yeah, how dare anyone protect iraq's most valuable resource! hell, we should all let the insurgents set fire to the wells now, so no iraqi will ever find any prosperity.

edit: oh, and serious WTF @ the labor party being described as "centre left". who writes this shit?

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Last edited by pkcRAISTLIN on Jul-05-2007 at 05:52

quote:

Australia 'has Iraq oil motive' Australia has about 1,500 military personnel in the Gulf Australia has admitted that securing oil is a key factor behind its continued troop deployment in Iraq. It is the first time such an admission has been made, correspondents say. Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said that maintaining "resource security" in the Middle East was a priority for the government in Canberra. But he added that the main reason troops were still in the Gulf was to ensure that the humanitarian crisis there did not worsen. Australia was involved in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and has about 1,500 military personnel still deployed in the region. There are no immediate plans to bring them home. Howard accused Releasing the government's review of its national security policy, Mr Nelson said that the supply of oil had influenced strategic planning. "The defence update we're releasing today sets out many priorities for Australia's defence and security, and resource security is one of them," he said. "Obviously the Middle East itself, not only Iraq but the entire region, is an important supplier of energy, oil in particular, to the rest of the world." Critics have accused the Australian government of telling lies about Iraq. Opposition politicians said that back in 2003, Prime Minister John Howard insisted the campaign to oust former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with oil. They have chastised Mr Howard, accusing him of making up his policy in the Gulf as he goes along. Anti-war protesters say the government's admission has proved that the US-led invasion was more of a grab for oil rather than a genuine attempt to uncover weapons of mass destruction. But ministers in Canberra have brushed aside the criticism, saying they remain committed to helping the US stabilise Iraq and combat terrorism. They have also stressed that there will be no "premature withdrawal" of Australian forces from the region.

Australia 'has Iraq oil motive'

It's called a Western world style policy. So disgusting...

Would be very nice to get an article of US defense minister saying the same thing his Aussie counterpart did ;-) if anyone has the beef, please let me know ;-)

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Whenever you go and buy something, you are affecting someone somewhere, be it environment, a person, or a community - you're making a statement with what you buy. So make it a smart choice ... Its a big picture

quote:

Originally posted by Krypton Our friends at Halliburton have relocated to Dubai.

This is one of the most under reported news items in the past decade.

To avoid a tirade about the Latin American debt crisis, the arms trade, and upper class neo-monarchies, I will tell a simple anticdote.

In the early days of shipping it was well known that before a vessal got in to trouble the rats would all begin to jump ship.

quote:

Originally posted by atbell This is one of the most under reported news items in the past decade. To avoid a tirade about the Latin American debt crisis, the arms trade, and upper class neo-monarchies, I will tell a simple anticdote. In the early days of shipping it was well known that before a vessal got in to trouble the rats would all begin to jump ship.

Well then they're stupid cos vessels normally get into trouble in the middle of the sea so the rats would all drown!

quote:

Originally posted by star-traveller Australia 'has Iraq oil motive' It's called a Western world style policy. So disgusting...

Why is it called that?

Because the West are the only people that use oil?

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

quote:

Originally posted by star-traveller Australia 'has Iraq oil motive' It's called a Western world style policy. So disgusting...

You want a dodgy oil policy? Look at China in Sudan. Have you ever wondered why the UN is powerless to do anything against Sudan over Dafur? It's because China is on the Security Council and will veto any action against their oil-supplying ally

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Originally posted by George Smiley You want a dodgy oil policy? Look at China in Sudan. Have you ever wondered why the UN is powerless to do anything against Sudan over Dafur? It's because China is on the Security Council and will veto any action against their oil-supplying ally

What's more amazing is the lack of info on this subject.
China has more tentacles in foreign countries than we'd like to believe, mostly because of their voracious appetite for raw materials.

Even here in Canada it's starting...

quote:

First Chinese firm wins oilsands exploration rights Posted: July 3, 2007 Section: June 29, 2007, edmontonjournal.com, SHANGHAI (AFP) - China National Petroleum Corp has become the first Chinese firm to control a Canadian oilsands project after winning exploration rights to the resources in Alberta, state press said today. The country's largest oil company has secured exploration rights to 11 sections with an area of 258.6 square kilometres, the Shanghai Securities News reported, citing unnamed company producer sources. The deal, expected to eventually yield 220,000 barrels of crude daily, is the first case of a Chinese firm taking a controlling stake in a Canadian oilsands project, the report said, without disclosing any financial details. In 2005, China National Offshore Oil Corp agreed to acquire a 16.69 per cent stake in Canada's MEG Energy Corp, for C$150 million. The later owns oilsand leases in 52 sections totalling 32,800 acres in Alberta. Sinopec, Asia's largest refiner, also agreed to pay C$150 million for a 40 per cent stake in a joint venture producing synthetic crude from western Canada oilsands. The Shanghai newspaper cited officials with the China National Petroleum Corp as saying that oilsands, which are more expensive to process than light crude, are viable as long as crude prices are above $30 US per barrel. At an estimated 173 billion barrels, Canada's oil sands rank second behind Saudi Arabia in petroleum reserves at 230 billion barrels but they were long neglected due to high extraction costs. Since 2000, however, soaring crude prices and improved extraction technology have persuaded several foreign companies to invest billions of dollars.

>>Source<<

So if Australia has a 'Western world style policy' does this mean China has an 'Eastern world style policy' in kind?

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

quote:

Originally posted by Fir3start3r What's more amazing is the lack of info on this subject. China has more tentacles in foreign countries than we'd like to believe, mostly because of their voracious appetite for raw materials. Even here in Canada it's starting... >>Source<< So if Australia has a 'Western world style policy' does this mean China has an 'Eastern world style policy' in kind?

Depends where the Moon is when you're looking down!

quote:

Originally posted by Fir3start3r What's more amazing is the lack of info on this subject. China has more tentacles in foreign countries than we'd like to believe, mostly because of their voracious appetite for raw materials. Even here in Canada it's starting...

It started in Canada long before this year, even before the move by CNOOC to buy Unocal in 2005 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4121830.stm)

In 2004 Minmetals put in a bid for Canadian minning giant Noranda and it's then subsidiary Falconbridge. (http://www2.ccnmatthews.com/scripts...M.xml&t=noranda) I was working there at the time of the negotiations and was lucky enough to talk with Derrik Penal, the CEO about the sale. He said his Chinese counter parts were very timid about the deal. He felt they were concerned that they might be paying to much.

Oil is not the only resource in the world who's supply is slipping well below demand. The price of almost every metal has DOUBLED since 2003, if not increasing further.