Comments on: It’s not about the oil. Oh. http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/ The weblog of Brighton-based writer Justin McKeating Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:32:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Charlie Whitaker http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/comment-page-1/#comment-25586 Charlie Whitaker Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:00:19 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/#comment-25586 Commenter No. 1, there's something you need to understand about the way the war is paid for. The oil companies do not pay for it; or at least, they do not pay any extra for it. The funds for the war come out of general taxation in both the US (the vast majority of it) but also in the UK. Access to Iraq's oil on preferential terms, on the other hand, is a special benefit only the oil companies receive. Let's say the war did not happen and sanctions were lifted. If the likes of Exxon and Chevron were required to bid against Total (because even Saddam Hussein was not stupid enough not to know that you should hold an auction for these kinds of things) then they would not have come away with such a good deal. I can't imagine that US oil companies would have been grotesquely coarse about the way they presented their case to the US administration. They wouldn't have gone in there cackling and rubbing their hands. They would have framed it in win-win language. They would have said something like: "you realise, that if things should happen to change in Iraq, there'll be a need for natural resource development. Iraq needs to be free. America needs oil. We can help." And the president gets the best night's sleep he's had in ages. Commenter No. 1, there’s something you need to understand about the way the war is paid for. The oil companies do not pay for it; or at least, they do not pay any extra for it. The funds for the war come out of general taxation in both the US (the vast majority of it) but also in the UK. Access to Iraq’s oil on preferential terms, on the other hand, is a special benefit only the oil companies receive.

Let’s say the war did not happen and sanctions were lifted. If the likes of Exxon and Chevron were required to bid against Total (because even Saddam Hussein was not stupid enough not to know that you should hold an auction for these kinds of things) then they would not have come away with such a good deal.

I can’t imagine that US oil companies would have been grotesquely coarse about the way they presented their case to the US administration. They wouldn’t have gone in there cackling and rubbing their hands. They would have framed it in win-win language. They would have said something like: “you realise, that if things should happen to change in Iraq, there’ll be a need for natural resource development. Iraq needs to be free. America needs oil. We can help.” And the president gets the best night’s sleep he’s had in ages.

]]> By: Dear Kitty. Some blog :: Big oil’s grab at Iraq war spoils :: January :: 2007 http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/comment-page-1/#comment-25584 Dear Kitty. Some blog :: Big oil’s grab at Iraq war spoils :: January :: 2007 Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:57:33 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/#comment-25584 [...] For, ‘of course’, nothing, according to Bush and Cheney’s sycophants, like Tony Blair, could be further away from the minds of oil dynasty scion George W and Dick of Halliburton than oil. [...] [...] For, ‘of course’, nothing, according to Bush and Cheney’s sycophants, like Tony Blair, could be further away from the minds of oil dynasty scion George W and Dick of Halliburton than oil. [...]

]]> By: The Inside Of My Head » Success for Operation Iraqi Liberation http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/comment-page-1/#comment-25568 The Inside Of My Head » Success for Operation Iraqi Liberation Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:32:18 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/#comment-25568 [...] (Many thanks to Justin @ Chicken Yoghurt for the inspiration) [...] [...] (Many thanks to Justin @ Chicken Yoghurt for the inspiration) [...]

]]> By: Tom Paine http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/comment-page-1/#comment-25565 Tom Paine Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:45:48 +0000 http://www.chickyog.net/2007/01/22/its-not-about-the-oil-oh/#comment-25565 The oil was available without expending blood and gold on war. Saddam was more than willing to sell it (e.g. to Russian and French traders, in breach of UN sanctions) and all the USA had to do was end the sanctions or join the illegal trading fun. Much cheaper than war and the Leftist outcry about giving up on sanctions would have bothered the US government no more than the Leftist outcry about the invasion. A government like that doesn't have a "no outcry" option, as witness the feminists and gay rights now supporting misogynist, homophobic islamists. Say what you like about the war and its conduct but the "all about oil" theory is way beyond any ordinary definition of stupid. Capitalists don't pay more than they have to for a simple commodity, <i>ergo</i> the war is about politics, not economics. The oil was available without expending blood and gold on war. Saddam was more than willing to sell it (e.g. to Russian and French traders, in breach of UN sanctions) and all the USA had to do was end the sanctions or join the illegal trading fun. Much cheaper than war and the Leftist outcry about giving up on sanctions would have bothered the US government no more than the Leftist outcry about the invasion.

A government like that doesn’t have a “no outcry” option, as witness the feminists and gay rights now supporting misogynist, homophobic islamists.

Say what you like about the war and its conduct but the “all about oil” theory is way beyond any ordinary definition of stupid. Capitalists don’t pay more than they have to for a simple commodity, ergo the war is about politics, not economics.

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