General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI watched Rachel's "Why We Did It" yesterday and guess what?
I learned nothing that had not been discussed here numerous times, at the time. While I thought it was a worthwhile documentary, for those of us that were here at the time it was old news.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)the PROOF Rachel offered that it was all about oil.
We, who marched and screamed and raised hell about "No War for Oil" were laughed at, mocked and belittled. We KNEW in our hearts that it was all about oil for Dick Cheney and Halliburton but we had no proof.
Rachel provided proof yesterday.
reddread
(6,896 posts)the primary motivation was keeping oil prices high, according to the documents he revealed a few years ago.
Were they part of the discussion, i presume?
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)as I find him to make a lot of promises he never delivers on.
So, I can't tell you how it compares to what Palast says or doesn't say.
However, Rachel offered hundreds of documents and facts as proof.
Her primary premise proved that the war in Iraq was to divvy up the oil in Iraq to the US oil companies. They invaded primarily to take the oil for US corporations.
reddread
(6,896 posts)sounds like a bid for ratings.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)Wow. Just. Wow.
Squinch
(50,949 posts)reddread
(6,896 posts)rtracey
(2,062 posts)The reasoning for the oil war was to put more oil on the market. Documents showed that Iraq was producing 3 million barrels, and US wanted to bump it to 5 million, to keep prices lower.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)because those facts aren't even what was reported.
In fact, she reported that the 3 million was the US GOAL, with 5 million once they turned the Iraq oil fields to US companies. Once they brought in the US oil exec, he found Iraq oils fields literally held together with duct tape!
Ok my numbers we mixed, but the goal was not. it was to put more oil on the market to keep prices lower, keep the tap flowing...
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)You really think the goal of a Bush/Cheney administration was to lower gas prices?
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)companies to keep the price down for the consumer? I doubt that their share holders would approve.
CANDO
(2,068 posts)there never seems to be an exact formula for that. Some domestic strife in a banana republic somewhere is usually reason enough for the price to rocket upward. A fire on a single oil platform in the Gulf Of Mexico can do wonders for the price of a barrel of oil.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)showed that, within a month of the inauguration, Dick Cheney had divvied up the Iraq oil fields to US oil companies.
Yes, I agree, most of us knew it was about oil, but never saw proof, Maddows piece. I was not shocked by what it said, but I was somewhat furious that so many people, civilians and soldiers died for it. I feel for the parents, husbands, wives, girl and boyfriends of the slain soldiers, and would be furious knowing my child died serving his/her country, not for protecting it, and keeping its citizens out of harm, but for the greed of a few companies and government officials.
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)Starting with tons of documents from the Dick Cheney Energy Commission which have never before been released. Including the list of participants - oil company executives, at the Houston headquarters of KBR.
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Starting with tons of documents from the Dick Cheney Energy Commission (which have never before been released.) so if this has never been released, who could WE see it
Glitterati
(3,182 posts)Because she quotes from these previously unreleased documents EXTENSIVELY. Shows the February 2001 map of the divvied up oil fields on the screen.........
Seriously, I'm beginning to wonder if we watched the same show.
malaise
(268,997 posts)Sadly the neo-cons are at it again for guess what - oil.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)a living hell for the populace just so they can make money.
This has got to stop. We need to:
1) Restore progressive tax brackets with a top bracket of 75% on incomes above $1 billion.
2) Institute a tax on all stock/bond transactions of .25%
3) Institute a progressive capital gains tax which encourages buy and hold and discourages speculation. Gains from day trading are taxed at 95%. Gains > 1 day <30 = 90%. Gains > 30 days to 365 = 75%. Gains >1 year to 5 years = 60%. Gains > 5 years to 10 years = 45%. Gains > 10 years to 15 = 30%. Gains > 15 years to 20 = 15%. Gains > 20 years = 5% (This rewards people saving for retirement, penalizes day traders and speculators).
4) Reverse the burden of proof on tax shelters, requiring anyone creating one to prove to the IRS that it does not violate existing law, instead of the current create an illegal shelter, hide it from IRS, then fight it in the courts, then settle at a discount when you threaten to drag the court battle out for years.
5) Remove the cap on income for Social Security taxes.
6) Tax dividend income as ordinary income unless the recipient is disabled, over 65 or the dividends are paid into a retirement account. Qualified dividends are taxed at 5%.
That would balance the budget, fund infrastructure repairs, reline the safety nets and stabilize the economy by greatly reducing speculation.
Maybe you didnt learn anything new but believe me when I say the public are morons and this is probably the 1st time they ever considered this information.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Who saw that one coming? Oh, all of us did.
IDemo
(16,926 posts)Read on: "Four western companies are in the final stages of negotiations this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose to power."
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/062708b.html
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)I didn't watch, but folks were posting threads about it. I said "didn't we know this already?"
rustydog
(9,186 posts)Their goal before GW took office was to overthrow Iraq and take over the oil.
Cheny, Rumsfeld were original signers
justgamma
(3,665 posts)The ones who said they couldn't attack Iraq unless we had another Pearl Harbor, were running the country when we had another Pearl Harbor. That would be too tin hattery.
fujiyama
(15,185 posts)as well as the other clowns like Bolton and other signatories to it.
But it was only an hour and to Maddow's credit, she mentioned that plans for going into Iraq were made well before 9/11.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)I was looking to learn something I didn't already know.
vanbean
(990 posts)so the oil embassy could be guarded. While I am glad she educated some people, I don't think it measured up to the hype, and so I was disappointed. It sure does make you wish we had a real press, one that would have reported these facts at the start of the war.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)disappointed although she did put her facts up pretty much as we discovered them.
SDjack
(1,448 posts)to make sure that Iraq retained state ownership and supplied the world in a responsible way. It looks like BushCo is successful, as the Iraqi state is choosing Chinese companies to exploit and market that crude oil. Hellavajob, "W" and BushCo.