I thought it very peculiar about a month ago when I heard that Daddy Bush was paying a visit to Kuwait and possibly Iran as well. Been wondering what he was up to ever since, and knowing the way he works, couldn't help suspecting something sneaky. The more news I read about this oil situation, the more the pieces of the puzzle seem to be fitting together.

Wouldn't people get pretty pissed with the current Democratic administration if oil prices this summer put an end to the booming economy right before the election? Given, Daddy Bush doesn't necessarily have a lot of clout with all of the OPEC nations, but we know he was pretty tight with Iran and Kuwait while he was president, and did Kuwait a big favor by blasting Saddam (or as Daddy says, "Saaadum").

What was he doing over in Kuwait in January? Maybe he promised them that if they kept the prices up high enough to put the U.S. in a recession, when little Shrubya gets elected we would repay the favor by putting some big heat on Saddam again. Maybe even finish 'em off for good this time and make life a lot nicer for Kuwait and Iran! The conditions are ripe, all they need to do is create another reason to start the conflict, like weapons inspections again.

Strangely enough, according to latest reports, U.S. Energy Secretary Richardson is having a bit of luck convincing OPEC nations to increase production, EXCEPT, guess who?... Kuwait and Iran! Just coincidence?

Furthermore, when I read some of the remarks by Republican senators, the whole thing is starting to look like, as Hillary put it, "a vast right-wing conspiracy." The whole situation with OPEC not being able to agree to increase production doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason, other than to put an end to the economic boom that the current administration so proudly takes credit for.

A recession would go a long way toward making voters think twice about whether Democrats know how to handle the economy, then Shrubya could take the helm and appear to solve the whole problem rather quickly, by eliminating the evil Saddam and improving relations with our oil-exporting friends. Shrubya would also be thought of as the great saviour of our economy, by increasing domestic production through the Bush family associations in the oil business, which is of course their ultimate goal. Looks like the big picture is starting to become very, very clear.

---

Gulf states look to increase oil production... But don't expect to pay less for gasoline

February 24, 2000 Web posted at: 10:56 p.m. EST (0356 GMT)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Gulf oil ministers have agreed to increase production in an effort to stabilize international oil markets. But the ministers are not in agreement on a new production goal.

A senior United Arab Emirates oil official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the production increase will be gradual and in the range of 1.5 million barrels a day. "After that, it's the market's call," he said, refusing to speculate to what extent that would bring prices down from the $30 a barrel where they have been hovering.

Officials from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, say their government favors a price of about $20 to $25 a barrel. Kuwait, however, is believed to oppose any production increase, and Iran, the second-largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has come out against a rise in output.

The 1.5 million barrel increase amounts to about 6 percent beyond the current 23 million barrels a day set by an agreement reached last year.

The oil ministers will meet next month with other OPEC members to set a new production goal.

'Higher prices this spring'

Despite that production increase, an official with the U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday that the price of gasoline, already up more than 40 cents a gallon from a year ago, will probably rise further in the coming months.

"We will likely see even higher prices this spring," said John Cook of the Energy Information Administration, an agency within the department.

Cook told a Senate hearing that low inventories of crude oil and heating and diesel stocks led to the extremely sharp and sudden price increases in late January and early February, when average heating oil costs in the Northeast jumped 66 percent.

Inventories of distillate, which includes heating oil and diesel fuel, "were ample at the start of the winter seasons ... (but) fell well below normal levels by year end, setting the stage for the heating oil price spike" in January and February, Cook said.

The sudden price increase was worsened by refiners holding back on buying crude oil because of its high price, further drawing down inventories, Cook said. He said refiners actually reduced refinery output, not anticipating the severe cold that hit the Northeast.

In January, East Coast distillate inventories "were running almost 4 million barrels, or 8 percent below the low end of the normal range," Cook told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Some analysts have said an increase of at least 2 million barrels a day is needed to stabilize markets and make a sufficient impact on stocks of oil to lower prices. An increase of anything less than that could actually increase prices, because it may be seen as an indication producers are not serious about stabilizing prices.

Price hikes cause jitters around the world

The increased cost of oil has hit pocketbooks around the world, though the impact differs from region to region.

In Toronto, a government task force has begun hearings after repeated price spikes at gas stations.

Canada's Competition Bureau conducted a six-month probe into price-fixing allegations and found no evidence of wrongdoing.

In England, members of Parliament have called for an inquiry into high fuel prices, with claims that oil companies are operating a cartel.

With the average price of petrol at 75 pence per liter -- or approximately 3.40 pounds ($5.44) a gallon -- the government is promising a probe into trading practices between oil companies and retailers.

MPs claim the price increases have driven hundreds of gas station owners out of business, and last year truck drivers protested the escalating fuel costs with traffic disruptions across the country.

The more than doubling of oil prices has been both good and bad for Indonesia, a member of OPEC. Indonesia produces 6 percent of the world's oil supply and profits handily from the increased prices. But with prices up, the government is considering cutting the fuel subsidy, which would cause prices at the pump to increase. The cost of gasoline is currently about 49 cents a gallon.

The last time the government pushed up prices, Indonesians took to the streets in bloody riots that ousted President Suharto.

Richardson 'pleased'; senators are not

An Emirates official said the visit this week to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia by U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson was not discussed during the oil ministers' meeting.

Richardson, who arrived in Kuwait on Thursday, is on a world tour of major oil-producing countries to urge them to increase output. By telephone from Kuwait, he told CNN, "I am very pleased with the results of our meetings." Richardson visits Saudi Arabia next.

At the Senate hearing, some Republicans on the panel criticized President Bill Clinton's administration for not promoting more domestic oil production. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colorado, called the Richardson mission "a short-term Band-Aid fix."

Campbell said, "It rather bothers me that we're reduced to sort of a hat-in-hand, beggar's position in trying to talk them into lower prices or increased production so we can stay alive."

Richardson called his mission "energy diplomacy," not begging.

"Many of these countries ... were concerned about low oil prices a year ago, when (crude oil cost) $10 a barrel," Richardson said. "So was Sen. Campbell in Colorado. But now they are at $30. They're too high. I think most countries are agreeing with that."

'Captives of the foreign oil cartels'

Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, committee chairman, said that since Clinton took office, domestic oil production has declined by 17 percent, with the United States now relying on other countries for 56 percent of its oil.

"We are captives of the foreign oil cartels," Campbell said.

Another witness at the hearing agreed. James Schlesinger, energy secretary during the Carter administration, said rising energy prices are "a wake-up call with regard to the dependency or the growing dependency of the United States on foreign sources of supply."

Cook, director of the petroleum division at the Energy Information Administration, said OPEC production cuts and increases in world demand led to an average shortfall of more than 2 million barrels a day in 1999, resulting in a draw down of inventories.

If OPEC production limits continue, Cook said, the shortfall this year could be as much 2 million barrels a day.

The price of oil has skyrocketed in the last year from less than $12 a barrel to about $30 a barrel.

In January of last year, the price of gasoline in the United States averaged about 96 cents a gallon, according to the Energy Department. By January 2000, that figure had increased to $1.39.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 25, 2000

Answers

Hawk, glad you're flying high. If Daddy Bush went thru all that trouble to get oil prices up, imagine how upset the Bushies must be that the sheeple prefer the Manchurian Candidate instead...!

-- INever (inevercheckmy@onebox.com), February 25, 2000.

In watching Gdubua I have wondered if he is just a puppet for someone else, like daddy and his old friends. I have no dog in this fight and no political favorite. More interesting than whats said, is what isn't said! Sounds like there could be some real strange bedfellows under these covers..............

-- nobody (nobody@nowhere.com), February 25, 2000.

The Manchurian candidate? I guess you're talking about McCain.

Sure, the Bush dynasty is very pissed right now, but they're banking on the desperation of the American public for a solution to oil problems after a summer of paying $2.00+ per gallon for gasoline. Shrubya will claim to have all the answers with increasing domestic oil production because of his experience in the business.

Also, tensions with Iraq will escalate prior to the election, and people will remember the success of Desert Storm when Daddy Bush was running the show. They are going to create such a desperate situation by then that McCain's campaign spending reform is going to be very low on the list of priorities.

This is the way the New World Order works...

PROBLEM ----> REACTION ----> SOLUTION

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 25, 2000.

There is some interesting reading about the Bush family and their oil and gold dealings on this site - skolnicksreport.com.

-- K Taylor (KTaylorOre@webtv.net), February 25, 2000.

"Just keep smilin' boy, the
plan is working perfectly."

"By the time November gets here
the sheeple will be begging for
you to come to the rescue."

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 25, 2000.

Of course daddy Bush is - more than any of us could imagine is going on to get Shrubya elected. This planet is too bizarre for me, but what to do...

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 25, 2000.

Domestic oil production. When the Shrub gets in office he's going to tell the environmentalists to go straight to hell, so that he can make the whole country just like Texas, the most polluted state in the country. He doesn't care, as long as the Bush family and all of their friends in the oil business are raking in the big bucks.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 25, 2000.

I could be wrong here, but from the pic up above, doesn't it look like there was maybe an Arab in the woodpile?

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), February 25, 2000.

Hawk,

Big Bush tight with the Iranians? You lost me with this contention. The Saudis and Kuwaitis? Yes, but not Iran.

Oil economics have firmed because there's been a transition of power from the pro-US Fahd to the pios Abdullah in Saudi Arabia and both world oil production and refining capacity are operating near their limits in a strong economy.

-- DeRonin (DeRonin@yahoo.com), February 25, 2000.

DeRonin, don't bother the Hawkster with facts. He's too busy making up his own.

-- (-@-.-), February 25, 2000.

Hawk,

I do appreciate your posts. There is much food for thought, and the Net is the perfect place to seek other perspectives. I rather agree that Daddy B is orchestrating another October Surprise for us. Right now, I still expect it to be Algore v. Shrubya in Nov. and The Shrub to be Pres. come next January. However it turns out, the 'fix' is still in----TPTB rules!

-- bz (beezee@statesville.net), February 25, 2000.

How do we know that Billary Monica Klinton isn't doing this to help old Al Bore out? Kinda use old Shrubya's tactics against him.

-- ,-, (comma@dash.comma), February 25, 2000.

If You want to know,whats in Store for You,if "Snorty"Bush gets in,check out the Damage "Baby Face"Jeb Bush in doing down in Florida!!

-- Okeydokey (Bush@Mush.lush), February 25, 2000.

Deronin,

I think Hawk refers to the October Surprise of 1980 when Iranian hostages were held until after the US election ehicj embarresed carter and benefited Reagan/Bush.

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), February 25, 2000.

Hawk has once again demonstrated that the mentally ill are not without a fertile imagination. He is either putting us on or is truly what he appears to be: just plain stupid.Trailer trash stupid..Drano in the morning stupid.Falling on head from great heights stupid..Way too much drugs and alcohol stupid..Abused as a child stupid..Without any life stupid!!

-- Ra (tion@l.1), February 25, 2000.

How about some links or a summary of what Jeb is doing to FL?

-- (needlink@link.link), February 25, 2000.

Hey Hawk,
Don't let the trolls bother you, keep up the good work.

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), February 25, 2000.

What I like about your thinking, Hawk, is it deals with the underlying political/power games which we already suspect are having the greatest influence on the world. It's been clear to see the power of the incumbent, and how it impacts the mainstream press.

We peons are only able to guess at reality, based on the surface information we have available to us. That's why many of us are here still on TBTK - because we are curious about the the game, after being naive about Y2K.

Your hypothesis is the kind of thing one would suspect for the politicos which play the game of high stakes so well.

-- Chuck (cestin@aa.net), February 25, 2000.

Oh yeah, the old October Surprise! Bush just hopped into an SR-71 to fly off to a secret meeting with the Iranians in Paris and then flew back home to the states and nobody noticed he was gone.

Yeah, the Democrats had that all figured out and even had their Speaker of the House say that a Congressional investigation was needed, stating "We have to investigate because we have no evidence of such an event ever having happened." And now Hawk is dragging up that BS fantasy story twenty years later as "proof" that GW isn't Presidential material.

A politcal fishing trip for mermaids and sea monsters by the Democrats then, and now.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 25, 2000.

"And now Hawk is dragging up that BS fantasy story twenty years later as "proof" that GW isn't Presidential material."

What the HELL are you talking about???

You sound like another one of those right-wing extremists that start blowing smoke out of their ears everytime someone starts to discover the truth about corruption among the hypocritical conservatives.

Desert Storm was 9 years ago, and I made no reference to anything older than that. I never said anything about GW not being presidential material either. My main complaint about him is that he is not Human Being material. Do you have anything to substantiate your outrageous accusations?

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), February 25, 2000.