It will not work. Not for the last time has the Arab nation backed the wrong horse.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Are you for real? I'm wondering if you are some kind of "UPO" (Unidentified Posting Object) cause you seem to have just arrived from either the "Twilight Zone," or the "Outer Limits!
Nothin personal, but that reply seemed to come from so far out of touch with either history or reality that I thought it was one of those "Virtual Replies," at first.
I think that's what ol' Abdullah is worried about. So, he's announced that he is coming here to "demand" things that Bush already wanted (a separate Palestinian state and Israel's troops out of Palestinian territory). When Bush agrees, he will go back to announce in triumph that he has successfully "intimidated" Bush.
He will be a hero in the Arab states, the NYT and Wash Post will lament Bush's "concessions", and there will be a string of posts here talking about what a wimp Bush is. :-)
This is what happens 20 minutes after any WMD attack on the USA.
If he tells W this, he isn't a Crown Prince, he is a Clown Prince! This is the wishful thinking of Mr. Tyler and the NY Times.
I am going back and read it again, to see if thee are any clues.
{smile} exactly!
So then the Chinese VP is in the middle east on his way to America as well - ostensibly to insure that China's supply of oil will not be interrupted due to the war on terrorism. (Since China is pulling the strings.)
Now the Bedouin lapdog of the Arab world is here to promote their continued trip into an alternate reality world where they are in fact important. He is here to issue directives to the President of the US. These directives are supposedly the price for the pleasure of doing business with our enemy.
See where this is heading?? This meeting is designed to fail, and supposedly put the US in a "strategic debacle" immediately prior to the arrival of the Chinese VP. Hmmmmmm........This almost reads like the script of a WWF wrestling match. Who do the ChiComs and ragheads think they're dealing with? Bill Clinton? I hope the President tells them exactly where to place a fistful of sand, right before feeding this POS to some hogs on the ranch.
Apparently, the US does get a large portion of oil on the open market, even if a bunch of it comes from Canada, Russia, Mexico and/or Norway, an Arab embargo would drive up the prices. It would hurt our economy directly and it would hurt the economies of our imported-oil-dependent trading partners in Europe and Japan, which, in turn would hurt our economy. All those grapes shipped up from Chile in the winter, all those cheap products shipped across the Pacific, they'd become more expensive. We'd probably see double digit inflation and wage stagnation and it would really suck.
It seems like bluster on our part to say "go ahead, embargo the oil Abdullah."
One possible intelligent long-term strategy would be to invest in a national program to become independent of foreign sources of energy. Perhaps the President could take a lesson from Kennedy and make it something like the Apollo program. A top national priority with high visibility and real funding and a sense of mission. If it suceeded, it could be a real "up yours" to the Arabs without hurting ourselves in the process.
After all, if it weren't for oil, the middle east would be as relevant as that desert in northern Chile, whatever it is called.
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