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THE Middle East (general) Thread (merged)

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Re: Some Middle East news

Unread postby steam_cannon » Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:04:15

vampyregirl wrote:Omani economy which has become dangerously overdependant on oil.
Not like every other country in the world... :roll:

Thanks for the update Vampy.
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Re: Some Middle East news

Unread postby americandream » Wed 23 Apr 2008, 22:40:36

Thanks Vgirl. Useful to see some direct info.
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info request - Oil exploration moved USA to the middle east!

Unread postby annie1914 » Tue 29 Apr 2008, 14:28:26

In what year did the USA stop drilling for & pumping oil?

For what reason did the oil companies stop seeking oil in the USA & move exploration to the middle east?

Thank you in advance for your replies
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Re: info request - Oil exploration moved USA to the middle e

Unread postby MD » Tue 29 Apr 2008, 14:39:55

annie1914 wrote:In what year did the USA stop drilling for & pumping oil?


Drilling continues in the USA today. There have been countless thousands of wells drilled since production peaked in the early 70's.


annie1914 wrote:For what reason did the oil companies stop seeking oil in the USA & move exploration to the middle east?



The Middle East has(had) the most "cheap to produce" oil, which means the market has been consuming that oil first. (along with all of the other "cheap to produce" oil around the world.)

Now that those "easy" reserves are running out, we will have to go after more expensive oil.

The problem is; it's not just a little bit more expensive . . . it's a lot more expensive.
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Re: info request - Oil exploration moved USA to the middle e

Unread postby joeltrout » Tue 29 Apr 2008, 14:52:17

annie1914 wrote:For what reason did the oil companies stop seeking oil in the USA & move exploration to the middle east?



The USA is actually out of most of the middle east (except for service companies) because of national oil companies like Saudi Aramco and are getting kicked out of other places like venezula.

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Re: info request - Oil exploration moved USA to the middle e

Unread postby KillTheHumans » Tue 29 Apr 2008, 23:41:30

annie1914 wrote:In what year did the USA stop drilling for & pumping oil?

For what reason did the oil companies stop seeking oil in the USA & move exploration to the middle east?

Thank you in advance for your replies


I dorve by pumping units and drilling rigs this very morning, by companies which have no presence except within the United States. Sounds like your information is faulty.
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A brief glimmer of hope for Middle East stability.

Unread postby dorlomin » Tue 10 Feb 2009, 17:35:30

After the big win for al-Da'wa in Iraq, the threat of a Shia breakaway republic has receded as some of the threats of Kurds tearing chunks out of Sunni provinces (specificaly Ninevah). Now Maliki is rumoured to be negotiating to bring former Ba'athist officers with links to the insurgency back into the fold reducing tensions.

In another return to more sedate grown up politics the seemingly ever patient reformer Mohammed Khatami has announced his candidicy for the role of president of Iran. Ahmadinejad's boisterous populism and anti Americanism do little to put food on the table or keep the bills paid and it is now something of convetional wisdom amoung some analysts that he is deliberately trying to be provocative towards Obama and scupper any reproachment. He has long been rumoured to have fallen fould of many of the clerics so the old hands of Khatami would seem to be a safe pair to bring Iran back in from the cold.

The changes in Washington have been much hyped and ballyhood but beneath all the fawning and nonesense, there does seem to be a less ideological driven, practicle set of hands at the tiller. Obama is no Vespasian, Fredick II (stupir mundi) or Ashoka but perhaps he may be something of a Hadrian able to stablise an Empire at its peak and hold of the decline for a few years. Iraq to be garrisoned like Germany or South Korea... but no more "spreading democracy and liberty". Stability and oil contracts first.

But as one door closes for the hot heads another always opens. al Hakim may be out in the cold in Baghdad but the stability of both Jordan and Egypt is open to question. If Reza Pahlavi's Savak could not prevent a religous revolution in Persia (79) I can see even Egypt or Jordan falling to economic discord and general anger, especialy with the huge groups of Iraqi and Palastinian exiles in Jordan. The Saudis are another group who may find themselves not quiet as stable as they thought. Disafected princes may be as dangerous the street full of unemployed kids in there first big downturn. The demographics of Saudi are terrifying.

Kadima looks to be winning in Israel so no change in that neck of the woods. Lebanon, Israel and the Occupied Territories are probibly just in for more of the same.
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Re: A brief glimmer of hope for Middle East stability.

Unread postby Kaj » Thu 12 Feb 2009, 11:53:49

The only glimmer I see here is from the targetting laser of a hellfire drone...

Obama is expanding the war into Pakistan. He can afford to downscale operations in Iraq for now, but you can bet that if a major threat developed there, such as a Shia resurgence, he would do everything to crush it. Israel' shift to the pitiless right, even after recent massacres, is a terrible blow.

As for Iraq, its power is being distributed along sectarian lines, so we can anticipate a slow-burn of repression, impoverishment and resistance for many years to come, even if the country looks like it is stabilizing.
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Re: A brief glimmer of hope for Middle East stability.

Unread postby bratticus » Sat 14 Feb 2009, 20:36:47

Attack kills 27 militants in Pakistan

By STEPHEN GRAHAM
Associated Press
February 14, 2009

ISLAMABAD – Dozens of followers of Pakistan's top Taliban commander were in a compound when a suspected U.S. missile attack hit Saturday, killing 27 militants in an al-Qaida stronghold near the Afghan border, officials said.

The strike appeared to be the deadliest yet by the American drone aircraft that prowl the frontier, and defied Pakistani warnings that the tactic is fueling extremism in the nuclear-armed Islamic nation.

... snip ...


Undeclared WW III yet or do we wait for missiles fired at al-Qaida in Iran?
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Middle East banks in trouble

Unread postby eXpat » Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:07:36

Signs of a new financial storm for September coming from Dubai and Saudi Arabia
Milan (AsiaNews) – Rothschild’s Dubai office has been retained by Dubai’s Department of Finance for advice on the US$ 10 billion financial support fund (FSF) the emirate raised on the bond markets.

Nakheel, the property development arm of Dubai World, was the first to benefit, but is likely to be the last of its kind because funds will be handed out on the basis of two criteria: urgency and strategic importance.
...
But the Saudis too are facing their own serious problems. The Saad Group, which is linked to The International Banking Corp (TIBC) and the Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Co, is in difficulty.

Saudi Arabia’s central bank has frozen all the accounts of Saad chairman, Saudi billionaire Maan al-Sanea, who owns 2.97 per cent of the HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe’s largest bank based in London.

Once known by its full name of Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp., HSBC Holdings Plc is also one of Asia’s main banks.

The decision by Saudi Arabia’s central bank comes after an Algosaibi-owned company defaulted on a billion dollar debt.

Maan al-Sanea’s Saad Investment Co. had also received a US$ 2.82 billion loan from a group of 26 European, US, Asian and Arab banks in 2007.

Such troubles might be a sign of more bad things to come for the banks, especially those in Europe and to a lesser extent in Asia.

Conversely, although US banks were hit by the subprime credit crisis in real estate, they are not that involved in emerging markets and eastern Europe.

As in the spring of 2008 when the first signs of the coming September financial storm were visible, today’s signs, albeit not front page news, might herald another major storm this fall.

But this year’s crisis could be worse than last year’s because of the multiple points of origin. In addition to the weak situation of the US Federal Reserve, whose financial commitments in support of the US banking system are equal to the total US GDP, European banks could go in tilt because of their exposure to emerging markets whilst those of Asia (especially Japan’s and China’s) could suffer because of Asian economies’ heavy reliance on now declining exports.

As for Dubai real estate values in the city-emirate have dropped by 50 per cent since before the crisis[i]; insolvencies here and across the Gulf region are rising.

At the same time two contradictory trends appear to be coming together. On the one hand, we see that “creata ex nihilo”[ii] e-money might lead to hyper-inflation; on the other, collapsing prices in real goods could lead to deflation and an economic depression worse than that of the 1930s.

Indeed in Dubai many expect the next storm to hit at the end of Ramadan, 21 September.

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15402&geo=&theme=&size=A
Financial bad news for Q4 are piling up.
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Another Hot Summer in the Middle East Includes Oil and Gas M

Unread postby Oilguy » Mon 12 Apr 2010, 14:00:22

Another Hot Summer in the Middle East Includes Oil and Gas Masks

Intelligence sources in the Middle East have indicated that the summer in the region could turn out to be particularly hot and they're not talking about global warming or the environment. They are referring to the political climate. Of course, predicting future political moves in the Middle East can be accomplished with the precision of guessing what cards your opponent holds in a game of poker. Pure luck and some experience and your chances for success are still 50-50.

Speaking to this reporter sources who asked not to be identified because of the sensitiveness of the issues said that a series of reports filtering-in from Lebanon and Israel demonstrates that both sides are gearing up for a potential confrontation, once again. That in and of itself is nothing new.

Israel has always been preparing for eventual confrontations with its neighbours. Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in numerous confrontations, the last one as recently as 2006. But what is worrisome about this potential next round of violence is that it involves Iran and when one says Iran, one says oil.

The sources told me that Israel has distributed gas masks to its population in the northern part of the country, the area that would be under direct fire from the Shiite militia's rockets and artillery emanating from southern Lebanon. Indeed, the presence of the Lebanese Shiite militia in such close proximity to several major Israeli centers of population gives the Islamic Republic of Iran an important beachhead just a few hundred miles north of Israel's most populous city, Tel Aviv.

Here is what could happen: Iran's refusal to abide by the international community's request that is puts a stop to its quest to acquire nuclear technology allowing it to develop nuclear weapons could result in Israel taking unilateral action against the Islamic Republic. Should that occur, there is little doubt that Iran would unleash its proxy militia from Lebanon and have Hezbollah throw everything they have at Israel.

The consequences would be devastating for all sides.

First, no matter how prepared and equipped Israel might be, an all-out assault from Hezbollah, who today is better equipped than the Lebanese army, would cause heavy casualties among the civilian population in northern Israel.

Full article at: http://www.oilprice.com/article-another ... s-267.html
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Middle East producers see more heavy oil in their future

Unread postby mattduke » Tue 08 Jun 2010, 19:35:18

Middle East oil countries should increase production of heavy oil as oil prices remain higher and improved technology makes it easier, those attending an industry conference in Bahrain were told.

Bahrain’s oil minister, Abdulhussain Mirza, told the Heavy Oil World MENA conference that heavy oil reserves in the region were estimated at 1 trillion barrels, or 28% of total world reserves, but historically accounted for little more than 10% of production.

“The vast reserve demonstrates the importance of heavy oil as a future energy source, one that cannot be overlooked and, therefore, companies that position themselves early in the heavy oil business are likely to win the game,” Mirza said, according to local news reports.

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Mi ... uture.html
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Re: Middle East producers see more heavy oil in their future

Unread postby Tanada » Wed 09 Jun 2010, 05:57:01

Seems obvious that light easy oil can no longer meet demand so they are planning how best to exploit the heavier more expensive resources. Not a surprise to anyone on here, more like a confirmation.
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The Enduring Middle East Strategic Framework Begins to Emerg

Unread postby Oilguy » Fri 06 Aug 2010, 09:58:10

The lingering impact of August 3, 2010, clash on the Israeli-Lebanese border lies in the greater context of, and wider strategic dynamics in, the Middle East. These aspects were highlighted by HizbAllah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in his speech later that day.

See Defense & Foreign Affairs Special Analysis, August 4, 2010: Clash on Israel-Lebanon Border Holds Potential for Strategic Escalation.

Overall, the issue dominating the overall situation in the Middle East is the reaction by the local powers to the emerging new grand strategic reality: namely, the demise of the United States as the dominant regional power. This is a dramatic reversal of a concentrated US policy of more than half a century.

Back in the Autumn of 1956, the US intentionally undermined the strategic posture of two of its closest Cold War allies, Britain and France. In the late-1960s, the US capitalized on the British unilateral withdrawal from the Persian Gulf and the active Soviet interceding in the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to consolidate the US role as the dominant Western, and later global, power in the Middle East.

This posture endured even after the US betrayed its close ally — the Shah of Iran — and permitted the rise of the Islamic Republic in the late 1970s. Consequently, however, the US has had to intensify its direct involvement in regional crises, culminating in the US active war-fighting in and against Iraq. Come August 31, 2010, the US will be abandoning it all with the disengagement from Iraqi security affairs and the beginning of a year-long withdrawal.

Led by an assertive and determined Iran, the aspirant powers of the region cannot wait to fill the void that is already emerging as the US is disengaging from military operations in Iraq and the Persian Gulf. This strategic posture is aptly demonstrated by the US Barack Obama Administration’s explicit abandonment of the twin-pillars of the US regional posture — Israel and Saudi Arabia — leaving them to cope on their own with a nuclear Iran.

Moreover, the US is exerting immense pressure on Israel not to strike Iran for fear of derailing the rapprochement with Iran which the Obama White House is seeking, and the possibility of Iranian retaliation against the remaining US presence in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the Persian Gulf energy infrastructure.


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Middle East Turns to Renewable Energy

Unread postby Graeme » Thu 18 Oct 2012, 22:53:07

Middle East Turns to Renewable Energy

As Romney and his Republican colleagues continue to push for fossil fuels at the expense of renewable energy, even the Middle East is moving along on the latter.

This week, Iraq announced it will invest in 400 megawatts of solar and wind over the next three years to the tune of $1.6 billion, according to Bloomberg.

The government has invited 25 solar, wind and transmission developers to build projects there, including Japan's Toyota Tsusho Corp, Swiss engineering group ABB and Egypt's Orascom Construction.

"It is true that we are an oil country but we should save oil for the coming generation not only sell it or burn it," Laith al-Mamury, of Iraq's Ministry of Electricity told Bloomberg.

Still ravaged from the war, Iraq's power grid desperately needs re-building. It has daily black-outs, only able to supply power for a few hours each day.

Across the Middle East and North Africa, there are about 150 renewable energy projects being built, including solar, wind, geothermal and biomass.

Rather than consuming all their oil and gas resources, they are more often turning to renewables to supply domestic demand, leaving fossil fuels for export.


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Re: THE Middle East (general) Thread (merged)

Unread postby Rod_Cloutier » Tue 15 Jul 2014, 20:05:19

Gaza genocide in progress, what you're not being told:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... YFreNA#t=0

At the end of this short video it shows Israelis sitting on a hill watching the bombing, cheering when bombs go off in the Gaza residential neighborhoods. Among the sickest things I've seen in the news lately.
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Re: THE Middle East (general) Thread (merged)

Unread postby Sixstrings » Tue 15 Jul 2014, 21:10:05

Repent wrote:Gaza genocide in progress, what you're not being told:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... YFreNA#t=0

At the end of this short video it shows Israelis sitting on a hill watching the bombing, cheering when bombs go off in the Gaza residential neighborhoods. Among the sickest things I've seen in the news lately.


Interesting video, but..

When somebody starts out with a "what you're not being told" and that whole schtick, it reminds me of those infomercials on TV with those "natural home remedies the government doesn't want you know about" books.

Your posted vid has has that slick infomercial presentation.

Looking at the poster's other vids, I see a lot of anti-American things and pro-Russia stuff. Don't see anything bad about Russia.

Why is that, Repent? Who is "stormcloudsgathering," who funds it? Do you know? Would you agree they've got some kind of agenda?

*I cannot buy into any anti-gov 9/11 truther type stuff where America is always the bad guy, or Israel is always the bad guy, and nothing is ever said about Russia or China -- or in the case of this video, nothing bad to be said about Hamas etc.*

It's like a northern Ireland thing. It's complicated. Neither side is all good guy.

What's actually amazing is how well they all get along, over there. Jews and arabs do live next to each other, sometimes on the same block or village.

They've dealt with this stuff a long time now, they're used to it. I get more information just watching Anthony Bourdain sit down for dinner with a Palestinian family, than I do a video like you posted -- that is all agenda.

I'm always more interested in hearing regular people talk, unscripted, than in any slick videos with an agenda. Just my opinion.
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Re: THE Middle East (general) Thread (merged)

Unread postby Sixstrings » Tue 15 Jul 2014, 21:21:08

Yikes, that vid, the guy is such an apologist for terrorists..

"let's talk for a moment about these puny rockets the palestinians are launching, out of desperation"

Uh... what? He excuses that?

Look, this thing is a northern ireland type bloodfeud gang warfare over turf. There is no "good guy." Palestinians are not the "good guy" and Israel all bad, if you listen to this vid he is really arguing Israel has no right to be there to start with.

What a strange video, I wonder who is funding that.

EDIT: ohhhh ok now he talks about zionism blah blah ok so it's a anti-semite thing. Is stormcloudsgathering nazis, then? That would explain pro-Russia videos and anti-semitic videos.

Meanwhile.. ironically.. Israel is a tad fascist, though nazis can't like them because they're jews. :lol: I guess nazis can like Russia more safely, those are white Christians.

Whatever, that video is just propaganda and it's not even good propaganda.
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Re: THE Middle East (general) Thread (merged)

Unread postby Rod_Cloutier » Tue 15 Jul 2014, 22:21:26

Why is that, Repent? Who is "stormcloudsgathering," who funds it? Do you know? Would you agree they've got some kind of agenda?


The guy's name is Aaron he is a young father, and four years ago all his video's we're 'marketed' out of his tiny trailer home. He is a computer programmer. He's aware of peak oil, and he's in our camp.

Since the inception of his website he now has worldwide connections and is of social import. He not perfect- that makes him authentic.

He started out like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdRZxbu ... ilpage#t=2
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