Just Blame Bush

The Nation: His Deliberate Roiling Of World Politics Is The Key Variable In Sky-High Oil Prices

(The Nation)  This column was written by Robert Scheer.

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Wow, a lot of people must have bought Hummers last week. How else to explain the spike in oil prices? No, I'm not being silly: They are--and by they I mean the gaggle of media pundits and other Administration apologists--abetted by some green zealots who want to explain our energy crisis by reference to profligate consumers.

Sure, in the long run we consumers, particularly the most wasteful ones who happen to reside in the good old USA, and who have become accustomed to consuming many times our population's worth of the world's resources, do need to shape up. But that has little to do with the five-fold rise in the price of oil since George Bush became our President. Yep, he did it; Bush's deliberate roiling of world politics is the key variable in the run-up of oil prices. No President has been more brilliant in destabilizing the politics of oil-producing countries from Venezuela to Russia and on to the key oil lakes of Iraq and Iran.

This last will go down in our nation's history as one of the dumbest escapades ever, rivaling even the madness of the Vietnam War. But this time the neoconservatives bet their smart money on oil as the decisive missing ingredient for success. Vietnam was always absurd on its face as an imperial adventure because, as American consumers who check their labels must know, the Vietnamese dominate the market only in the provision of farmed shrimp.

I won't bother here to dignify the canard that Vietnam, any more than Iraq, ever represented a serious threat to US security, John McCain's sacrifice in the former war and his apologetics for the current one notwithstanding. After the most ignominious defeat in American history, Communist Vietnam did not have to be fought on the shores of San Diego, as the hawks at that time predicted, but rather went to war with Communist China, the country that had occupied Vietnam for a thousand years. The Vietnamese later made their peace and now compete successfully in the capitalist marketplace without controlling anyone else's resources.

Something similarly unexpected is likely to occur if we get out of Iraq and permit the people of that region to make their own history. Events upon our departure will follow the vagaries of a historical script centering on religion, ethnicity and nationalism, which the talking heads in media and political circles are united in ignoring. As Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki demonstrated the other day with his third visit to his former safe haven in Iran, the politics of the region have already been sorted out in ways unpredicted by the neocons.

One need only note the words of advice extended to Maliki by Iran's "supreme leader," the Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, that the Iraqis must "think of a solution" to free themselves from the US military. Maliki nodded, ever grateful for an audience with the man who holds Iraq's destiny in his hand, thanks to the Americans' overthrow of Tehran's nemesis, Saddam Hussein. As I said, Bush was brilliant.

But to be fair, the Administration did finally get something right last week when Defense Secretary Robert Gates fired both the civilian and military chiefs of the Air Force. They were being punished in part for being in charge of an Air Force defense system that lost track of a nuclear-loaded B-52 that flew over the US without anyone in the chain of command aware of its dangerous cargo. Then there was also the matter of ballistic-missile fuses that were erroneously shipped to Taiwan.

The Air Force has been particularly egregious in exploiting the hysteria over 9/11 to commit to hundreds of billions in future spending for high-tech weapons that make no sense with the collapse of the Soviet Union. One issue in the firings was the Air Force's pushing for hundreds more F-22 fighter jets, a $65-billion program that Gates had concluded was not needed as there has been no role for the existing force in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Gates rejected the argument that China, or any other nation, was on the way to providing the F-22 with a worthy opponent. Given his sudden commitment to logic, Gates may not survive long even in this lame-duck Administration.

Better get someone in there fast who is content that we taxpayers pay the interest on the loans from China to pay for building up an arsenal to counter weapons that the Chinese show no sign of building. Hey, it's only money. Yours.

[williamfold]

Rove was the *** Blossom. Bush is just a ***.

[irliberal]

"Better get someone in there fast who is content that we taxpayers pay the interest on the loans from China to pay for building up an arsenal to counter weapons that the Chinese show no sign of building. Hey, it''s only money. Yours. "

Exactly, and we''re not going to be financing the republican''s little power trip anymore. This all ends in November.

[johnpatrick9]

Like we have been saying for the past 8 wasted horrible, nightmarish years: Bush and Cheney are idiots!

[tejasdemo]

Exactly, and we''''re not going to be financing the republican''''s little power trip anymore. This all ends in November.


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Posted by IRLiberal at 12:50 PM : Jun 12, 2008


Strictly speaking you are probably correct..I hope.

But factually, we will be funding these a holes forever via their lifetime pensions, security details, free healthcare etc etc etc.

Personally, I hope that Dennis Kucinich''s impeachment proceedings take root and our lawmakers follow thru with something that every single voting person in the US knows in their hearts should have happened a long time ago.

[perceptions5]

Once again the "left-wingers" at The Nation "try" to mislead the American people.

Now for the FACTS of the case.

Well for over 30 years, big donor, environmentalist''s have donated to the Democrat party.

And in return the Democrat Party has blocked virtually all "domestic" production and development of energy.

Just one horrible result that "special interest" groups have on our country.

Which is why we need 100% Federal funding of campaigns. Take the "dirty" money out of the system

Thanks Democrats for looking after the "interests" of Enviro''s instead of the interest of the Ameriacan people.

Now millions of Americans are suffering as a results............................SHAME


And if America didn''t have such a corrupt liberal wolfpack press, everyone would know the "true" history of how we got here...........................sad.

[lochlan-2009]

And for some reason Bush/Cheney and administration are still in office when they should be behind bars!!!

Representatives better get on the ball. Of course, what are you going to do, vote republican?

[mcvet]

Posted by perceptions5 at 01:40 PM : Jun 12, 2008
+ report abuse

I''ve come to the conclusion that YOU will do or say just about anything to keep the "Party" in power. The thing I find MOST frightening about you and the rest of the GESTAPO is your disdain for WE the PEOPLE... YOU know the guy out here who ELECTS these people. GIVE you and example. WE elected the FASCIST in 2000. THEY controled the Government top to bottom for 6 YEARS. During that 6 YEARS they managed to okay the WORST, most INCOMPETENT people to lead this Government EVER. They sat by as Shooter Cheney held SECRET meetings on Energy that we STILL know nothing about. THEY supported and Incompetent MORON you call a President who assured us during the Champaign that IF this were to happen HE''D step in and use HIS influence. That SAME FASCIST Government wanted to drill in ALASKA''s Reserve but HANDS off the Gulf and Florida where the Fuhrer''s Brother was Gov. Yeah must be wonderful being a NAZI... NOT!! Sieg Heil Bush!! You know I''ve got PLANTS smarter than you are... Honest!!

[oldone60]

About the only thing that MCVet appears to be capable of is calling anyone who disagrees with him a Nazi and ranting that silly Sieg Heil Bush!! nonsense.

I doubt you are a former Marine; they show a lot more common sense and tolerance.

[joyous88]

the aristocratic fighter pilot, the wealth kids in the air force, McBushCain and Bush, both a couple of anti veteran, anti american losers,

and YES! the republicon party is nothing more than a new NAZI party,

they are fascists, selling america to the highest corporate bidder.

McBush, Bush, cheney, all the neo cons, belong in

prison

for a treasonous GREED that has turned american into a

third world country

[usbrit-2009]

Posted by perceptions5

At it''s worst reading your post says that democrats are supported by people who want to save the world. The Repukes on the other hand are supported by special interests who only want to support their bottom line and to he11 with the rest. Now the cretin-in-chief is sick of his repuke picked Supreme Court and wants to legislate around them. God, the man has no scruples doies he?

[irliberal]

Posted by perceptions5 at 01:40 PM : Jun 12, 2008

You know I''''ve got PLANTS smarter than you are... Honest!!

Posted by MCVet at 03:56 PM

I''ve got bugs on my plants that are smarter, but my plants are only about as dumb as perception5, it''s really a coin toss.

What were we talking about again? 8-)

[notblue]

"Just blame Bush" the mantra of the enemy supporting leftwing in America. Do any of you ingrate trolls, who blame everything from war to natural disasters on Bush, think Islamic extremism has anything to do with the state of the world? Why is it Muslim terrorists, who killed more innocent civilians in one single attack than any other in our nations history, never get figured into the blame equation??????

[scottyusa]

I don''t agree that the collapse of the Soviet Union has negated the need for cold war weapons and big ticket items. Russia is presently on a rebound flush with oil money and is playing future superpower on the world stage. China is just as formidable now that they have ballistic missile submarines and even an underground base. We need to be vigilant and prepared still for that kind of warfare. Bush blamers like you make me sick. The terrorists started this not Bush. Of course he made some big mistakes in response, such as Iraq,and he was surrounded by complete idiots like Rummy but the terrorists are the root cause of what is happening. Remember also, congress did not do any researh and approved what is happening right now. Your article is good @sswipe material if printed.

[closethippy1]

Terrorists have been around for decades and they''ve never affected the price of oil.
Bush was in power for 8 years and look at the damage he''s done to the US economy.

[chalres-2009]

Notblue, it''s simple.. Iraq had nothing to do with 911. All Muslims are not terrorists, is so than all of us Christians are growing our own inbred harems for our own sexual pleasure..

[sparks224]

"...Of course he made some big mistakes in response, such as Iraq..."
Posted by scottyusa

Iraq is not a mistake. It''s a Crime.

[messiahx4eve]

Come celebrate B.O.O.B.(Bush Out of Office Bash) Day with the rest of the world on January 20th, which will eventually become a national holiday world wide. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

[messiahx4eve]

notblue, go stick your hand in a hornets nest, shake your hand around and let me know what happens, okay?

[tryhonesty]

I suggest that all American patriots read Vincent Bugliosi''s #1 best selling book "The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder". A very informative read. It cuts through all of the CRRRRRAAAPPPP!

[brianbwb-2009]

"notblue, go stick your hand in a hornets nest, shake your hand around and let me know what happens, okay?"
Posted by messiahx4eve

Of course, being the good little neocon, he would say that the hornets are all terrorists, and therefore deserve to be destroyed, that they had no right to be angry about the uninvited and unwarranted intrusion of his head.

[oneworldusa]

Starting to ''clean house'' a little early is ok by me.

[oneworldusa]

"Just Blame Bush
The Nation: His Deliberate Roiling Of World Politics Is The Key Variable In Sky-High Oil Prices"

-I tend to strongly agree.

[patriot12436]

I am reasonable. Bush couldn''t be responsible for everything that has happened. I mean afterall what he has managed to screw up in 8 years must have been a 20 hour a day job 7 days a week.

[bluestardad]

BUSH MUST BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES!

[patriot12436]

corey2444
The trick is we have to vote out the incumbents then go for war crimes on bush and work our way down the food chain to congress.

[patriot12436]

corey2444
Mental Disorder must be a self diagnois of Michael Savage. Why would anyone want to read something written by him ?

[talkingham]

Gee Corey I guess u''ve never heard of fscist media mogul Ruppert Murdock owner of NewsCorp and Fox "news", Wall Street Journal and numerous other media outlets and newspapers that the republican congress gave carte blanche access to the US to spew the kind of propganda that got us into Iraq along with the rest of the corporate media sheep in this country.

Bush and his team have brought us, record gas prices, record home foreclosures, the 911 tragedy ("asleep" at the switch or he and Cheney pulled it!), $$trillions wasted in Iraq and Afganistan, and record business failures. I don''t think left leaning media had anything to with his many failures or triumphs depending on how you look at it.

[notblue]

talkingham, what was the price of gas before your beloved dems took the majority of both houses of congress? Haven''t they been in charge for the last year and a half? What has that majority done to help the gas price situation.?

[afmca]

When will idiots like NOTBLUE realize that the Democrats hold such small majorities in the House and Senate that the Republicans can hold up any and all progressive Democratic bills. The Republican party has done this repeatedly.

Just this week they held up (basically defeated) a bill that would have forced Big Oil to invest in alternate fuels and refineries or pay taxes on their obscene profits.

Also they have the supreme idiot in the White House which will veto anything that goes against Big Oil.

[joyous88]

right on afmca!

who to blame for this mess? If you are not blaming the

republicon party for this mess, than you my friend are

a fool, you my friend, drank the kool aid, and you

will dance in the street like a monkey when ever

McBushCain tells you to.

[patriot12436]

corey2444
I listened to him and was not impressed with his views or his intelligence.

[noloyalisti]

I certainly don''t blame bush. I blame him and McCain and the members of the Greasy Old Pervert party who have ruined our country and whose only goal appears to spread disaster to the rest of the world.

The Europeans all know that these guys want to rule the world as in Ghenghis Khan, Alexander the Great and Adolph Hitler. Sieg Heil!!!

[dmgenet]

Its not just Bush. This is how Neocons think. Plan for the best and everyone be damned. Walk heavily and use a big stick. Neocons are radicals that found a comfortable niche within the Republican Party as did the racists after the Democrats lost the South. They are NOT fiscally conservative and care not for compromise. They are dangerous, exude hubris, and appear smarmy. Bunkers and group think were made for Neocons and we should all beware of the Neocon on all sides of the political spectrum.

This is not to say Bush is not responsible in some way. Because he is the "decider" and deciders decide and he made decisions that have been far reaching. Bozo the clown would have done better.

[messiahx4eve]

So who do WE, the PEOPLE, present the final bill for the fiasco flop aka the Iraqi War, the people of Iraq or the bush regime to get our "investments" back with interest?