[BitterSweetCrude]

Lets not be so hasty... some quick math I was doing confirms what many of us have long suspected... (this may change what you think about the Iraq War)... in fact, Oil is more energy dense than blood! Yes, it's true! Oil is a MUCH better fuel than blood. Boy do I feel silly for filling my car up with the wrong stuff all these years. So maybe he's onto something about that blood for oil trade, considering oil is a better fuel!

[Dezakin]

I somehow doubt oil was the primary objective of the Iraqi operation.

If it had, we would have constructed a better sell than weapons we had no evidence for, or at least doctored the evidence better. We would have gone in with four or five times as many troops with the full expectation that everyone would hate us. And we would have never given any sense of legitimacy to any psedou-government entity springing up.

It would have been a much cleaner operation if we had been machiavellian about it. I think eventually you believe your own propaganda if you repeat it too often.

[Kent]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Colorado-Valley', 'I') thought we were bringing them democracy.

[FatherOfTwo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dezakin', 'I') somehow doubt oil was the primary objective of the Iraqi operation.

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dezakin', 'W')e would have gone in with four or five times as many troops with the full expectation that everyone would hate us.

[EnemyCombatant]

WMD == Weapons of Mass Delusion.

The weapons inspectors told the US that Iraq had no WMDs. In addition, there was no credible evidence to the contrary. The satellite images from the CIA must have been a hoax. Because if they had direct coordinates of WMDs they would have went to them on day one.

In addition, these supposed WMDs were not intercontinental and hence not a threat to the US. A threat to Israel perhaps. But what sense does it make to attack Israel with bio/chem weapons when Israel has nukes?

Lastly, Joseph Wilson exposed the nuclear weapons fascade.

There never was a case to go to war based upon WMDs. Remember how the UK plagerized their dossier. And how the US removed several hundred pages of the dossier from Iraq before allowing the UN to see it. They even used a commonly known crook Chalabi in order to buttress their claims. It's obvious this was a fraud.

They are hoping that we will forget by rewriting history (1984), but we cannot forget. Continue to go back and refresh your memories about how this war got started.

If this wasn't about the oil then follow the money trail. Who got filthy rich. The defense contractors and oil contractors. Halliburton just got a $72million bonus. War is good for business.

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')As oil reaches $66 a barrel and natural gas is several hundred percent more expensive than it was five years ago, letter writers express concern about the environment around Mobil's proposed Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling project.

They should be more worried that this nation's original endowment of 220 billion barrels of oil is rapidly depleting. We are down to less than 25 billion. The world could consume that in a few months.

[killJOY]

P.S. In my original essay,$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('killJOY', 'B')ehind recent front-page stories of sporting events and weeping statues, there lie shocking confirmations that these delusional tendencies are alive and well.

[Sgs-Cruz]

That's pretty awesome. Keep this thread updated with any replies / emails / hate mail you get!

[linlithgowoil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hey should be more worried that this nation's original endowment of 220 billion barrels of oil is rapidly depleting. We are down to less than 25 billion. The world could consume that in a few months.

[BabyPeanut]

Don't let it go to your head (unless it's going to fix that hairstyle.)

[killJOY]

Two emails so far:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')ike
I agree that there is a crisis of major proportions looming on the horizon and that most of us have our heads in the sand regarding it. Most public officials talk of energy independence but seem reluctant to sell the hard measures (like $1.00 tax on every gallon of gas – to be used for alternative energy development and as a negative incentive to encourage life style changes, and/or similar hard measures) needed for really dealing with the problem. You referred to the passenger rail system as one part of a solution (not a hard measure but one that does require vision and priorities rooted in what's real). What are the other parts you see and, more importantly, what needs to be said by our leaders right now to move us in the right direction.

[followed by:]

Mike,

I am thinking you are probably right about solutions being local and
individual. Solar, wind, etc. won't ever be nationalized. Its probably to
cumbersome and even if it weren't it would likely be fought or hijacked by powerful interests unless they underwent a paradign shift. I have often wondered about solar (already available) and wind options being developed on a smaller scale for home use. I guess you could call it a kind of populist energy manifesto. Every new home would have to be so equipped. I am not sure how we help the poor...huge tax breaks if they have homes....but after that, what?

Might not respond right away. Am seeing off my sister-in-law who is
returning to California a state with a lot a windmills but a big energy problem.

[jimmydean]

Great article!

[BabyPeanut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')olar, wind, etc. won't ever be nationalized. Its probably to
cumbersome and even if it weren't it would likely be fought or hijacked by powerful interests unless they underwent a paradign shift. I have often wondered about solar (already available) and wind options being developed on a smaller scale for home use.

[bart]

I'm glad you were able to get something into the local paper, killJOY.

You've got the negative side of Peak Oil covered -- the problem with false solutions, overly optimistic thinking.

But you're missing two critical parts to a successful PO strategy:

1. Forming alliances.
2. Presenting the outlines of a positive solution.

Following a talk by Richard Heinberg, one local organizer was irate at the gloom-n-doom sentiments. "What good does it do," he asked, "if you just send people home depressed, without any idea of actions they can take?".

A second talk by Heinberg was integrated with group discussions and brainstorming about concrete proposals. The result was much more positive energy, much more willingness to listen.

I know it's hard to think positive, but no one said PO was going to be easy!

[erl]

Nice article.

P.s. Now that you have revealed your alter ego, are you going to change your moniker on this site?

erl

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P').s. Now that you have revealed your alter ego, are you going to change your moniker on this site?

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'Y')ou've got the negative side of Peak Oil covered -- the problem with false solutions, overly optimistic thinking.

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'D')on't let it go to your head (unless it's going to fix that hairstyle.)

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n my opinion, I think it would. It's not about becoming self sufficient, it's about showing that we are trying. I think there would be a change in how foreign countries dealt with us if we lessened our dependency on their oil. I'd prefer more research in alternative energy but, there's so much money tied up in fossil fuels that the corporate world won’t stand for it.