Last few days, I’ve been reading a couple of opinions on MS on the Iraq war and a lot of heated debates in the comments sections. Coincidentally, I got this powerpoint presentation through email which gave a different point of view. Earlier I was quite indifferent to the war as I couldn’t care less about Saddam, but after reading this article, I’ve begun to think hard. I admit these are not my original thoughts (as per MS convention) but these are definitely eye-openers, which simply must be shared. I hope I’m forgiven for reproducing this presentation below (after suitable formatting for MS readers)....…
What makes a war happen?
(Backstage of the American attach against Iraq in 1991)
The expenses for the Gulf war – 40 billion US dollars
But who paid for this?
Instinctively we say that the $ 40 billion was paid by the USA.
This is partially true indeed….
Of the 40 billion $
25% of the expenses was paid by the USA (i.e. $ 10 billion)
75% of the expenses was paid by the Arab countries, specifically by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (i.e. $ 30 billion)
Where did they find this money?
The oil price before the war was approx $15 per barrel ….
…. But with the Gulf war, it rose to $42 per barrel, generating an EXTRA profit of about $ 60 billion
Who did this profit go to?
In the Arab countries the “50-50” law is valid: 50% to the state and 50% to the multinational that controls the oil deposit. This gives …
Net profit from the increase in the price of oil : $ 60 billion
$30 billion to the oil companies
$30 billion to the governments of the Arab states (Kuwait + Saudi Arabia)
Who owns the oil companies?
In the Middle East, the extraction and trading of oil is in the hands of the 7 Sister (Shell, Tamoil, Esso…) all of which are American, and 5 are state owned.
Therefore, of the $ 30 billion….
Approx $21 billion to the American State
Approx $9 billion to the American Private sector
Lets make some calculations…
Arab Nations:
Expenses of war: $ 30 billion
Profit from increase of oil prices: $ 30 billion
Net profit: Nil
USA Government
Expenses of war: $ 10 billion
Profit from increase of oil prices: $ 21 billion
Net profit: $11 billion
USA Private Sector
Expenses of war: Nil
Profit from increase of oil prices: $ 9 billion
Net profit: $9 billion
Now all is clear: USA have made a profit of $ 20 billion from the war! It had nothing to do with “Free Kuwait”…. They were only after the “cheese”!
But this is not over yet….
Finally, who paid for the `91 war against Iraq?....
Those who use the oil….
Which means……us!!!!
But this is not over yet….
The USA made a total profit of…..
$ 11 billion from the oil….AND….
$ 49 billion from the weapons!!!
Where did the $ 40 billion spent for the war go?
To the war industry, all of which just happens to be almost exclusively….. AMERICAN!!!
Last thoughts:
Now it is easy to assume that the Gulf war in 1991, happened for financial reasons only and not for some “humanitarian reason” or for the “right to freedom”.
It is also easy to understand now two other events: the reason behind the war in Afghanistan and the new war against Iraq.
Afghanistan:
The war in Afghanistan had as a main target, the installation of a puppet government that would agree with the construction of a pipeline (American owned), of 2500 km length that would run across its territory. This strategically important pipeline has a unique alternative, the construction of another one, of 5500 km length, much more costly to construct and maintain, due to the taxes that would be imposed to the USA by the countries through which it would run.
It is much easier to reduce to dust a country already tormented by 30 years of war and turn it into your annex, with the possibility of constructing and managing the shortest pipeline without any trouble at all.
Iraq:
To understand why Bush jr. wants to attack Iraq again, we must know that the main supplier of oil in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia.
The rupture of their relationship cannot be mended, because Saudi Arabia is one of the countries involved in the Bin Laden terrorist movement and because the international Public opinion is against this country due to their lack of respect for human rights.
Moreover, Venezuela is the largest oil supplier to the USA – in the last 3 years, a social revolution is taking place in Venezuela due to the terrible living conditions.
So, the Bush administration has a goal: to find an alternative oil supplier other than Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.
The easiest way of course is a war in Iraq and the installation of a puppet government under the USA guidance. The question that spontaneously comes to mind is …”Why Iraq?”.
For 3 simple reasons:
1) It is a country that cannot defend itself (poverty due to the embargo is killing 300, 000 babies per year due to malnutrition)
2) Until now, Iraq does not have the support of a powerful nation that would be in a position to withstand the American threat.
3) Iraq offers an easy excuse (the presence of non-existent weapons of mass destruction WMD, that can be only produced with high technology which Iraq does not have) to justify the attack to the international community that knows nothing about oil deposits or the US hidden agenda!!!