Oil now $144 a barrel

[Hermit_]

.

*FLASHBACK: Ten Years Ago, Bin Laden

Demanded Barrel Of Oil Should Cost $144*

July 5, 2008

In a 1998 interview, Osama bin Laden — the terrorist organizer of 9/11 who still roams free — listed as one of his many grievances against the U.S. that Americans “have stolen $36 trillion from Muslims” by purchasing oil from Persian Gulf countries at low prices. The real price of a barrel of oil should be $144, bin Laden demanded.

Ten years ago today, the price of a barrel of oil was just $11. Heading into this holiday

weekend, the price of a barrel of oil rested at $144 — a thirteen-fold increase.

One month after 9/11, the New York Times wrote of possible “nightmare” scenarios that would deliver bin Laden’s goal. Neela Banerjee warned that among the “misguided decisions” that would put oil supplies at risk would be “that the United States attacks Iraq.” The Times included this quote in its story:

“If bin Laden takes over and becomes king of Saudi Arabia, he’d turn off the tap,” said Roger Diwan, a managing director of the Petroleum Finance Company, a consulting firm in Washington. “He said at one point that he wants oil to be $144 a barrel” — about six times what it sells for now.

Bin Laden didn’t have to become king of Saudi Arabia to achieve his goal; in fact, Bush’s policies delivered it for him. The Bush administration’s catastrophic decision to invade Iraq, sink the nation into debt to pay for that war, and consequently, weaken the dollar have all caused oil prices to soar astronomically.

Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee last May, Anne Korin, the co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, reminded Congress about bin Laden’s goal:

About ten years ago, Osama bin Laden stated that his target price for oil is $144 a barrel and that the American people, who allegedly robbed the Muslim people of their oil, owe each Muslim man, woman, and child $30,000 in back payments. At the time, $144 a barrel seemed farfetched to most. […]

I would like to impress upon this Committee that $144 a barrel oil will be perceived as a victory for the Jihadist movement and a reaffirmation that the economic warfare component of its campaign against the West is a resounding success. There is no need to elaborate on the implications of such a victory in terms of loss of U.S. prestige and our ability to prevail in the Long War of the 21st century.

Indeed, ten years later, a mission accomplished for bin Laden. [..and BushCo].

-------------------

Way to go, George.

[SteveAJones]

*FLASHBACK: Ten Years Ago, Bin Laden

Demanded Barrel Of Oil Should Cost $144

*

July 5, 2008

In a 1998 interview, Osama bin Laden — the terrorist organizer of 9/11 who still roams free — listed as one of his many grievances against the U.S. that Americans "have stolen $36 trillion from Muslims" by purchasing oil from Persian Gulf countries at low prices. The real price of a barrel of oil should be $144, bin Laden demanded.

...and which alleged 1998 interview would that be? If it was important enough to generate a flashback it shouldn't be too difficult to cite.

[ally]

The so called weakend dollar has done nothing but tell me that America has plenty of cash and respect to handle this fight. For all the economic trouble that the whole world is about to confront, I'd say the green back has done pretty well and will still be the currency that leads all of us out of recession or maybe even depression. America will still lead the way for many more years to come

[SteveAJones]

The so called weakend dollar has done nothing but tell me that America has plenty of cash and respect to handle this fight.

A weakened dollar also helps to offset the American trade deficit. Anyway, oil prices

are driven by supply and demand and the author of the flashback has failed to note

that global demand for oil in 2008 is considerably higher than 1998. Production has

not met demand.

[Hermit_]

...and which alleged 1998 interview would that be? If it was important enough to generate a flashback it shouldn't be too difficult to cite.

The 'Think Progress' article links to *a source article* that cites

The Associated Press as the original source of the bin laden quote.

[snip]

"From the U.S. imperialist viewpoint, "chaos" means loss of the Saudi oil fields. Bin Laden admits that they are the ultimate prize he hopes to win for his faction of bosses. In a 1998 interview, he "claimed that the United States has carried out ‘the biggest theft in history’ by buying oil from Persian Gulf countries at low prices. According to bin Laden, a barrel of oil today should cost $144. Based on that calculation, he said, the Americans have stolen $36 trillion from Muslims…" (Associated Press, 9/28)."

[if only you were as good at citing some of your sources, Steve-O. ]

[BonzoEqualsGoodStuff]

Anyone want to start a skateboard carpool with me? I volunteer to clothesline people who get in our way!

[SteveAJones]

The 'Think Progress' article links to *a source article* that cites

The Associated Press as the original source of the bin laden quote.

[if only you were as good at citing some of your sources, Steve-O. ]

Alright, I'm going to read it in it's original context, which was my reason for asking.

OBL gets more words put in his mouth & quotes taken out of context than Jimmy in Japan.

I cite my sources to the fullest extent accuracy, modesty and confidentiality allow.

[SteveAJones]

Anyone want to start a skateboard carpool with me? I volunteer to clothesline people who get in our way!

I'll glady carry you and your books around your college campus.

[BonzoEqualsGoodStuff]

Can I still clothesline people?

[SteveAJones]

Can I still clothesline people?

I'd be disappointed if you didn't.

[Hermit_]

I cite my sources to the fullest extent accuracy, modesty and confidentiality allow.

..and when accuracy, modesty, an confidentiality don't allow..

you simply copy and paste and present it as your own, right?

Hehe! I'm just bustin yer balls, Steve. You probably have no idea (you know,.. due to your modesty and humility) just how many people rely on your Zeppelin insider information to keep them abreast of the latest Zep news and info.. you know.. like what Jimmy eats for breakfast.. and whatnot. Oops,.. there I go, bustin yer balls again. Don't mind me; just havin a wee bit o' fun. Keep up the good work, muh-man. Cheers!

[SteveAJones]

Don't mind me; just havin a wee bit o' fun. Keep up the good work, muh-man. Cheers!

It's always fun.

[ally]

It's always fun.

Easy for you to say.... Master

[Hermit_]

More sad news related to the Iraq war..

*Iraq Vet in Famous Press Photo Dies from Overdose*

July 4th, 2008

PINEHURST, N.C. A former Army medic made famous by a photograph that showed him carrying an injured Iraqi boy during the first week of the war has died of an apparent overdose, police said.

Joseph Patrick Dwyer died last week at a hospital in Pinehurst, according to the Boles Funeral Home. He was 31. The photograph, taken in March 2003, showed Dwyer running to a makeshift military hospital while cradling the boy. The photo appeared in newspapers, magazines and television broadcasts worldwide, making Dwyer became a symbol of heroism.

Dwyer laughed when a reporter told him of the photo and its widespread circulation, and he tried to deflect focus to his entire unit. His mother, Maureen, said then that the photo embarrassed her son because it singled him out while other soldiers were doing the same thing.

Last week, Dwyer called a local taxi service to take him to the hospital after an apparent overdose, Capt. Floyd Thomas of the Pinehurst Police Department told the Fayetteville Observer. When the driver arrived, Dwyer said he couldn't get to the door, according to a police report.

Police kicked in the door at Dwyer's request, and he was taken by ambulance to a Pinehurst hospital. Thomas said bottles of prescription pills were found near Dwyer when police arrived. The former medic died later the night of June 28, according to authorities. Dwyer served with the 3rd Squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment of Fort Stewart, Ga. He earned the Combat Medical Badge and other military awards.

His mother said the military could have done more to help with post-traumatic stress. "He just couldn't get over the war," Maureen Dwyer said. "He just couldn't do it. Just wasn't Joseph. Joseph never came home."

His wife, Matina, said: "He was just never the same when he came back, because of all the things he saw. ... He tried to seek treatment, but it didn’t work." She told a reporter that she hoped that her husband’s death would bring more attention to PTSD issues. Kelly Kennedy, who has won wide praise for her coverage of the war and problems faced by returning soldiers, added details in her account for Military Times. An excerpt follows:

"For the medic who cared for the wounds of his combat buddies as they pushed toward Baghdad, the battle for his own health proved too much to bear.

On June 28, Dwyer, 31, died of an accidental overdose in his home in Pinehurst, N.C., after years of struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. During that time, his marriage fell apart as he spiraled into substance abuse and depression. He found himself constantly struggling with law, even as friends, Veterans Affairs personnel and the Army tried to help him.

“Of course he was looked on as a hero here,” said Capt. Floyd Thomas of the Pinehurst Police Department. Still, “we’ve been dealing with him for over a year.” The day he died, Dwyer apparently took pills and inhaled the fumes of an aerosol can in an act known as “huffing.” Thomas said Dwyer then called a taxi company for a ride to the hospital...

When he returned from war after three months in Iraq, he developed the classic, treatable symptoms of PTSD. like so many other combat vets, he didn’t seek help. In restaurants, he sat with his back to the wall. He avoided crowds. He stayed away from friends. He abused inhalants, he told Newsday. In 2005, he and his family talked with Newsday to try to help other service members who might need help. He talked with the paper from a psychiatric ward at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was committed after his first run-in with the police.

In October 2005, he thought there were Iraqis outside his window in El Paso, Texas. When he heard a noise, he started shooting. Three hours later, police enticed him to come out and no one was injured.

---------------------

Iraq war vets' suicide rates analyzed

High numbers found among members of Guard, Reserves

February 13, 2008

According to the VA's research, 144 veterans committed suicide from the start of the war in Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2001, through the end of 2005. Of those, 35 veterans, or 24 percent, served in the Reserves and 41, or 29 percent, served in the National Guard. Sixty-eight - or 47 percent - had been in the regular military. Statistics from 2006 and 2007 were not yet available, the VA said.

Among the total population of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have been discharged from the military, almost half are formerly regular military and a little more than half were in the Guard and Reserves, according to the VA.

Among those studied, more than half of the veterans who committed suicide were aged 20 to 29. Almost three-quarters used a firearm to take their lives. Almost 82 percent were white.

The VA study does not include those who committed suicide in the war zones or those who remained in the military after returning home from war.

Last year, the Army said its suicide rate in 2006 rose to 17.3 per 100,000 troops, the highest level in 26 years of record keeping. The Army said recently that as many as 121 soldiers committed suicide last year. If all are confirmed, the number would be more than double the number reported in 2001.

-------------

[ally]

Hermit, do you have a family member over there right now ? This question is coming from the heart and not designed to be argumentive.

[Hermit_]

Hermit, do you have a family member over there right now ? This question is coming from the heart and not designed to be argumentive.

Before I answer your question,..

I'm curious.. why do you want to know, ally?

[i'm not being argumentative, either,..

I'm just wanna understand why you ask, that's all.

[Del Zeppnile]

I'm not too concerned about the price of oil because it's still cheaper than owning a horse... just ask Lakey.

Lakey, are you there?

[SteveAJones]

Last year, the Army said its suicide rate in 2006 rose to 17.3 per 100,000 troops, the highest level in 26 years of record keeping.

...but still less than the U.S. civilian population suicide rate of about 20 per 100,000.

[Hermit_]

The so called weakend dollar has done nothing but tell me that America has plenty of cash and respect to handle this fight. For all the economic trouble that the whole world is about to confront, I'd say the green back has done pretty well and will still be the currency that leads all of us out of recession or maybe even depression. America will still lead the way for many more years to come

"the so called weakened dollar" = "plenty of cash and respect" ??

Wow. That's some mighty twisted logic you got going there, friend.

FYI.. there's no "so called" about it. The dollar IS weakened.

Here ya go, ally.. a little limp greenback reality for ya:

----------------------

*The buck doesn’t stop here; it just keeps falling

Crumbling value of the dollar resonates through slumping economy*

July. 6, 2008

WASHINGTON - Things in the U.S. sure are tough. Brother, can you spare a euro? Signs saying "We accept euros" are cropping up in the windows of some Manhattan retailers. A Belgium company is trying to gobble up St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, the nation's largest brewer and iconic Super Bowl advertiser.

The almighty dollar is mighty no more. It has been declining steadily for six years against other major currencies, undercutting its role as the leading international banking currency. The long slide is fanning inflation at home and playing a major role in the run-up of oil and gasoline prices everywhere.

Vacationing Europeans are finding bargains in the U.S., while Americans in Paris and other world capitals are being clobbered by sky-high tabs for hotels, travel and even sidewalk cafes. Northern border-city Americans who once flocked into Canada for shopping deals are staying home; it's the Canadians flocking here now.

Everything made in America — from goods to entire companies — is near dirt cheap to many foreigners. Meanwhile, American consumers, both those who travel and those who stay at home, are seeing big price increases in energy, food and imported goods. The dollar has lost roughly a quarter of its purchasing power against the currencies of major U.S. trading partners from its peak in 2002.

Since oil is bought and sold in dollars worldwide, the devalued dollar has made the recent surge in energy prices even worse for Americans, leading to $4 gasoline in the United States. Analysts suggest that of the $140 a barrel that oil fetches globally, some $25 may be due to the devalued dollar.

Further declines in the dollar will add to oil's appeal as a commodity to be traded.

Oil, suggests influential energy consultant Daniel Yergin, is "the new gold."

--

The loss of the dollar's purchasing power and international respect has some experts worrying that the euro might one day replace the dollar as the so-called primary reserve currency. And that could trigger a dollar rout as foreign governments and international investors flee from U.S. Treasury bonds and other dollar-denominated investments.

Making matters worse: The gaping U.S. current-account deficit — the amount by which the value of goods, services and investments bought in the U.S. from overseas exceeds the amount the U.S. sells abroad — and the low levels of domestic savings means that foreigners must purchase more than $3 billion every business day to fund the imbalance.

Since roughly half of the nation's nearly $10 trillion national debt is held by foreigners, mostly in Treasury bills and bonds, such a withdrawal could have enormous consequences.

--

The dollar has fallen so far, it will be difficult to halt or reverse its slide. The impact of the falling dollar is not always visible to the average consumer. Not like the big numbers on gas pumps that give stark evidence of price levels.

But imported goods, from fuel to cars from Japanese automakers and toys from China — are getting more expensive just as U.S. wages are either stagnant or falling. American companies suddenly look cheap to acquisition-minded foreigners, particularly those based in Europe.

Belgian-based InBev's hostile bid for Anheuser-Busch is a recent example. It has bid $46 billion to acquire the company — a 30 percent premium above where Anheuser's shares traded before the June 11 proposal.

A successful acquisition by InBev would put the last remaining mass-market American brewer in foreign hands. InBev is based in Belgium but run by Brazilians. Anheuser-Busch, which brews both Budweiser and Bud light, holds a 48.5 percent share of U.S. beer sales. Anheuser-Busch rejected InBev's bid, but the Belgian brewer forged ahead, seeking to unseat Anheuser's 13-member board and take its offer directly to shareholders.

If the takeover goes through, it might open the floodgates to other foreign takeovers of American companies.

[..and on and on. Click the article header to read the full article]

-------------------------

When you take off the rose-colored glasses, you see

that the weakened greenback reality is pretty stark, huh?

Maybe we oughta abandon the greenback..

..and switch to the "Zoso" currency instead?

[Hermit_]

...but still less than the U.S. civilian population suicide rate of about 20 per 100,000.

Does "accuracy, modesty, or confidentiality" prevent you from

citing a source, Steve? Or did you did make up that statistic?

*ahem*

According to the *National Institute of Mental Health* website..

"the national average of 10.9 suicides per 100,000 people in the general population."

[2004 stats]

According to the *American Assoc of Suicidology* website..

the rate in 2005 was 11 suicides per 100,000 in the general population.

You seem to have doubled the actual gen. pop. suicide rate, muh-man.

[but hey,.. why let pesky facts get in the way of spinning an issue, right? ]

[SteveAJones]

Does "accuracy, modesty, or confidentiality" prevent you from

citing a source, Steve? Or did you did make up that statistic?

Here's an overview of civilian suicide rates for the whole world:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_rates

It shows the US civilian suicide rate is 17.9 per 100,000.

The only point I'm making is the suicide rate in the U.S. Army is not disproportionate to the suicide rate found in the U.S. civilian population. Given the U.S. Armed Forces is an

all volunteer military it's members are recruited from the society at large. Suicide among

returning Operation Iraqi War veterans is a tragic loss for the nation and should not be

politicized for anti-war purposes.

[SteveAJones]

Source: http://www.bloggernews.net/19471

Politicizing Suicide in soldiers: the spin and the reality Posted on August 16th, 2007 by Nancy Reyes in All News, Breaking News, Medical News, The War on Terror Read 1,283 times.

Yup, the anti war spin today are in the headlines suggesting a huge increase in the rate of suicides among US soldiers.

Here is how the normally non partisan Washington Post phrases it's headline:

War Stress Pushing Army Suicides Higher

By PAULINE JELINEK

The Associated Press

Thursday, August 16, 2007; 7:27 PMWASHINGTON — Repeated and ever-longer war-zone tours are putting increasing pressure on military families, the Army said Thursday, helping push soldier suicides to a record rate.

There were 99 Army suicides last year _ nearly half of them soldiers who hadn't reached their 25th birthdays, about a third of them serving in Iraq or Afghanistan….

———————

More on washingtonpost.com

Suicide Rate in Army Rising

Suicide Rate Among Soldiers Shows Increase,

Report Says Army Suicides Highest in 26 Years

Since few read beyond the headlines (and the networks tend to mainly report the headlines) this will be interpreted as another reason for the US to pull out of Iraq, and will be politicized by those running for president as a failure of the Bush adminstration to care for it's soldiers.

Despite the headlines, the Army must be doing something right, because the rate of suicide is actually lower–yes, I said lower–than that of a comparable civilian population.Yes, you heard me right, I said the suicide rate is lower in the Army than in a similar civilian population.

I know the headlines suggest otherwise, but that is because they are comparing the suicide rate in the US Army (17 per 100 000 population), as compared to the suicide rate of all civilians of all age groups (rate 11.5 per 100 000 population).

The dirty little secret is that men succeed in suicide a lot more than women, so by comparing apples (young men) to organges (adding women to the statistics) you can make the Army look bad.

Here is a pdf file of 2005 suicide statistics.

Here are a few details that are mentioned by the reports, but in a way that you might overlook them, especially if you are like most people and only read the top of the story.

One, the suicide rate in the Army is 17, but in young civilian men is 20.5.

Two: Read paragraph 2 of the Washington Post story I quoted. The article admits that two thirds of the suicides have not served in Iraq or Afghanistan, meaning that these suicides were not related to the war.

Three: the huge statistical "jump" is numerically small: an increase of 11 deaths in the entire US Army:

The report said there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers in 2006, compared to 88 in 2005…

The 99 suicides in 2006 included 28 soldiers deployed to either Iraq and Afghanistan and 71 soldiers who weren't,

In summary, the story is a real one, but it is being spun and exaggerated to provide negative spin at a time when much of the war news coming from Iraq is becoming more positive.

Actually, given the repeated deployments of young men who are separated from families and friends at a vulnerable age, I think the suicide rate is actually lower than expected.

And the reason just might be the US Armys program of suicide prevention. LINK including suicide prevention training for officers and soldiers so that they are aware of signs of depression that might lead to suicide. Manual HERE.

And the story that is overlooked in the headlines is not that the Army is indeed worried about the problem of depression and suicide, and is trying to address the problem "in a timely manner".

One cannot just compare suicide statistics during a war with statistics since 1980, where the US Army was not actively fighting in large numbers. (Yes, Gulf War I had many soldiers sitting in the desert, but the length of actual combat was short).

A more realistic story would require a comparison to the suicide rate of soldiers in 1944 or 1951 or 1971, but such figures are not available.

Finally, one really worrysome statistic is one the reports overlooked: The fact that women soldiers have twice the rate of suicide deaths than their civilian counterparts.

Again, a look at the PDF will show that civilian women's suicide rate is quite small, but the rate of attempted suicide is much higher than men,

Suicide attempts requiring hospitalization at age 20-29 is 116 women vs 84 for men, and probably higher if you include attempts that don't go to the hospital. In constrast, death from suicide in young women is only 3.7 vs 20.5 for men.

The reason is because men tend to use more lethal methods such as firearms versus pills or cutting their wrists in women.

Is there a relationship between "GI JILL" being able to use a firearm and her ability to use a fire arm to shoot herself? Or is the rate so much higher because women don't tolerate the stress of war as well as men? Or is it because women have more family stresses, or are more emotionally isolated in "mixed" units?

Just something else to put things into perspective: The suicide rate of physicians is 19 per 100,000…

[Hermit_]

Here's an overview of civilian suicide rates for the whole world:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_rates

It shows the US civilian suicide rate is 17.9 per 100,000.

The only point I'm making is the suicide rate in the U.S. Army is not disproportionate to the suicide rate found in the U.S. civilian population. Given the U.S. Armed Forces is an all volunteer military it's members are recruited from the society at large. Suicide among returning Operation Iraqi War veterans is a tragic loss for the nation and should not be politicized for anti-war purposes.

Actually, Steve,.. the wikipedia site shows the US suicide rate as:

17.9 (among males), 4.2 (among females), and.. 11.0 (total) per 100,000.

You stand corrected, sir.

Anyway,.. I think the salient point.. the point various news articles and veteran groups have been making,.. is that the suicide rate among Iraq war vets has shown a dramatic increase from the rates among veterans of previous conflicts. You can minimize that point if you want by comparing it to the rate in the general population, but the stark fact remains: the suicide rate among Iraq war vets has shown a dramatic increase from the rate among veterans of previous conflicts. And if the 121 suicides of Iraq war vets from last year are all confirmed as suicides, that would represent a two-fold increase of the rate of suicides among vets from the first year of the war. I would think that should be of concern to everyone, Steve.

The suicide rate among returning Operation Iraqi War veterans is a tragic loss for the

nation and should not be minimized for pro-war purposes. Know whatta mean, Vern?

[SteveAJones]

You stand corrected, sir.

The stark fact remains: the suicide rate among Iraq war vets has shown a dramatic increase from the rate among veterans of previous conflicts. And if the 121 suicides of Iraq war vets from last year are all confirmed as suicides, that would represent a two-fold increase of the rate of suicides among vets from the first year of the war. I would think that should be of concern to everyone, Steve.

The suicide rate among returning Operation Iraqi War veterans is a tragic loss for the

nation and should not be minimized for pro-war purposes. Know whatta mean, Vern?

Correction noted. Obviously, so long as the conflict continues some will opt for suicide as an escape. War is a human enterprise exacting a human toll. I certainly don't wish

for it but such is the world we live in.

[led_zep_girl_92]

There is definitely no other way than getting independent from oil. It´s finite like most other raw materials, and it will get just more and more expensive. The day will definitely come when oil is no longer, and its price will just keep on exploding. But there are alternatives: I mean, the sun will keep on burning for the next 5 billion years, isn´t that an option?