Article

2004-03-12 Arabia

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Posted by American with a long commute, watching gas prices and mad at OPEC 2004-03-12 9:03:28 AM|| || Front Page|| [11127 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I think W's old man should call in some markers with the Saudis to get them to increase production to moderate the price of oil, especially if Chavez continues down his current path of destruction. The Bushes have a lot invested in their Saudi ties, so it's time for those investments to start paying off for the US.

Posted by Tibor 2004-3-12 10:29:57 AM|| 2004-3-12 10:29:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 This is an incredibly well-written article - my sincere Thx for posting. I hope every RBer sends the link to everyone they know. I just did that with this preface:

The upcoming US general election will be crucial. You've heard this before - so often that it has probably lost its meaning. The choice between Kerry and Bush is stark - and the winning Presidential candidate will automatically become an historical figure. Remarkably, we have seen this before: when Reagan's administration swamped the Soviets with our superior technical capabilities and raw economic power causing the collapse of our strongest communist adversary.

We are at war, again - this time with insanity incarnate. I also believe, in this election, we have a choice of whether to deal with our adversaries (seen and unseen) from a position of strength and resolve or from one of dilute weakness and pathetic pandering to foreign interests - who seek no less than to restrain us or destroy us. This motherfucker matters, to put it simply.

No matter what your current position may be, think it through for yourself and please vote. November is a pivot point of extreme importance. Let it be decided by Americans with brains, not political whores or foreign interests.

Posted by .com 2004-3-12 11:03:57 AM|| 2004-3-12 11:03:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 I think it's time to teach foreign powers not to meddle in US elections. The House of Saud needs to cease to exist. The funding of terrorists needs to stop. The teaching of Wahabbi islam needs to be terminated. Nuke the entire damned country into glowing radioactive glass, and shoot any we miss. Do it NOW, not after the elections. Do it with the full force of the might of the United States. The entire world will be better off.

Posted by Old Patriot 2004-3-12 11:21:53 AM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2004-3-12 11:21:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 What makes no sense about this is that the default Democratic position remains to defer to Jerusalem's position and I really don't see that changing.

If Riyadh really believes that making life difficult for Dubya will make their lives easier they have another thing coming; particularly since this election is still Dubya's to lose.

Of course, being in denial is the default Saudi position.

Posted by Hiryu 2004-3-12 12:38:26 PM|| 2004-3-12 12:38:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Hiryu -
"What makes no sense about this is that the default Democratic position remains to defer to Jerusalem's position and I really don't see that changing."

Can you explain what you mean by this statement? I'm not sniping. It just isn't clear to me what you're saying - and I really want to know - honest!

Posted by .com 2004-3-12 1:02:29 PM|| 2004-3-12 1:02:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 It's clear the Saudi House of Saud is feeling the heat imposed on it by the military campaign in the Middle East..Because of the US-Shia alliance, almost the completly Gulf is now Shia dominated territory, and that poses a serious security problem for the Saud Dynasty, who risks being squashed between the US and the Wahhabist. I reckon the US has nothing to gain from a implosion of the system in that country..But it's now in a position in which it can pressure the Saudi's into full cooperation in the war on terror, which means in the first place, total transparancy of it's intelligence information...

This whole oil thing is nothing more then a futile resistance effort by the Saudi's, but i doubt it will manage to deflect US pressure..

Posted by lyot 2004-3-12 1:21:29 PM|| 2004-3-12 1:21:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#7
.com is right on the money.

Posted by Dan 2004-3-12 2:05:15 PM|| 2004-3-12 2:05:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 lyot - Are you trying to tell us something? There's no consistent point in your blather, just fuzzy-minded mumbling with some imaginary sinister subplots and equally imaginary air of being informed. You don't know jack.

"US-Shia alliance"
WTF? Are you referring to the CPA's dealing with the Shi'a majority in Iraq? This notion is patently stupid on its face. You're a looney.

"almost the completly Gulf is now Shia dominated territory"
"Sunni Muslims make up the majority (85%) of Muslims all over the world. Significant populations of Shia Muslims can be found in Iran and Iraq, and large minority communities in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Lebanon."
-About.com

Funny, that not only doesn't substantiate your assertion, but if you knew your geography, you'd realize it refutes it. The Gulf Cooperation Council includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Only one other nation is on the Gulf - Iran - and that is the ONLY Shi'a-dominated country in the lot. You still miss when you include the entire M.E. as the citation from About.com ALSO demonstrates. You really don't know much about Arab Islam, do you?

"I reckon the US has nothing to gain from a implosion of the system in that country."
Do you refer to the eventual flight to Switzerland (or wherever) of the Royals? There is no "if", there's only "when". The Royals care about one thing: sucking on the oil tit as long as possible. Implosion with or without our help is coming. Rather than allowing them to continue to fund terror and slowly strangle the economies of the entire industrailized world, I suggest we should not wait - that we should take their oil away from them. Period. I have no idea what you thought your point was, but one thing is clear: You reckon wrong.

"But it's now in a position in which it can pressure the Saudi's into full cooperation in the war on terror, which means in the first place, total transparancy of it's intelligence information..."
We did not have an overwhelming (one which over-rides restraints - we've been tempted, eg. '73 embargo) reason to do it until they lost control of a few loose Wahhabi cannons (eg. OBL) who screwed up the Royal Plans (to keep it under the radar and bleed us slowly) and made the conflict between the US and their Islamofascists both very public and very "hot" - and revealed the depth and breadth of the enmity directed toward the West in general and the US in particular. In every way except for the deaths of 3,000 people, the 9/11 attack has been a disaster for the Islamofascists and an overdue wakeup call for the US and the West. In fact, I'm more than glad they acted before Khan (or other asshole) gave them a nuke capability.

"This whole oil thing is nothing more then a futile resistance effort by the Saudi's, but i doubt it will manage to deflect US pressure."
You don't really have a point, do you? You just like to practice your English in RB. You're a moron - and your comments suck.

You are about as uninformed regards Saudi Arabia, the US, the mechanics of diplomatic relations, oil production and markets, hell - just about everything involved in this topic as a person can be - or you're just a looney who makes whatever statements form in that vaccuous space between your ears. Thank you so very very much for the opportunity to work off a little steam. That is, indeed, the one useful function of trolls. FOAD.

Posted by .com 2004-3-12 2:11:53 PM|| 2004-3-12 2:11:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 The guy's oil prices are dated: Per Money/CNN, as of March 10, the price of a barrel of crude is now 36.45, which means the price as increased by more than half.

Posted by Ptah 2004-3-12 2:46:42 PM|| [http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2004-3-12 2:46:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Great article and great comments and analysis, guys! It is hard to work full time on water plant design and go to Rantburg U, too! So much protein to digest and so little time.

I remember the oil embargo of 1973 and how the Saudis started to realize that THEY could control the spigot and let the wealth of the industrialized world flow into their bank accounts. I remember reading about gas lines in Europe, except in France, where they sold their national soul to the Arabs, so they were flush with oil. The sooner all the consumer nations have alternate oil sources to make up for the loss of Saudi oil, the better, more stable, and healthier we all will be. Saudi money is poison to western civilization. In this country Wahhabist money is funding mosques which are becoming a fifth column. We are too politically correct now to seize assets and freeze the money. But that is what we need to do to survive.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-3-12 3:24:55 PM|| 2004-3-12 3:24:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Great comments, AP, dotcom and good post.
How many times have the GOP Senators put up ANWR only to have the Dim Senators vote it down because it would endanger the caribou?
Paul, maybe you know about ANWR...
Bad thought: If the killers will do what they did yesterday in Madrid before the Spanish election, what might the USA have to "look forward to" before our elections in Nov.?

Posted by Jennie Taliaferro 2004-3-12 3:38:42 PM|| [http://www.greatestjeneration.com] 2004-3-12 3:38:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 We are too politically correct now to seize assets and freeze the money. But that is what we need to do to survive.
Sorry, Paul, it's too late for that. It's time to take the war to the people that are instigating, driving, supporting, funding, and pushing it - the Wahabbi clerics and the House of Saud that has enabled them. They need to be totally destroyed, so the rest of the world can understand that free people will not tolerate attempts at subjugation, however stealthy it might appear to be. Kill all wahabbis today - it'll help guarantee your freedom tomorrow.

Posted by Old Patriot 2004-3-12 3:45:36 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2004-3-12 3:45:36 PM|| Front Page Top

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