the propeace community - It's Not About Oil - Comments

Dahr Jamail's Dispatches

Susan Livingston — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 10:06:52 -0500

I wish I could send you to that particular report, but I delete them as fast as I read them. I'd rather send you to his blog where you can Subscribe to Dahr Jamail's Dispatches and get his "from-the-ground" reports.

Editor, propeace.net

Re: Imperialism

Artie — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 16:18:41 -0500

Susan Livingston wrote:

Of course our presence in that region (Israel included) is to exert military control over whatever supply of the drug remains! I got a bumper sticker at the DC demonstration in September that says it all: HOW DID OUR OIL GET UNDER THEIR SAND? My tongue was firmly embedded in my cheek when I asked if you could say IMPERIALISM.

Sorry, I thought you meant the title of your post literally - "it's not about oil," and that you were making a distinction between war for oil and imperialism.

When I say we are addicted to oil, I mean primarily that we as a nation are collectively addicted to oil. But many of us who are concerned with issues of peace and justice are just as addicted as the Hummer drivers with the starter castles in the 'burbs. We may try to conserve, to drive less in more efficient cars, but we still are completely dependent on oil for our heating and cooling, our food, and our transportation.

I do take your point that conservation measures are essential regardless of how much cheap oil is left. The expression "peak oil" is now making its way into the mainstream media now. Congressman Bartlett's presentation metioned by another poster is a must-read for propeace people. I would also strongly suggest Richard Heinberg's piece on alternet: http://www.alternet.org/story/28212/

Many in the "peak oil" community are stressing that it's not a matter of us "running out of oil," or "running out of natural gas" because we'll never tecnically run out of these resources. At some point it will simply become too expensive to pump oil out of the ground, and no amount of conservation or alternative energy sources will allow to continue our current standard of living. This means we all have to change our ways.

If you think of oil as our economic life-blood, then consider that one doesn't have to lose all of one's blood to die or become very sick. This sickness, if you will, will affect everyone, not just those who drive fuel-efficient cars and practice perma-culture. This will require radical re-working of our civilization.

Once again, I think I misunderstood the gist of your initial post, or I missed the citation. Can you cite the article by Dahn Jamail you mentioned?

Artie

Imperialism

Susan Livingston — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 14:52:26 -0500

You say you disagree, but then you agree. Things may get much worse before they get better, but don't fear, don't panic - just take the steps necessary to insure the survival of you, yours, and the people and things we hold dear. Do not be suckered in to seeking short-term "solutions;" support sustainable lifestyles. "We" are addicted to oil, but that doesn't mean "you" or "I" or those in our sphere of influence must be addicted to oil. "They" are addicted to oil!

Foreign oil, domestic oil, infrastructure, import, export, reserve, blah, blah, blah. I've read that the ME has only about 20% of the oil left in the ground. It doesn't matter what the number is. The point is that the demand far exceeds the supply. Shall we drill ever deeper at the risk of increasing the number of earthquakes? Shall we strip the gulf coast wetlands to build new oil rigs in the aftermath of Katrina, or shall we restore those wetlands so that they can be necessary buffers? Shall we open ANWR to extract our drug, or shall we protect the indigenous people and other endangered species that have used that habitat for some 20 thousand years? Fortunately, through the efforts of people who care (like us) and in spite of decades of effort to the contrary, ANWR remains pristine. The irony is that the oil that was to result from that ecological act of rape was destined for Japan, where it would get a higher price!

By the way, remember how we were hurting in September when our gasoline prices doubled? In the same article I quoted, Dahr reports that Iraqi prices for gasoline have increased eightfold! And yet nobody here said a word when the prices slipped back down by about a dollar a gallon. This is seductive, this is feeding the addiction. Even with a functional infrastructure and no exportation, the ME, too, will run out of oil sooner rather than later.

You can be assured that my next vehicle will have a diesel engine. For reasons that are clear to the mechanically inclined, such vehicles can run on bio-fuels as is with no conversion; you just have to be resigned to replacing your fuel lines a bit more often - like maybe twice per hundred thousand miles. There are micro-enterprises that filter and process the deep-fry fat from "fast-food" (neither fast nor food, in my opinion) restaurants (rushtaurants) into a fuel that even older-model diesel vehicles can burn. Do not be seduced by hybrids or high mpg ratings. Join me in boycotting all drive-throughs, never let your vehicle idle for more than 90 seconds, plan multiple-stop errand runs, share rides even if it costs you a little bit of time, and walk, bicycle, moped, or use public transportation when possible.

There are micro-enterprises that are producing both extrusion and molded plastic items from vegetative waste such as corn cobs. The Department of Peace has within it an Undersecretary of Peace Technology who will grant development money to such enterprises and disseminate that processing technique. I see a day when there will be warning labels on petrochemical-based plastics. Whenever possible, get your food locally - or grow your own. Whenever possible, use naturopathic medicines and PROactive means to sustain your health instead of REactively treating your illnesses.

But most of all, don't succumb to the fear-mongers. Meditate, achieve clarity of thought, and solutions will become apparent. I hope this helps, and I hope you take it in the spirit of support in which it was intended. May peace be within you and all around you for this winter holiday season. Let the problems of the world wait until after the New Year's holiday and rejoice in something wonderful!

Editor, propeace.net

Rep. Bartlett's Peak Oil Presentation to the US Congress

BillH — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 14:37:59 -0500

Please take the time to view this , it very important: http://www.energybulletin.net/5080.html

Re: It's Not About Oil

Artie — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 11:32:27 -0500

Susan Livingston wrote:

"Iraq is currently importing nearly half of all its fuel, with the government spending over 6 billion dollar each year on the importing of oil products from other countries."...So what's it about? [Can you say IMPERIALISM?]

I have to disagree, Susan. Like the other poster said, it might not be "just" about oil, but oil is indeed the main reason we're there. And, truth be told, US interests in ME oil is a form of imperialism in and of itself.

It is ironic that an oil-rich country like Iraq is importing oil, but Iraq's oil-producing infrastructure has been badly damaged by both American and insurgent forces since the invasion in 2003. The fact that Iraq is importing oil means that the oil underneath Iraq remains there to be extracted in the future.

Two-thirds of the worlds remaining oil reserves are in the Middle East. The United States consumes roughly 25 % of all oil produced in the world, while we produce only 7 %. And we're past our "peak" in all production here in the US - we're producing all we can. To maintain the US "non-negotiable" way of life, we are forced to import 80% of all oil consumed here in the US, and we run huge trade deficits month after month, year after year because of this.

In short, we are addicted to oil, and the major suppliers of our drug don't particularly like us. Every aspect of our lives here in the US depends on oil - our food, our transportation, our medicine. Without cheap oil, the US economy will crash and burn.

We are in Iraq to establish a military foothold in the region where 2/3 of all remaining oil exists.

Artie

LIVE LOVE

Teoti — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 15:15:34 -0500

I love you. I share. I am an idealist. I share. I am a realist. I share. I am subjective. I share. I am love. I share. I am truth. I share. I am ALIVE! I share. I am our power and strength, together. The world frustrates, the children are dying! NOooooooo!

Inspiration is a seed. When we work together, we work as ONE.

The Department of Peace...will happen! We can manifest it with our will and determination. I am with you, all of you. I encourage everyone to MEDITATE, if you don't already. It is where peace originates. Many Blessings to everyone, Teoti

Out & About

Rainbow Brain — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 14:52:17 -0500

Its about, getting out and about, it's about the future of humanity, it's about the creation of the We*Men race and the defeat of fear, its about embracing the Age of Compassion, its about a simple choice, take the gift of truth and share it, or accept the deception of fear and perish with it.

BL*M

It's Not ONLY About Oil

Peacetalk — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 03:33:52 -0500

Sure, its not ONLY about oil, its about geostrategic location, its about the arm industry, its about globalisation, its about the long term relations with China, its about the struggle of cultures and its about the insanity of a group of lunatics that want to spread and dictate their values and their way of life all around the globe.

It's Not About Oil

Susan Livingston — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:26:46 -0500

"Iraq is currently importing nearly half of all its fuel, with the government spending over 6 billion dollar each year on the importing of oil products from other countries." This is from the ground in a report by Dahr Jamail, independent journalist and one of the witnesses who testified at the World Tribunal on Iraq. I have had personal correspondence with Dahr and two of his "habibi," and I choose to believe him over all the "progressives" who say that this war is about oil.