Posted on 04/01/2002 1:39:29 PM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - The United States Monday dismissed as "random musings" an Iraqi call for Arab producers to use oil supplies as a weapon against supporters of Israel, including Washington.
"I saw one report of some Iraqi statement. I don't think the Arab world takes that seriously," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said when asked to comment on the statement earlier by Iraq's ruling Baath party.
Analysts say economic reality makes it unlikely that Arabs will heed such urgings to withhold supplies as in the 1970s, when a crippling Arab oil embargo against Western nations quadrupled oil prices and badly damaged the U.S. economy.
Reeker accused President Saddam Hussein of trying to "change the subject" from what he said really mattered -- heeding international calls for the return of arms inspectors to a country that President George W. Bush accuses of trying to amass weapons of mass destruction.
"I think Saddam Hussein and Iraq have certain things they should be focusing on, and that is complying with U.N. Security Council resolutions," Reeker told a news briefing.
"That's where we'll continue our focus, and I just don't have anything on random musings from the Iraqi regime," he added.
Economies of Arab producers have grown increasingly dependent on oil revenues in the past three decades.
The statement called for oil to be used as a weapon and added, "If the oil weapon is not used in the battle to defend our nations and safeguard our lives and dignity against American and Zionist aggression, it is meaningless."
There has been no official comment yet but Saudi Arabia and other major producers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have previously insisted that a new embargo was unthinkable.
"The Arab countries would probly find it harder to live with than we would," one State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
© Reuters Limited.
Yep. They can't afford it. At least we have reserves (that Al Gore depleted to get the NE vote, BTW).
Heck, we probably have enough back up to get us through the Anwar drilling process.
Go ahead, Saddam, make our day!
We could use his help against the Socialist environmentalists anyway.
Worst case scenario is that they would sell their oil to the French who, in turn, would add their profit and sell to us.
Otherwise, they simply won't be able to feed themselves.
Russia is capable of easily out-producing the Saudis. They have far more reserves. The problem is one of distribution. The Russian pipeline system is woefully inadequate. And although Western companies are investing massively to expand this capacity, it will be at least 5 years before this investment is realized, and 10 years before it is deployed to full capacity. Of course, ANWR has inherent delays as well.
However, the U.S. could fulfill the missing Arab supplies through increased purchases from Venezuela, Mexico, Norway and Canada. We would need to pay a bit more, but I am confident that Americans would be willing to do so to break the back of the Arab cartel.
Hey, that's catchy.
JUST SAY NO to Arab oil. I'd be willin to pay more but then there's all those others that probably coulodn't afford it.
sorry..not unless we can get it completed in 2 weeks.
.There are such massive oil reserves off the California coast and near the Florida coast in the Gulf of Mexico that the development of these reserves would set off a tremendous surge in the oil business economy as well as sending America in the direction of energy independence.
Throw in Anwar and aggressive exploration and development in the former Soviet states and the price of world oil would fall to $5 per barrel.
Also... I don't know why noone is considering this... but if this is war... then the rules of WAR apply, not rules of civilazation! (which the Arabs are yet to join).
As I was saying... if this is war, then we just TAKE the damn oil if we need it. I seem to remember that Japan started a war on America since their oil was disrupted.
I would anticipate perhaps 2 weeks delay in taking over almost all of the oil fields in the region. I would start with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Once the rest of the Arab League members sniff where the wind is blowing, there won't be any more need to take over the fields, the oil will be flowing!!! And at the same time, the Euroswine will be cheering us on! (I can't imagine being bent over with the Arabs behind you is such a wonderful position to be in! Just make sure you don't "bleet"!)
Turn over all terrorists residing within your borders to American authorities, or we will bomb your oil wells.
Hope you remember how to herd goats.
then maybe king george would understand the muslim countries in the ME are our enemies and we could go ahead and take them out.
Saudi would make a wonderful New Texas.
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