Why Iran Now? They have 15% of the world Natural Gas reserve.

[Tyler Durden]

Why are we sabre rattling toward Iran? There's always the simple answer: they're in the Middle East, and they don't have "The Bomb," but that's only half of the story.

Once again, as it is with EVERYTHING in Bushland, it's about oil, or to be more general this time, fossil fuel: NATURAL GAS.

From US News last week: Top 2 in world for Natural Gas Reserves (discovered, not including potential);

#1, Russia with 26%
#2, IRAN WITH 15%

We are way down the scale, as are most other countries, with the exception of, (drum roll), IRAQ.

AND GUESS WHO'S NEXT ON THE PIPELINE PARADE? YOU GUESSED IT:

http://www.american.edu/TED/iranpipelin.htm

The proposed pipeline goes from IRAN, through PAKISTAN, and into INDIA. You may now display your shocked look.


This data used to be available on the USGS page: they've removed it. GEE, I wonder WHY?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. 2nd largest conventional oil reserves too (after SA)

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. Gee, US News is kinda slow on the uptake

We were talking about this here on DU back in JULY:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=691717#692402

[Tyler Durden]

3. I remember: only reminding here.

As "Operation Iran Jesus Jihad" approaches, I thought maybe some would like to ponder that old rePuke/Afghani proverb:

"We can carpet you with gold or bombs; it's your choice."

October Surprise: some poor schmuck of an Iranian will be blamed for some MIHOP and we'll be marching off to Tehran.

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. Yeah, it's one of the possible October surprises

But with all the bad news from Iraq, I think it's possible that they're just gear up for it and then not attack until after the election. The October surprise may be pulling a significant number of troops out of Iraq in preparation to send them to Iran. Of course, that's going to leave the remaining troops in Iraq even more vulnerable than they are now.

[paulk]

5. I find this unlikely

It may be in the oil baron's interest to have a friendly, stable government in Iran, but Iraq has already shown that a military takeover is unworkable. It's way too easy for saboteurs to disrupt the oil flow.

The US flat out does not have the military resources to impose it's will on Iran.

That doesn't rule out bombing Iran's nuclear facilities - but the reason there has a lot more to do with Israel than oil.

[Tyler Durden]

7. Nope. I think otherwise:

As the Bushites have shown so well, their motives have nothing to do with friendly stable government, and eveything to do with acquisition of sovereign nation's natural resources by imperial force.

The military (the smart ones, anyway) told Bush that Iraq was unnecessary and unworkable. Didn't work.

[paulk]

8. If their only aim was to take Iraq's oil

They surely haven't done a very good job of it. The oil infrastructure is trashed and will take many millions to restore. Every day we hear of pipelines and facilities being blown up. It's just not possible to guard hundreds of miles of pipeline.

If America tries to outright steal Iraq's oil, the whole country will rebel - it will make the current difficulties seem like child's play.

What they will try to do is install a friendly government (Allawi) and lease or outright sell the rights to the oil industry. They may not even be able to get away with this - there are plenty of Iraqi's who are on to their game.

The economic exploitation envisioned be the Bush Cartel is the main cause of the insurgency. I don't think Bush will succeed in this. I don't possibly see how this could be behind the Iran confrontation. It's just not doable.

ps - check out Naomi Klein's article "Year Zero" - there's a thread over in editorials...

[Strelnikov_]

6. Don't Forget The Strait Of Hormuz

Through which 1/8 +/- of the worlds petroleum supply passes daily.

Iran poses a real problem to big oil in maximizing profit from Iraq's newly liberated oil fields. Supertankers cost a lot of money.

Freedom (from nationalized control of oil fields) is on the march.