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Below are a few of the more recent comments received from our users. Let us hear from you.
Dev George, Managing Editor
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About OGI Website/Newsletter:
A (professional) day without reading OGI is not a (professional) day!
Eloi Dolivo, Petroleum Geoscience Consultant, Vaud, Swizerland
Please send me an invoice !
It's an excellent infromation service, I don't like to miss a day of it !!
Lars Gustaf Martin, General Manager, Mechanical Drives
Wärtsilä Finland Oy, Power Plants
I kept looking up and reading your initial web pages every day and your
personal editors comments to the business. You have the best web page / Oil & Gas info system I know so far. I'd like to subscribe to your site.
Annar Bjorn Ursin-Holm
VP Middle East & Asia Pacific, Fugro-Geoteam AS
There is an awful lot to sift through each visit to see if there is anything
new for an area.
Maurice D Edwards, ChevronTexaco Norge, Oslo, Norway
The site is wonderful-- especially the maps and graphics. Keep up the good
work.
Brooks L Barnes
Client Relations Researcher, Baker Botts, Houston
It has been very useful and enjoyable to look at your site, I do so almost
each day and like the way you combine news with fact and figures, and
maps/pictures. That is a little extra over the brief wire service messages
that makes a difference.
Adam Mateyko, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Your website is considered one of the most valuable source of information to
get the latest news, information and business development.
Wassim Estwani
Business Development, Completion Products & Service
Halliburton - Kuwait
Your web site is at the top of my list for keeping up-to-date on the
industry!
Roselle Mohle,
Marketing/Communications Coordinator, Sperry-Sun Multilateral Services
Nisku, Alberta, Canada
Congratulations for editing an excellent newsletter, which I look forward to
reading.
Ashiq Hussain, Managing Director
OMV (UK) Limited, London, UK
I have promoted very much your website with my contacts and clients around
the world. You deserve it. It's the best source of information in the net
for the oil business.
Luiz Cordolino, Geophysicist
Houston, Texas USA
Myself and everyone on my team have been quite impressed with
the content, timeliness, and accuracy of your website. In a day and age
where factual industry intelligence can make or break an organization's
success, your site delivers where so many others falter.
Jon Halliburton, Group Managing Director
Pro Staff Engineering, Houston, Texas USA
Several weeks ago I found out about your web site. I have been in the Sales
and Marketing field for over 50 years! I am still a consultant (for
Burlington Resources) and believe in the old adage Knowledge is Power.
For rigs and operator information, I have used many other services such as
ODS-Petrodata's RigInsight, Bassoe's RigBase, (no longer a subscriber),
Rigzone, OCS/BBS, etc. Yours is among the best that I have seen. I really
like the way the left side menu is presented, the maps that go with the
operator's offshore operations, and the ability to secure previous
articles.
Bill Plamondon, Plamondon Marketing Consultants
Houston, Texas USA
I want to salute you for a well informed and exellent site on tha oil and gas industry.
Elling Johansen, Norway
I find your Newsletter informative and enjoyable, keep up the good work.
Anthony Hadow, Halliburton
I really like your website. It provides the most complete and up-to-date
information I've seen. Congratulations.
Thomas S. Kittle, Raw Material Quality Coordinator
Feedstock Characterization, ExxonMobil
You are not quite perfect, but this old doodlebugger wishes that any other
website was as neat, reliable, and up-to-the-minute as OGI.
Steven Williams, UK
Great site! I use it constantly for news, reference, and to link to
companies I'm looking for.
Bill Broussard, BP (Clover Staffing)
We subscribe to your internet publication and commend you on a job well
done.
Roder Russo, International Business Development
Stabil Drill USA, Lafayette, Louisiana USA
We are very impressed with the quality of your web site and your biweekly
e-newsletter. Is there an equivalent site and biweekly of the same
professional caliber for the downstream Industry?
Seth Joel Rinot, Vice President Marketing
Magal Security Systems, Ltd., Yahud, Israel
Just a brief note to say I really enjoy the quality and the spectrum of
your interesting articles and good website. Keep up the good work and talking about all these discoveries!!
Daniel Renoult
Gulf Company, Indonesia
We love your newsletter, a friend has forwarded a few times to us. Now I'm
subscribing.
Yvonne and Rene Vlot
Quick Worldwide Consulting Corporation, Canada
Reading Oil & Gas International is an important source for market
intelligence for SeaMetric International AS.
Rolf Olavesen
SeaMetric International AS, Stavanger, Norway
Many thanks for your newsletter. I find it most valuable.
My best wishes to you.
S.M. Farouq Ali, PERL Canada Ltd.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Was just referred to your site by editors of Platts - we were checking
story on Saudi oil field. What a great site. Will visit it daily.
Philip K. Verleger, Jr., Newport Beach, CA
I don't think I've seen a better designed newsletter (in or out of the Oil industry) that is more informative, unobtrusive, but has such a rich knowledge bank. Great job. Thanks.
Olli Coker, Conoco, USA
I love getting your newsletter. It's the best "news digest" in the
industry, in my opinion, and it's the only newsletter I open each and every
time it appears.
Greg Salerno, Advertising Manager
BJ Services, Houston, Texas USA
Many thanks for a concise, useable, and informative website. Barely a day
passes without browsing the site, in order to prevent the 'what have I
missed' feeling!
Chris Levell, Director, Eye on Energy
London, UK
Ace web site!
Dave Cook, Schlumberger Reservoir Completions (Pitmedden)
Aberdeen, UK
I love this site it is so rich in information that I can't stay a single day without browse in it, thank you very much.
Luiz A. Cordolino, M.Sc.
Cordolino Geophysical Consultants, CGC, Sugar Land, Texas
Thanks for your site it really is wonderful and I deeply appreciate it. I am a daily attendee. Keep up the good work.
Philip Garside, Melbourne, Australia
I greatly appreciate the quality of your work and check your site often for
up-to-date information. Keep up the good work. You provide a valuable
service.
Paul J. Post
Minerals Management Service (MMS), US Department of the Interior
Your website is first class, and I am sure all the people in this business want it to continue.
Kieth Shotbolt, Foster Wheeler UK, Reading, UK.
I am new visitor and have found the site excellent. All the aspects of oil
and gas have been covered. Please keep up the good work.
Faiz M Bhutta, Global Coordinator
INTECH Process Automation Inc., Houston, Texas
It is about time that we have a website that doesn't have as its real purpose selling users something. Your news is genuinely up-to-date and unbiased. Congratulations.
Jeremy Blackwell, London
Congratulations to an excellent and very professional news website for our Industry! Also, congratulations and best wishes for success for Mr. Dev George. He is probably the best writer our industry ever had. He knows his stuff and timing of his articles are spot on.
Kjell Karlsson, PGS, Houston
Congratulations on making OGI only accessible to those who pay a fee. I'm sure the loss of readers will be made up by the gained revenues and, after all, the valuable information you provide needs to be funded. I can't imagine how you were able to fund it in the past without subscriptions.
Dave Schwartz, fugro
You should absolutely charge for this web site! For our part Simco Petroleum
Management will be happy to subscribe. Best Regards
Dr G.O.Simonian, Managing Director
Simco Petroleum Management Ltd, London, UK
About an Article:
Technical Reports
Kudos for running a good site packed with info on the upstream sector of
petroleum industry. I am from ONGC, the National Oil Company of India,
engaged in the upstream sector of petroleum industry. We find that your site
carries some really very useful technical reports. These interesting
technical reports go a long way in fulfilling the thirst for knowledge and
latest developments in the upstream field, among my colleagues in the
company.
AT Kabilan, ONGC, Mumbai, India
Repsol-YPF adds to ownership of BP Trinidad
The issue regarding strategy and the geographic distribution of reserves is
misquoted. The idea is that Repsol YPF has geographically diversified its
reserves by acquiring more reserves in Trinidad, in the Caribbean Basin (as
opposed to having its reserves concentrated in the southern cone of Latin
America).
I should also say that I am a fan of your web pages which I think are a very
good source of industry intelligence.
Dr Keith Martin, Project Manager Acquisitions & Divestments
Repsol YPF Exploracion (ENARM), Madrid, Spain
France & Russia warned support US war on Iraq or no Iraqi oil
Who is Senator Lugar to threaten major allies on behalf of the American
Public? The Senate has been asleep for a decade, and people like Lugar are
part of the problem of US Government failures--not the solution.
Col Thomas McGuire, USAF Ret.
Regarding the article, France & Russia warned support US war on Iraq or no
Iraqi oil: This is called "blackmailing." It is a very abusive tactic which
could get people into prison if it would happen to ordinary citizens. One
book by Patricia Evans, "The Verbally Abusive Relationship," even though
geared towards relationships, work relations, teacher-student relations,
applies very well to countries, and I suggest all people of the World to
read it. The book must be studied. The abuser must be isolated. As long as
people go along out of fear of reprisals there will be no peace. The problem
is not Saddam or the Terrorists in a post-war period, it is the USA who has
decided to rule the World by force and bypass all creative solutions.
Weapons of mass distructions are not the problem, for if they were, the USA
must be dismantled first and foremost.
The German Chancellor deserves the Peace Nobel Prize, for he stands up
against abuse.
War is a perversion of the Human mind.
Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii, Jiivadhara, India
Another Alaska North Slope fatality at BP Prudhoe Bay
In Russia BP is widely recognized for it's HSE achievements. My company,
SIDANCO, where BP secondees are working on implementation of the
advanced HSE management system can be taken as a clear evidence of it's
efficient approach. But, well, all the dangers of oil production are
still here. The wiser oilman is a sadder oilman?
Sergey Lavrinenko, Internal Communications Group Head
SIDANCO, Moscow, Russia
About an Editorial:
A PR bone to pick with repeat offenders
Seems to me that your latest editorial takes readers for a wee bit less clever than they actually are. I know few discerning industry players who can't distinguish varnish from substance, esp. that this is such a small world indeed and after umpteen years in business, most of us know who is behind a company. The big frustration in the news is that people are bombarded with notices of events rather than news, i.e. the mere facts are dumped on our laps, without any comment on why, who, when, where, and how. I do not have any handy comparisons, but it's may be a bit like a parade of feathered birds, where you can't distinguish the peacock from the raven.
I can mention only three exceptions to this state of affairs with regards to events processing: BBC World generally provides some background to their news, which makes me watch them regularly; the sports, where most games are duly analyzed, probably because of the betting industry; and OGI, because OGI is the only news agency in our industry that to my knowledge provide some background to the news so as to be able to locate the event, know a little bit of why it happened there, and what happened before and how, and so empowers the client to make a judgment of its significance in the region. This is what I call news. As for the bullshit, most of us have mental loos to get rid of it, don't worry for this. So next time you'd like to promote OGI, promote OGI's analysis skills.
Keep up the outstanding job and may your daily grind be light.
Eloi Dolivo, Petroleum Geoscience Consultant, Vaud, Switzerland
Three years and counting
People must speak out against the Bush/Blair Cabal. They are big time imposters, Orwellian style, pretending to be democratic whilst actually being fascists. They have fooled the masses because the media doesn't dare to speak out the truth about them. We commend the article and hope more people will speak out. Thanks.
Alex James
We need more courageous people to speak out in favor of peace instead of promoting the Bush & Blair wars. Thanks.
Jameel Sikandar, Saudi Aramco
Iran is not Iraq
Another perspective on both the Iran issue and ME issues. Let's hope Iran
will cease and desist their funding of terror campaigns so we would have a
stable ME rather than being faced with the prospect of direct action. The
nuclear issue is now with the UN Security Council and Germany, France and
the UK are sponsoring that resolution and not the USA at least on the
surface.
And, as we live and work out here we much prefer that these issues be
settled peacefully.
Norman Baillie, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
The growing dependence on Russia
During a business trip to Moscow, I took a tour of the city. During the tour
our guide was very critical of the current presidency and of Russia's
people. He had come to the conclusion that "Russia is a country beyond
commonsense". Never a truer sentiment was uttered!
As a company new to Russia and setting up business, we are amazed by the
level of red tape. We are currently awaiting to be paid by one major client
(Western JV) for work undertaken last year. If I hear about one more 'act of
acceptance', before our invoice is accepted I think I will go mad. But then,
on a recent project with a little known Russian oil company we were paid
upfront a proportion of the total contract value with little fuss and no
'acts of acceptance'. Both companies are using the same contract document we
had drawn up, why one pays and the other has not does not make sense.
We are finding our feet in dealing with the red tape and Russia has huge
potential for us. I can see that it will account for a major proportion of
our global turnover in future years. However, before it does I can see that
my hair will be going grey much quicker than I anticipated!
Steve Keedwell, Subsea Engineering Manager, The Geocon Group
From the Editor
Keep up the great editorials, I know that American values and people are great, but we have a duty to criticize what we know is wrong, and you do it well.Ê Its really patriotic, and very difficult to do in this current environment, when so many are so Gung Ho, including Brits.
Andy Cunningham, Continuity Solutions, Singapore
Australia continues to drag feet
I'm an Aussie, originally from Texas. I reckon you've been over here & have
visited as you adequately sum up WA, but you kicked us out of touch on a
couple issues and sound like some of the Greens we have in Parliament. In a
nutshell it's not Australia's responsibility to suffer great economic and
human loss to see that E. Timor is up and going. They are already getting
90% in a really liberal demarcation of territorial waters. Where do we draw
the line? We are now looking at Aech, Ceram. Now the PM of Malaysia comes
out and attacks Australia for being "anti-Asian". If the head of Australia
came and said something like that, the western media would demand heads to
roll and governments to fall. The PM of Malaysia is old and senile, I reckon
most Malaysians don't feel like he does (I've worked there quite a bit).
Good business sense has to enter somewhere in the equation, and throwing
money and resources at a problem is not a solution. I give Nigeria, Angola,
Congo, etc as examples (worked years in those countries, also).
Tim Brower, Hassi Messaoud, Algeria
Bolivian LNG project needs rethinking
The new president Mesa will likely end up in Washington via Miami as well.
When the oligarchs have such a grip on the levers of power ie money, it is
difficult to dislodge them. Others pop up like gophers as soon as one is
gone.
And whom does Repsol talk with? Again the oligarch faction. The US cocoa
eradication campaign and the interests of US foreign policy have exacerbated
the situation of the poor so they have no choice. Also the IMF failed
privatization policies (see Argentina and others) have not helped the
people.
I suggest that such stirrings are only at the beginning, and not just in
Bolivia. With cell phones, and internet, the mass of people are realizing
what is happening to them. And now they can organize quickly, using modern
comm's such as cell and internet.
As usual, you have touched on an issue that oil and gas companies must face,
since they are the ones who will find they are being shut out. This is an
age-old problem.
Adam Mateyko, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Khodorkovsky
Re your Khodorkovsky editorial: I'd be asking myself about how thorough the
accountancy major that sanctioned Yukos figures lately has been, given the
corruption allegations. Are we about to experience another Andersen style
scandal?
Also, while guns were a bit over the top, the view here in Europe is one of
suspicion as to how K became so wealthy in such a short space of time
without sailing close to the wind or similar!!!
Jeremy Chriswell, Aberdeen, Scotland UK
Beating up on Halliburton
I think its ridiculous for anyone to accuse the Vice President of playing a
role in Halliburton's contracts in Iraq. While I'm obviously not privy to all
the facts surrounding Halliburton's contracts, my guess is that they were a
step ahead of competition in that part of the world and expediency was
paramount to the success of the initial stages of the war, especially in
protecting the oil and gas sector. My guess is that the majority of the
criticism comes from lesser competitors (sour grapes) and simply partisan
politics. Reasonable people can disagree, but the debate should be based on
facts not unfounded accusations and hyperbole. Hopefully the GAO one day
will be able to come up with some facts regarding this matter.
Roder Russo, International Business Development
Stabil Drill USA, Lafayette, Louisiana USA
Now it's Libya's move
Saudi Arabia doesn't have the freedom that you are campaigning for Libya to
have. Yet it attracts investments. And American companies are keen to get
in.
Investments, especially when they are in extractive industries, are not
always about the quality of human rights in a country. I still find it
curious that Libya is so interested in having American companies coming on
board, when so many European companies are scrambling. Still I like your
comments. And your site's doing great.
Toyin Akinosho, Chevron Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
Timorous times in Nigeria
I think while your editorial is in general accurate, you should haved
mentioned the international oil majors who must bear some of the
responsibility. I worked in the Niger Delta in the 1980s for one of those
very large
oil multinationals and toured all the oil producing operations to see what
our competitors were doing as we sought to put together a meaningful local
community relations program.
This was 1988. The wretched poverty, lack of even the most basic government
services such as electricity or potable water, was everywhere. "Schools"
were empty shells of shacks with no books, not even chairs or
tables. And this after onshore production was into its fourth decade! It
was appalling to me - a dedicated oil industry professional.
I urged my company to attempt to form a united industry front to force the
Nigerian Federal Govt to address the Niger Delta underdevelopment issues.
But it never happened. The issue is too large for the oil majors to handle
one by one on an isolated basis. Many of the companies are rightfully hung
up on not becoming a provider of government social services in the absence
of the national government's actions. A collective industry-wide lobby
putting great pressure on Abuja, perhaps together with external pressure
from the
international community, is the only way to start to turn this situation
around.
Florence C. Fee, London
Lessons learned from the Venezuelan strike
If you had even the most remote clue about the situation in Venezuela you
would never put even one gram of weight behind Hugo Chavez. His handling of
PDVSA was a disaster from the very beginning of his administration,
replacing competent management with political appointees determined to
diminish the value and contributions of the staff. To imply that the current
situation in the country is simply a power grab by selected groups (the
"oligarchy") shows that you have
been seduced by the leftist rhetoric of this new Castro. You think there
will be a middle class in Venezuela after this guy is through, with his
class warfare commentaries and anti-captialist practices? Fine, I want some
of what you're smoking.Chavez has done nothing for the Venezuelan people,
absolutely nothing. He will continue to do nothing for the people until he
is gone. By that point, the Venezuelan state oil company will have to be
rebuilt from ashes, and that will be an equally bad thing for all of
Venezuela. Strike or no, the PDVSA staff made a stand to try to save their
company and the country. Now I hope that in the end of all this, there is a
country left to save.
Robert Erlich, Burlington Resources
I entirely agree with everything you say. The opposition has made matters a
lot worse by not presenting a united front. Everyone has their own agendas,
as demonstrated in the many questions in the artificial referendum on
Sunday. PDVSA was over manned and top heavy. This was caused by people
looking after family and friends. This can clearly be seen in the family
groups dismissed by Chavez.
We should all thank Chavez for bringing stability to the oil price. It was
he who pushed this through OPEC.
Patrick Kenny, Manager Engineering Support
Baker Hughes INTEQ, Fluids, Houston, Texas USA
Maybe the Venezuela general strike (not only PDVSA) did not achieve the
immediate goals it was intended to, but I think in the long term it will be
successful. Even now, it has achieved something extremely important for
Venezuela: the world interest. Without the strike, OAS president, Cesar
Gaviria, wouldn't have started negotiations between government and
opposition, without the strike the Group of Friends of Venezuela, integrated
by USA, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Portugal, would not have been created -
even Jimmy Carter is participating in the negotiations, and with this huge
international pressure a democratic solution to the crisis will surely be
found, since Chavez will be forced to negotiate and solve the problem,
something he should have done by himself in the first place.
All this situation resulted in a massive Alternative Referendum yesterday.
Venezuelans in and outside the country signed yesterday for several options
that can be used to take Chavez out of power in a democrat and
constitutional way. The term "alternative" is used because we were supposed
to have a "Consultive Referendum" (non-binding) that is also in Venezuela's
constitution, but the Supreme Court [refused] us the right to submit our
opinion about the Chavez government. The only reason why the Supreme Court
is supporting Chavez is because he bought their votes. In any case, we did
our own Referendum, and so far more than 4 million signatures have been
collected. Chavez was elected with little more than 3 million votes, so you
can imagine what this means.
Oris Hernandez, (Venezuelan)
Pocketing the spoils of war
The trend is obviously clear that the United States and her allies are now
on the move to cleanse the unsettled issues that have been lingering in Iraq
since the end of the Gulf War. The obvious fact is that Saddam Hussein is a
leader that needs brisk and decesive handling instead of the soft touch
approach that some world leaders are canvassing for him. To really tame
Saddam once and for all, the Bush administration should waste no time to
employ the language that the bull in the Persian Gulf region understands
better.
However, in pursuing this agenda the Bush administration should appreciate
the fact that the people of Iraq are not behind Saddam in his regime
excesses, and therefore should be spared the horrors usurping revenues from
their oil to pay for the cost of the war [would bring]. Doing this, is
certainly beyond the good intention of President Bush and a good of American
populace and the world at large will surely frown at this.
My candid opinion is that the United States and her allies should draw up
their clear intention in Iraq and pursue it virgorously and withdraw their
forces the moment their goals are achieved.
Ben Onwugbara, First Securities Discount House Ltd
Lagos, Nigeria
The US president and his subordinates (mostly made up ex-oilmen) are acting
in the interest of their ex-business.
All American people are held to ransom, as much as the entire world by these
men elected to power. The press is Bush-whacked so to speak by that group.
Shame.
Ray Bula
You are right. Not only the whole world would be against us. I and many
others will have a lot to say about that kind of scoundral deal. This is
nothing but the using of power to steal something that doesn't belong to
you. It makes me boil to hear about that kind of hypocritical attitude in
the name of good Christians, which George claims to be. I have a difficult
time imagining how many thousands of those Iraqis would have to die for
cruel men like George Bush and his gang. He worries about unborn cells'
child to be, but has no heart about killing those Iraqi people?
Coni Zehn
This is without doubt the most dangerous time for humainity since the Cuban
missile crisis. A war against Iraq would affect everybody making all our
lives more dangerous. We should all do everything within our power to
prevent it.Excellent editorial!
Antony Schofield, UK
Thanks for your insightful editorial, Pocketing the Spoils of War (1-13-03).
You summarize the situation very neatly. Coming as it does from an oil
industry professional, your analysis ought to have great credibility. Too
bad the general American public is mostly blind to the crucial roll of oil
in current geopolitical calculations.
While you easily perceive that "Certainly the oilfields of Iraq are seen by
all concerned as at the heart of the pending invasion...", this has not been
a part of the popular debate as viewed by the average American
on his television news shows.
For example: "Bush administration officials have, however, categorically
denied oil is one of the reasons why they are pushing for regime change in
Iraq. "Nonsense," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told 60 Minutes' Steve
Kroft in mid-December 2002. "It has nothing to do with oil, literally
nothing to do with oil."
In an article titled "The United States of America Has Gone Mad", John le
Carre' observes: "How Bush and his junta succeeded in deflecting America's
anger from bin Laden to Saddam Hussein is one of the great public relations
conjuring tricks of history. But they swung it. A recent poll tells us that
one in two Americans now believe Saddam was responsible for the attack on
the World Trade Centre. But the American public is not merely being misled.
It is being browbeaten and kept in a state of ignorance and fear."
In a report which energy analyst Charles T. Maxwell issued in early
September of 2001, he posits a peak in global oil production and states that
"The changes in assumption about supply and price is likely to be
gradual and even halting at times. But, in the end, it will be perceived as
inevitable, and all-encompassing. How to deal with the disappearance of
cheap oil supplies will be one of the central social and investment
debates, as I see it, of the first half of the 21st Century."
Is the confusion, turmoil, and aggression we are seeing regarding Iraq a
precursor to a peaking of global oil production in the coming decades?
Joseph Reid, Twisp, Washington USA
I think, with George W. Bush as President, I despair for my country.
Suzanne DeBolt
Thank you for articulating what I have been feeling in my gut for a long
time. I think the US is being held hostage by our disproportionate desire
for oil. It doesn't have to be that way, and rethinking our energy needs
based on a more diverse and decentralized energy policy is a matter of
urgent national security. I think a clear and open debate by the american
people could serve as a catalyst for a revitalization of our society and
breath new life into our economy. Think this debate will be allowed to
happen under today's political climate?
Dan Kislinger, IHB Corporation
The Bush Administration is looking for something to boast about come the
presidential elections of 2004. The FBI dropped the ball on 9/11 due to
Bush's re-focusing the FBI's resources to combat racial profiling, rather
than international terrorism like the Clinton Administration had set out. So
when the rest of the world knew the attacks were coming three weeks prior,
President Bush was scratching his head on 9/10 wondering what everyone was
talking about and trying to get the FBI to obtain any information about
these so called attacks. The FBI intercepted a message, but are so
incompetent that they couldn't even translate the date correctly. Now our
war on terror is a bust, Osama Bin Laden has disappeared, our economy is
failing while oil prices and unemployment are rising. By disguising our
imperialist ambitions to steal Iraq's oil reserves for ourselves as trying
to rid the world of an evil empire that threatens us all with impending doom
and mass destruction, President Bush hopes to cover up his tracks of botched
leadership and incompetent foreign policies. But the rest of the world and
the American people will not tolerate the murder of 500,000 Iraqis for oil
and the sacrifice of tens of thousands of US troops for the sake of Bush's
re-election. The UN will not back a US led war against Iraq without
undeniable proof that there is no alternative; US allies, including Great
Britain are screaming for more time and alternatives that military force
against a nation that has not threatened anyone nor has yet to be accused of
violating international law; and less than one third of Americans support a
Bush War without the backing of the UN. Do not trade blood for oil.
Eddie Mirza, Molecular BioProducts
San Diego, California USA
Is it Manifest Destiny that drives America to pursue this war of conquest
and
frontier expansion in the face of many skeptical allies and a hostile Middle
East? Whether this is empire building or not, it is seen as a rational way
to deal with a myriad of geopolitical threats within the confines of a
limited action that in the end will be self financed by the prize of
petroleum reserves. What makes so much sense on so many levels can be
undone
by the unpredictability of war in an unstable region and blowback throughout
the world. In the context of history, this effort will be one of great note.
The lure of such a grand and bold move to the statesman who force the issue
should not be underestimated.
D. Graves
Distributions of the US military suggest virtual occupation of the whole
Middle East starting in 2003. Campaign in Iraq will be a violent step. In
other countries of Middle East 'occupation' will be implemented peacefully.
How different is it from the Lebensraum strategy?
Wojciech M. Jaworski, PhD
CEO of General Strategies Inc., Brownsburg, Quebec, Canada
Why should Americans front the cost for straightening out the mid-East?
[sic]. Let me ask you this Mr. Editor, just how much of this oil revenue due [sic] you think has killed Americans? How much has been used in establishing new
terrorist sects [sic] not to mention retaining pre-existing operations?. If
you don't think we are already at risk in our over-seas excursions, think
again! How many westerners were killed during the Clinton administration
during count[l]ess terrorist acts all committed by Muslim men of mid-Eastern
[sic] descent?
Brian L Duwe, Baker Hughes
I only have one comment: There will be a massive hostage taking and murder
at some point of many American nationals stationed abroad. It is certain.
The US cannot protect everyone, and someone is going to suffer from this.
You can be mathematically certain. There is no way hard line Islamic people
will ever allow an invasion of Iraq. Ifeel sorry for the families of the
future victims of this blatent attemp at theft. It is too bad they cannot
just get rid of goofy Hussain and his family some way. Somehow, we all knew
it would come to this , someday.
JR, London
I have enjoyed reading your editorials of late and agree with you that the
Pentagon seems to be running the country not the President. Priorities
indeed! Good for you for having the courage to express the thoughts that
many would be afraid to say. It is so easy to be called un-American for
doing so but, believe me, as a Canadian, you get used to having a
perspective that says "I love the American people but not the Government."
Does this make me un-American? I doubt it. But then again, I have said that
same thing about almost every government.
Grahame Ware, San Diego, California
It is a very balanced editorial. Indirectly the actions of the US government
indicate that they have owned
the Olduvai Theory of Dr. Duncan. As a result, on one pretext or another,
the US will attack Iraq and feel that it has gained "Energy Security," but
that will be at the cost of having to pull shutters on US embassies in all
Arab as well other Asian Muslim nations. Forget about business, US will have
to give warning to even casual
travellers not to visit those countries for all times to come. Our industry
has a true international character and
has fostered better understanding between individuals from different
countries. It will be a sad day when the
oil industry will be forced to be "LOCAL."
Dilip Kale
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