Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

[Sundog]

http://maxblumenthal.blogspot.com/2004/05/midge-decter-drunk-on-truth-serum.html

2003 National Humanities Medal winner, Rumsfeld hagiographer and neoconservative beauty queen Midge Decter has never been so lucid:

"We're not in the Middle East to bring sweetness and light to the world. We're there to get something we and our friends in Europe depend on. Namely, oil."
--Decter on the Warren Olney show, 89.9, Los Angeles, 5/21/04

Nice to have a little honesty for a change.

 

[Rob Lister]

http://maxblumenthal.blogspot.com/2004/05/midge-decter-drunk-on-truth-serum.html

2003 National Humanities Medal winner, Rumsfeld hagiographer and neoconservative beauty queen Midge Decter has never been so lucid:

"We're not in the Middle East to bring sweetness and light to the world. We're there to get something we and our friends in Europe depend on. Namely, oil."
--Decter on the Warren Olney show, 89.9, Los Angeles, 5/21/04

Nice to have a little honesty for a change.

Q: What's this got to do with Rumsfeld?

A: Nothing.

Q: What are opinions like?

A: holes.

 

[Sundog]

Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Q: What's this got to do with Rumsfeld?

A: Nothing.

Q: What are opinions like?

A: holes.

Please don't post while on hallucinogens. No one implied that it had anything whatever to do with Rumsfeld.

If you don't think it interesting that someone this in-the-know admits freely what some have charged all along, that's certainly your business.

 

[Rob Lister]

Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

1. Please don't post while on hallucinogens.

2. No one implied that it had anything whatever to do with Rumsfeld.

3. If you don't think it interesting that someone this in-the-know admits freely what some have charged all along, that's certainly your business.

Outlining, mine.


1. Assumes facts not in evidence. The implication is noted however.

2. The title implied it, albeit subtly. I think 'spin' is the correct terminology.

3. Assumes facts not in evidence.

 

[Rouser2]

http://maxblumenthal.blogspot.com/2004/05/midge-decter-drunk-on-truth-serum.html

2003 National Humanities Medal winner, Rumsfeld hagiographer and neoconservative beauty queen Midge Decter has never been so lucid:

"We're not in the Middle East to bring sweetness and light to the world. We're there to get something we and our friends in Europe depend on. Namely, oil."
--Decter on the Warren Olney show, 89.9, Los Angeles, 5/21/04

Nice to have a little honesty for a change.

Nonsense. No matter what constitutes the Iraqi government, Iraqi oil will be sold for something Iraqis need more than oil -- namely dollars. We did not "own" Iraqi oil before the war; we do not own it now. Iraqis will be happy to sell thier oil to us under any government. But the foregoing is the kind of ignorant blather that comes from those educated in a government school.

-- Rouser

 

[Sundog]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Outlining, mine.


1.2. The title implied it, albeit subtly. I think 'spin' is the correct terminology.

More nonsense. Pray tell me how you would identify this person in a short phrase without referring to her chief claim to fame (and the reason she was on the show). It's a simple statement of fact - she is Rumsfeld's biographer. I can't help it if you don't like it.

The implication is that she is in the know about official views on these matters. It may be right, it may be wrong, but it's a perfectly fair question, regardless of how defensive it makes you feel.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

...the kind of ignorant blather that comes from those educated in a government school.

Again with the "government school?" Is there some kind of Rouser2 autowriting program that pours forth this stuff? How long in the thread before we read the word "nitwittery?"

 

[Rob Lister]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Nonsense. Pray tell me how you would identify this person in a short phrase without referring to her chief claim to fame (and the reason she was on the show). It's called a "statement of fact".

The implication is that she is in the know about official views on these matters. It may be right, it may be wrong, but it's a perfectly fair question, regardless of how defensive it makes you feel.

Why is a claim to fame necessary? Is the opinion of one that possesses a claim to fame more likely to be true? Madonna has an opinion on this matter as well. She has much, much greater fame. Certainly she 'must' be correct, no? She even kissed Britney.

 

[subgenius]

Wow, 24 minutes before a right wing threadjack.

How about if we stay on topic? When someone tries to change the subject, don't go there.

Its obviously significant that someone from her background would make such a statement.

 

[Rob Lister]

Wow, 24 minutes before a right wing threadjack.

How about if we stay on topic? When someone tries to change the subject, don't go there.

Its obviously significant that someone from her background would make such a statement.

Okay. What is the topic worth discussing? Somebody has an opinion that the war in Iraq is about the oil? While that opinion is, at some level at least, probably true, what is there to discuss?

 

[Sundog]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Why is a claim to fame necessary? Is the opinion of one that possesses a claim to fame more likely to be true? Madonna has an opinion on this matter as well. She has much, much greater fame. Certainly she 'must' be correct, no? She even kissed Britney.

Rob, this is your last chance to prove to me that you can do something more than pounce on phrases like some sixth-grade debate student; after this, you will have to challenge lesser foes, because you will have proven yourself not worthy. So pick your argument well.

"Claim to fame" is a common English phrase denoting what it is about a person that is worthy of attention. If in your mind there is no room for distinctions between Ms. Decter's source of fame and Madonna's, I think we can safely leave you out of the discussion.

 

[Rob Lister]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Rob, this is your last chance to prove to me that you can do something more than pounce on phrases like some sixth-grade debate student; after this, you will have to challenge lesser foes, because you will have proven yourself not worthy. So pick your argument well.

Cute.

"Claim to fame" is a common English phrase denoting what it is about a person that is worthy of attention. If in your mind there is no room for distinctions between Ms. Decter's source of fame and Madonna's, I think we can safely leave you out of the discussion.

Your thread title and post was nothing more than spin, IMO. Just my opinion but, like Ms. Decter's, I'm expressing it. If Ms. Decter's opinon is more valid than Madonna's, which seems to be your implication, please tell me why you think that is so.

 

[Sundog]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

If Ms. Decter's opinon is more valid than Madonna's, which seems to be your implication, please tell me why you think that is so.

Sorry, here's your lovely parting gift.

I am pleased to argue with fools; but I have no intention of arguing with damned fools.

 

[Rob Lister]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Sorry, here's your lovely parting gift.

I am pleased to argue with fools; but I have no intention of arguing with damned fools.

Then I think you'll have lesser luck discussing the matter with those that agree with you.

 

[Number Six]

There's a real chance I'm missing something in the entire equation, but if it's all for oil then I'm not sure why the US was ever at odds with Saddam in the first place. Even when Saddam took over Kuwait, if you're after oil it seems the response would be "We're not going to come down on you so long as you keep the oil flowing. If you stop the flow of oil, we'll come down on you hard."

If they're after oil then why not just let Saddam do as he wishes on the condition that he keeps pumping oil? If it's all about oil (and indirectly, money) then I think it's a pretty foolish way of going about it when you figure out all the costs going into it, directly and indirectly.

 

[Rob Lister]

If they're after oil then why not just let Saddam do as he wishes on the condition that he keeps pumping oil? If it's all about oil (and indirectly, money) then I think it's a pretty foolish way of going about it when you figure out all the costs going into it, directly and indirectly.

Assuming it was about the oil (and I think it was in part) then the way the U.S. 'went about it' was probably the cheapest solution in terms of dollars and strictly-American lives. I see your point, in terms of 'keeping the oil flowing' but it doesn't bare the weight of long term accountability. K'wait was not Saddam's end goal. The failed attempt at Iran pretty much demonstrates that.

 

[Sundog]

It's interesting to me because, confirmed card-carrying lefty that I am, I never bought the theory that this war was all about oil. In fact in my mind I rather dismissed those people as conspiracy theorists. [withering sarcasm] But hearing this from someone who's nearly as famous as Madonna makes me wonder. [/ws]

 

[Ion]

Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

Another imbecile here, like U.S. only makes them:

Nonsense. No matter what constitutes the Iraqi government, Iraqi oil will be sold for something Iraqis need more than oil -- namely dollars.
...

Iraqis don't need dollars more than oil.

Their oil contracts were in Euros before the war, and that's what they need.

U.S. dismantling Iraq, and rebuilding Iraq with Iraq's oil, that's racket like the Mafia was doing in Chicago in the 30s.

Plus, U.S. wants to have permanent contracts for Iraq's oil.

...
We did not "own" Iraqi oil before the war; we do not own it now.
...

Yes, U.S. does own now Iraq's oil, and Chevron's profits are up by 33% compared to last year.

Search the forum for this information that is documented.

...
Iraqis will be happy to sell thier oil to us under any government. But the foregoing is the kind of ignorant blather that comes from those educated in a government school.

-- Rouser

What an idiot...

So, the Iraqi population that attacks U.S. military and oil pipes going to Turkey for U.S. exploitation. are "...happy to sell their oil to us...".

What an idiot:

only in America...

 

[Ion]

Next American idiot, here:

Assuming it was about the oil (and I think it was in part) then the way the U.S. 'went about it' was probably the cheapest solution in terms of dollars and strictly-American lives.
...

There is a U.N. for international law, so that "...the cheapest solution..." for U.S., Russia, etc., doesn't take place in the world.

 

[hgc]

Re: Re: Rumsfeld Biographer: "We Did It For Oil"

... We did not "own" Iraqi oil before the war; we do not own it now. ...

You may not be aware, but "own it" is exactly what Colin Powell warned Bush would be the consequences of the U.S. invading Iraq. Too bad Powell has no say in Bush Admin foreign policy. Too bad he hasn't the integrity to storm out of the room.

As an American citizen, I don't like owning Iraq. I think the price was really high, and climbing. And it's a lemon.