Unproven oil alternatives could spell disaster say Saudis

[JCMach1]

Source: The National

Saudi Arabia issued a plea to industrialised countries not to give up on oil as their primary source of energy, warning that they could court disaster if they put too much hope in unproven alternatives.

The plea appeared to be a direct response to the emerging energy policy of President Barack Obama, which calls for the United States to become energy independent and stop imports of oil from the Middle East and Venezuela.

Saudi Arabia’s oil minister, Ali al Naimi, said petroleum still held the key to progress and prosperity for the world’s growing population over the next few decades and calls to switch to alternatives were premature and could be catastrophic...


Read more: http://thenational.ae/article/20090319/BUSINESS/937377267/1005

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OMG... File this one under the daily howler... The Saudis are proving what we always though: they will do almost anything to keep America (and the world) hooked on oil

[mbperrin]

1. In other news, heroin dealers warn that giving up on heroin will

court disaster if too much hope is put on unproven alternatives, like, uh, staying clean.....

[tomm2thumbs]

19. lol - so true

[seemslikeadream]

2. Hey ther Saudis did ya think Cheney would be president for life?

oh yea right, maybe you did.

[Coventina]

3. They are correct.

It would spell disaster....for the Saudis!

[notadmblnd]

4. So, should we take that as a threat?

Will we be watching the Saudis soon on television holding a fund raiser for the terrorists like they did after 911? Or are they on their knees begging us to help them maintain their income?

[JCMach1]

5. For OPEC it is back to 1992... They are caught in a downward price spiral

of the supply and demand type... When the price drops below break-even, many countries cheat on their quota (i.e. OPEC is worthless at the moment). The last time this happened (in the 1990's) it took OPEC nearly 10yrs to get prices up again.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Disaster for whom?

I won't be losing any sleep.

[Arctic Dave]

17. You forgot a picture of Palin.

[LaPera]

7. Greed! Decades & decades of greed - Lies & a disgusting oppressive regime. Fuck the Saudis!

[Andy823]

8. For 8 years

The Saudis made billions because of the policies of Bush. They helped to cause the problems we have today with those high prices, and now they are going to complain? I watched a 60 minutes program a few months back where the Saudi oil minister come out and said that they didn't want to see a lot of work done on renewable energy. They also said on the show that the Saudis were putting in huge solar farms so they could produce energy and "sell" it to other countries. Billions were being put into these farms. They don't want us to stop using their oil till it runs out and they have a corner on some of the other energy sources.

They made their killing with Bush in charge, not they can take it like the rest of the world, and learn how to cut expenses, and get used to the idea that the U.S. is not going to continue to rely on them for oil when we can break the addiction and come up with new renewables source of energy that will put people in this country back to work while helping improve the plant at the same time.

[saigon68]

25. Here is their Chief enabler

[VaYallaDawg]

29. That's the funniest thing I've seen all day!!! Thanks

:rofl:

[Thothmes]

38. The Saudis have been making a killing since Nixon. Ford

Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush. They will still make a killing with Obama in the White House. We are still a decade or so from being able to stop buying their oil. Until then, they will make a killing.

[rrneck]

9. Uh, gee guys, maybe

you should have spent some of those billions in oil profits on RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH instead of using it to grease the pockets of crooked Republicans and bailing out that idiot W. Then you might have a future.

Fuck you and the camel you rode in on.

[pleah]

10. Fuck the oil barons! Go wind and solar.

They can whine all they want.

[wackywaggin]

11. Disaster only for the oil producers!!

The rest of the World will benefit from decreased demand...No more indoor ski slopes in the middle east.

:smoke:

[acmavm]

12. Saudi Arabia's two main exports: oil and hijacking murderous

terrorists.

Let's all feel sorry for poor Saudi Arabia.

[saigon68]

26. Lets not forget the weapons they used

[Laelth]

13. That's quite interesting. k&r

:dem:

-Laelth

[Politicalboi]

14. I didn't think they cared

"warning that they could court disaster if they put too much hope in unproven alternatives".

I wonder if the Saudis can drink their oil?

[8 track mind]

15. hhhmmmm. Sounds like some oil producing country is worried! n/t

[Hugin]

16. Uh, yeah...

for THEM!

[truthisfreedom]

18. Well, that's something to think about, huh? Is the wind truly proven? The sun, is there any promise

that it will keep rising?

Hmm. Makes you wonder. We may be plunged into a windless world of complete darkness, and then where will we be with our stupid turbines and solar panels?

[thereismore]

20. Scared much, f*ckers? nt

[Javaman]

21. they are running a budget deficit for the first time since...

I know know when. That's why they are freaking out.

no more gold plated faucets for them!

[vinylsolution]

22. Rich cry-babies, again....

... How many $trillions have they made out of oil exports over the last century?

Perhaps they just discovered Bernie Madoff was their accountant....

[formercia]

23. The Saudis claim their debt load servicing requires $40/ Barrel for oil.

That's why they can't continue to support the Taliban and influence the US at the same time.

[closeupready]

37. Good. Then the money they used to expand Wahhabism into other countries

can now be used for constructive things (out of necessity) and there will be a decline in global terrorism. Win-win.

[NickB79]

24. I can actually think of one very bad consequence to Europe and N. America if oil became worthless

The loss of income to the OPEC nations from falling oil prices would be devastating for their social structure. Without oil revenue to maintain the standard of living that has risen rapidly in the past 50 years, there comes the real possibility of violent unrest and failed states throughout the Middle East. And failed states in the Middle East would not be beneficial towards efforts to combat terrorism.

That said, it's still FAR, FAR more dangerous to continue to burn fossil fuels and destroy our planet's climate than any terrorist attacks could be. Alternative energy needs to be embraced and expanded rapidly, Saudi threats be damned.

[mcollier]

28. Yes, But realize the fight continues

the conventional energy companies are only stepping up their fight against the renewable energy movement. As we realize who we are fighting against and their methods and arguments we will be effective in winning the fight. As much as possible, pass on the message by repower America, The Obama Group and others to act in the face of such a challenge concerning our energy security and environment.

[JCMach1]

30. It is high-time the Gulf region dealt with 'real' fiscal realities

such as taxes, non-corrupt growth, and sustainability.

[tabasco]

41. Saudi Arabia needs to fail.

It's a friggin' monarchy.

[Blue_Tires]

27. wow...so no gold-plated Ferrari for your 16-year-old son this summer?

that breaks my fuckin' heart!

[GreenPartyVoter]

31. Oh, well if the _Saudis_ say so...

[nc4bo]

32. Don't give up on oil? Really? LOLLOL!

Oil has the world by the balls and squeeze til blue at every opportunity. The Saudis say not to give up on this?

:rofl:

Then again some medical professionals say that it's not unusual for hostages/victims to eventually grow to love, admire, respect their oppressor - some psycho stuff I read about somewhere..

More proof green and alternative energy is the right way to go.

[galledgoblin]

33. and sticking to oil outright WELCOMES disaster.

this announcement means we're shaking their cages.

[hunter]

34. Their economy will collapse sooner or later, probably sooner.

Honestly, how fast do they want to be going when their car tumbles off the highway?

[IndianaGreen]

35. Yes, we should file this one for future reference

It is like a crack dealer telling the addict that it would court disaster to try an unproven alternative.

[closeupready]

36. They should have thought of that before 9/11 happened.

n/t

[eridani]

39. Like we have a fucking choice

If we don't invent the next energy economy when it's still relatively painless, billions are going to die when oil starts getting much more expensive.

[Revlon10]

40. Ha Ha Ha Ha ............. LOL

That's what was said about women voting, driving cars, reading, writhing, or even not wearing that head dress thing-ie