Re: Oil companies above the law

[Chris Dahn <chris.dahn@acm.org>]

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> The oil barons still bow to the US, we've proven what we'll do if our
> allies cross us. Nicaragua and Iraq proved these points well.  Noriega and
> Hussein were both in quite good graces with the US even while commiting
> crimes against their own people.  And we didn't care that Hussein was
> murdering Kurds and gassing his own people until he started going against
> the interests of the US.
>
> Therefore, the US isn't at the mercy of OPEC and neither are it's citizens,
> but it's citizens *are* hostages of the US gov't. Then again, who didn't
> know that?

  There is a general rule in economics called supply and demand.  OPEC is the
supply, we are the demand.  The demand does not drive the supply.  Yes, OPEC
needs the US to sell their oil too, but it is completely incorrect to draw the
conclusion that therefore the US makes demands of OPEC.  OPEC needs our money,
but we need OPEC's oil more than that.  What are we going to do, demand that
OPEC stop charging so much?  Don't be absurd.

  Then you make the statement that we'd do something "bad" to OPEC, like go to
war with them if we truly felt they were crossing us?  That my friend is
nothing short of being an international bully.  It is the international
equivalent to beating up the guy behind the counter of the convenience store
because he charges $1.00 for a can of soda.  Yes, we waited until US interests
were threatened before we attacked Hussein.  That's because until Hussein
threatens US interests, the US has no business attacking Hussein.  Why do
people think that the US should be stepping in and playing nanny to all of
these foreign countries every time they have civil strife?



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