[frankthetank]

Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia...

They all must be making a killing @ current oil prices. Whats happening with this money? Is it being used for public works, rich people stealing it, or converting it to gold/Euros and waiting??????

I've never seen this discussed on any major networks.

[GermanDom]

All of the above. That's the funny thing about money. It's like rain that drains away quickly. Sometimes it leaves nice growth, especially if it's not too much, other times it just washes away everything in its way. And then there is the (Arabian) rain forest that will turn straight back into a desert once the rain ends...

[Andy]

I heard that Venezuela is planning a multi billion dollar investment in its rail system. That is definitely a prudent long term investment. I guess they are also greasing rich folks pockets, buying gold etc. Don't know about the other countries however.

[Keith_McClary]

Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia...

They all must be making a killing @ current oil prices. Whats happening with this money? Is it being used for public works, rich people stealing it, or converting it to gold/Euros and waiting??????

I've never seen this discussed on any major networks.

There is info on Iraq, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan here:

http://www.iraqrevenuewatch.org/

which currently has this news link:

Iraq to phase out oil and electricity subsidies

I have read elswhere that Iraqis can make a living by driving across the border to Jordan every day with a full tank of subsidized Iraqi gasoline. It helps to have an extra gas tank in the trunk (this requires keeping the Jordanian border guards happy).

Due to lack of refineries Iraq is still importing gasoline from Kuwait at world prices and reselling it for pennies.

Also from the Lebanon Daily Star:
Iraqi pipelines hit again as oil losses grow.

Would you expect to see this discussed on any major networks?

[frankthetank]

Keith-

No.

They have to cover more important things

I wonder how much of this money is spend on US products vs. Euro or others. I bet very little of it makes it back here.

If you look at the numbers, its staggering. Saudi 10million barrels/day @ 55/barrel...thats 550million a day??? hmm...

I suppose financing terroism is expensive.

[Keith_McClary]

I wonder how much of this money is spend on US products vs. Euro or others. I bet very little of it makes it back here.

If you look at the numbers, its staggering. Saudi 10million barrels/day @ 55/barrel...thats 550million a day??? hmm...

I suppose financing terroism is expensive.

"A 1973 agreement signed by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and the U.S. ambassador established the mission of the Office of the Program Manager-Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program [OPM-SANG]. In 1975 Vinnell Corp., since 1998 a subsidiary of TRW, was awarded the National Guard Modernization Program contract. The most recent five-year contract, awarded in 1998, has an estimated value of $831 million and involves 280 US government personnel and 1,400 Vinnell staff at various locations. In 1998, the Carlyle Group sold its controlling interest in BDM, including Vinnell, to TRW International."

"four combined arms battalions mounted in Cadillac Gage V-150 armored vehicles"

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... m-sang.htm

[smiley]

If you look at the numbers, its staggering. Saudi 10million barrels/day @ 55/barrel...thats 550million a day??? hmm...

[swallows]

I never realized the magnitude. Even if you discount $12 production costs it still means that they make about $430 million (or $20 per citizen) per day.

The most recent five-year contract, awarded in 1998, has an estimated value of $831 million and involves 280 US government personnel and 1,400 Vinnell staff at various locations.

That's peanuts. $831 million only represents 2 days of revenues. With this amount of money flowing in they can buy one B2-stealth bomber every week, or one aircraft carrier every month!

It would certainly interesting to track this money.

[NTBKtrader]

The Bible says that in the end times the power will shift to the East. coincidence?

[Keith_McClary]

If you look at the numbers, its staggering. Saudi 10million barrels/day @ 55/barrel...thats 550million a day??? hmm...

[swallows]

I never realized the magnitude. Even if you discount $12 production costs it still means that they make about $430 million (or $20 per citizen) per day.

The most recent five-year contract, awarded in 1998, has an estimated value of $831 million and involves 280 US government personnel and 1,400 Vinnell staff at various locations.

That's peanuts. $831 million only represents 2 days of revenues. With this amount of money flowing in they can buy one B2-stealth bomber every week, or one aircraft carrier every month!

It would certainly interesting to track this money.

$831 million might cover expat pay and benifits for 1400 staff for five years (plus overhead and profit for Vinnell corp.).
The Cadillac armored vehicles and other goodies are probably much more.

A lot of the revenues end up in the trillion dollar rainy-day fund that the Saudi royals, Bin Ladens, etc. have invested in the US. And their palaces in Vail and Vegas.

[smiley]

http://www.us-saudi-business.org/

Imports from the US (2003): 4.6 billion
Exports to the US (2003): 18 billion

Saudi import figures for the past few years

2003 4,595.97
2002 4,778.47
2001 5,970.50
2000 6,230.29
1999 7,911.90
1998 10,519.80

It seems to me that there is less money flowing to the USA than there is money flowing out of it. Moreover the amount of money flowing to the USA is decreasing.

As to Saudi 'investments' in the USA. You invest with only one goal in mind, personal gain. You certainly don't invest with the purpose of making someone else better. These investments only create a larger money drain.

[Keith_McClary]

http://www.us-saudi-business.org/

Imports from the US (2003): 4.6 billion
Exports to the US (2003): 18 billion

Saudi import figures for the past few years

2003 4,595.97
2002 4,778.47
2001 5,970.50
2000 6,230.29
1999 7,911.90
1998 10,519.80

It seems to me that there is less money flowing to the USA than there is money flowing out of it. Moreover the amount of money flowing to the USA is decreasing.

If that bothers you, take a look at the graphs on this page:
Breaking the Ties that Bind? U.S. Exports, Saudi Arabia and the Accountability Act
http://www.saudi-american-forum.org/New ... say_26.htm
In 1999 Saudi imports came 50% from US.
In 2003 15%.

Most of the decline was in aircraft and military.

It will get worse if this bill passes:
"The Saudi Arabia Accountability Act of 2003 ... would ... prohibit exports of many U.S. defense and other commercial manufactured wares"
http://capwiz.com/zoa/issues/bills/?bill=5414681

As to Saudi 'investments' in the USA. You invest with only one goal in mind, personal gain.

The Saudi regime was already an anacronism when it was founded. They know they won't be there forever, even with the help of the Vinnell Corp./CIA.
It's a lot easier to get into the US (or most countries) if you happen to own multi-million dollar businesses there.