And Just In Time For The Post-Election (Gas Price) Bounce . . .

[Strelnikov_]

US Warns Of Potential Threat To Saudi Oil Facilities
http://www.pakistantimes.net/2006/10/22/top14.htm

The US government has warned that it had received information of a potential threat against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. "The US Government has received new information of a potential threat to oil facilities in the Eastern Province, including those operated by Saudi Aramco," according to a "warden message" issued to alert US citizens.

"New information indicates threats against westerners living in Saudi Arabia continue," said the message, posted on the US State Department's Overseas Security Advisory Council website.

It did not provide any details. "We are advising US government employees to avoid non-essential travel to oil facilities, and recommend that American citizens take all possible precautions," it said.

Warden Message #11/2006 - Security Advisory
http://riyadh.usembassy.gov/saudi-arabia/WardenMSGOctober_19_2006.html

The Embassy requests that wardens pass the following message in its entirety to members of the American Community:

The U.S. Government has received new information of a potential threat to oil facilities in the Eastern Province, including those operated by Saudi Aramco. New information indicates threats against westerners living in Saudi Arabia continue. We are advising U.S. government employees to avoid non-essential travel to oil facilities, and recommend that American citizens take all possible precautions.

[happyslug]

1. I could have given them that warning

If you are bin Laden and you want to weaken the US military where do you strike? At its weakest point. Where is that weakness? The US military dependence on oil to run its ships, planes, tanks and Trucks. Where does 10% of the world oil comes from? The Saudi Arabia port. You no longer have a strong central Government in Iraq to prevent some terrorists from using Iraq as a base. It is now a quick jump across the border. The only thing preventing bin Laden from Attacking are the Shiites in the area (The oil Fields of Saudi Arabia, like the oil fields of Southern Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and even the United Arab Emirates) are in area where the majority of people are SHIITE not Sunni Moslems. Bin Laden is a Sunni (Actually a radical form of Sunni, but that is a minor factor here).

Once you realized that Iran is fearing a Military Attack and its need to defend itself and the best way is to reduce US Strength by destroying US Access to Oil, you see at least two groups who want that oil export terminal destroyed. Both have assets in the Area that can do the job, the only issue is how well is the terminal defended (and if the defenders have been infiltrated by Iran or Al Queda).

[Strelnikov_]

2. Related Paper

Saudi Arabian Oil Facilities: The Achilles Heel of the Western Economy
http://www.jamestown.org/docs/Jamestown-SaudiOil.pdf

Since al‐Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden began speaking publicly in 1993, he has identified the control of energy reserves
in Muslim lands as one of the United Statesʹ most important foreign policy goals. In late 2004, for example, bin Laden
described the U.S. invasion of Iraq as an effort to dominate Iraqʹs energy resources. ʺAnd Bushʹs hands are stained with
the blood of all those killed on both sides ,ʺ bin Laden said, ʺall for the sake of oil, and keeping their
private companies in business.ʺ In addition, al‐Qaedaʹs strategy against the U.S.—based on the words of bin Laden and al‐Qaeda
second‐in‐command Ayman al‐Zawahiri and discussions in al‐Qaedaʹs electronic journals—has become ever more firmly grounded in
what bin Laden describes as the ʺBleed America to Bankruptcy War.ʺ The steady and affordable supply of oil, being crucial to
the well‐being of the economies of the United States and its allies, has naturally become a focus for al‐Qaeda, as well as a
valued target in its overall plan to force the United States out of the Middle East by damaging its economy severly.

He may be a lot of things, but he is not stupid.

[donheld]

3. Are Gas prices going to go even higher if we vote Democratic

As punishment? Not that it would stop me, but that's the way these people operate.

[upi402]

4. I think they go up either way

A conservative I know says it's not the election bringing prices down, it's just the price of crude.
I said, "uh... yeah!"

DOH!!!