Why we are in Iraq.

[joe-90]

Ever heard of the 'Domino effect'?

That's what we are there for - to prevent it.

If we all pulled out of Iraq then the Iran backed Shias would engage in a brief civil war - and take control of the country at the bidding of their Iranian puppet masters.

Then the Domino effect would kick in - and the World's most Muslim country (Saudi Arabia) would swiftly fall into Iranian hands; as would every other oil producer in the Gulf.

This would mean the end of Western civilisation as we know it. A civilisation without oil just could not survive. We would all starve - and I mean that in a literal sense.

So you see - that is why we are there.

We'll be there until the oil runs out.

When it runs out, then the people of the Middle East will starve.

They have no industry or infra structure other than oil.

The average Joe on the street sees precious little of the oil revenue as his masters sell the oil to us at a silly low price.

They'll have nothing but sand when it's gone.

No wonder they are angry with the West. So would we be if we were in their shoes.

 

[JohnD]

Why yes, I do remember the domino effect!

that was the reason the Americans went into Vietnam, and other nearby countries like Cambodia, to defeat the communists as otherwise the whole of asia would go communist and declare war on the rest of the world. That would have meant the end of civilisation as we know it.

Funny thing is, the communists defeated the americans; the americans pulled out, and now that they're not defending their country against a foreign invader, the Asian nations have settled down to be much more peaceful and co-operative. Why, the communist Vietnamese even managed to overthrow the loathsome and genocidal Khmer Rouge murderers in Cambodia.

Funny old world, isn't it?

 

[megawatt]

We were supposed to go to war against Iran but George Bush thought they were the same place

 

[joe-90]

It is John.

The difference is that we need a product that they have - oil.

It's nothing to do with ideology, it's just plain old need and greed.

If we allow Iran to hold the World's oil reserves - who will they sell it to - and at what price?

At present they sell most of their oil to China.

It's a fact that in 20 years time China alone will use the equivalent of all of the World's oil production.

I guess it will be business as usual. They'll sell the lot to China.

 

[JohnD]

The Russians have enormous reserves of oil and gas. A few more cold winters and they'll have us over a barrel.

 

[megawatt]

Perhaps we should let their diplomats back in then!

 

[joe-90]

The Russians have enormous reserves of oil and gas. A few more cold winters and they'll have us over a barrel.

Would you like to show us just how big the reserves are? They are nothing compared to the Middle East.

 

[Bahco]

They'll have us over a barrel.

Nice pun

 

[JohnD]

They're still enormous.

the FT tells me Russia supplies 24 per cent of Europe's natural gas

http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=russian+gas&y=3&aje=true&x=9&id=061113010136&page=2

and see also

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f5cdbb04-3334-11dc-a9e8-0000779fd2ac.html

 

[joe-90]

It's not gas that matters. How big in comparison to Saudi is the Soviet oil reserve?

 

[megawatt]

Joe-90: for you to say

Would you like to show us just how big the reserves are? They are nothing compared to the Middle East.

suggests that you already know the answer?

Perhaps you could tell us how big the Soviet oil reserves are?

 

[JohnD]

Joe lives in the past. He still speaks of "Soviet"

 

[Balenza]

The sooner Iran takes control of all middle eastern oil supplies the better.
Then we can just nuke em and have all the oil reserves to our selves.
If we dont do it Israel is going to do it anyway. The Israelis have enough nuclear stock to lay waste to most Arab nations anyway and then some.

 

[Stulz]

It's not gas that matters. How big in comparison to Saudi is the Soviet oil reserve?

Joe, the size of the Saudi Oil deposits has been overplayed for several decades. They are the biggest producers of Oil, but that does not mean they have the biggest reserves.

The US has one of, if not the largest, untapped Oil reserve so far found. It sits below the entire state of Colorado, part of Montana and North Dakota. The only problem we have with accessing it at the moment is the nearly 2km thick slab of basalt sitting on top of it from a mass outpouring of lava from the hot spot now under Yellowstone about 250 million years ago.

The North Sea Deep has massive reserves, there are huge reserves off Norway, however these lay below massive deposits of Methane Hydrate and they have to figure out how to get to the gas and Oil without disturbing or releasing the Methane Hydrate..that would be a truly environmental catastrophe. There are similar deposits off the Carolina's in the US, but again they sit under Methane Hydrate.

Surveys indicate that around the African coast there are massive deposits of Oil yet to be realised. In the Sahara, Namib, Gobi American and Australia's Nullibor Plain the rock formations and deposits indicate that Oil is highly likely to be there.

In Siberia and Under Greenland massive deposits of Oil, Natural Gas and other minerals have been discovered, but in most cases the environmental conditions make extraction a very difficult to near impossible task at the moment.

In several parts of the world Politics plays a major part in preventing Oil being extracted for environmental reasons. There are huge oil deposits under many parts of the UK, but pressure groups throw a **** fit everytime an Oil company proposes extracting it, so the will is not there.

The vast majority of India has not been surveyed by oil companies, it is a slow process and they too have difficulties with pressure groups, many of whom fear another Bopol type disaster.

The idea that Oil will run out in 20 to 30 years is a nonsense. Yes current deposits may well run dry, but there is at least as much again. The problem is that much of the information about such "hidden" deposits is classified by either the companies or Governments concerned.

 

[joe-90]

No major deposit has been found since the 1960s. If you want to believe that there is a vast untapped source then you are quite welcome to. The reality is, however, that the oil age is all but over.