[nunya bidness]

How do you come up with the 30% figure? Is there a site that shows the latest data?

Also, assuming we did go in to Iraq and given a worst case scenario (Gulf War) where the oilfields were set ablaze what would the recovery cost compare to non-intervention?

[Torie]

This may come as a shock to you, but this isn't about oil. Cheers.

[Howlin]

I love it because you two are having a SANE conversation in the middle of all this.

[Texasforever]

Sure just do a search on oil imports. I am sure that is about right from earlier discussions.
As to oil fields set ablaze, that really is not that big a deal. It is a pretty routine task to cap a burning well and I now understand through contacts with people still actively involved that as a result of the Gulf war, most well heads have been retrofitted with various devices to isolate the well or in some cases explosive charges that would actually seal the well if tampered with. As to Iraq, if you remember the Russians just signed a 40 billion dollar development program with Iraq. It got a lot of folks upset on the forum but it was NOT a stick in our eye. That 40 billion will be spent regardless of who the government is so Russia is actually positioning for a place at the table, in fact they may actually be the prime “nation building” force after Saddam joins his virgins.