Keith,
Remember that the French, and particularly the Russians,
have invested large amounts in the development of Iraqi oil fields. They want
development - or their money back - which, if my memory doesn't fail me is more
than $8 billion apiece, plus some $4 billion from (I think) the second largest
Russian oil company.
If western oil firms don't do it, the Russians will.
However, the important thing is not that that there is western development, but
that there is development. We want more oil in the market so we can increase the
horse-power of our SUVs.
Harry
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Keith Hudson
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 12:33 PM
To: Karen Watters Cole
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Change in Bush's demeanour (was RE: [Futurework] Bush's preliminary step to withdrawal?
Karen,
I thought, too, that there was a real change of style in Bush's speech. He was almost eloquent. A week ago he looked an exceedingly worried man with deep lines across his forehead. Now, he's seems almost triumphant. Now that I've stuck my neck out I think he is feeling real relief that they've decided on a way out of their impossible impasse. Now that he realised that the US and UK oil corporations can sit on their hands for 10/15 years before they need to develop the Iraqi oilfields (if they get the chance to), there's no point in Bush staying any longer. There's no way he can form any form of respectable democratic constitution and satisfy all the Iraqi schisms, so he's decided to go. He'll even have the chutzpah to say that he's saved young American lives when he does so.
As it happens -- even if he does get out of Iraq triumphally in the next two/three months and show the American people what a statesman he's been -- I still think he'll be ditched by a failing economy. But no matter, at the present time, he must be feeling a ot more confident about the economy because most economic journalists (and economists for all I know) are still knocked-off their objectivity perch by the last quarter's growth figures which -- apparently -- augur well for a jobs pick-up.
I still think that all will turn out very badly for him on both counts and he'll be despised as having been the worst president for a very long time, including Nixon.
Keith
I thought, too, that there was a real change of style in Bush's speech. He was almost eloquent. A week ago he looked an exceedingly worried man with deep lines across his forehead. Now, he's seems almost triumphant. Now that I've stuck my neck out I think he is feeling real relief that they've decided on a way out of their impossible impasse. Now that he realised that the US and UK oil corporations can sit on their hands for 10/15 years before they need to develop the Iraqi oilfields (if they get the chance to), there's no point in Bush staying any longer. There's no way he can form any form of respectable democratic constitution and satisfy all the Iraqi schisms, so he's decided to go. He'll even have the chutzpah to say that he's saved young American lives when he does so.
As it happens -- even if he does get out of Iraq triumphally in the next two/three months and show the American people what a statesman he's been -- I still think he'll be ditched by a failing economy. But no matter, at the present time, he must be feeling a ot more confident about the economy because most economic journalists (and economists for all I know) are still knocked-off their objectivity perch by the last quarter's growth figures which -- apparently -- augur well for a jobs pick-up.
I still think that all will turn out very badly for him on both counts and he'll be despised as having been the worst president for a very long time, including Nixon.
Keith
