@no1marauder saidAre you right wingers really stupid and/or dishonest enough to believe or pretend to believe that this or any other US administration wouldn't oppose Saudi production cuts which would raise US gas prices regardless of their timing?
Are you right wingers really stupid and/or dishonest enough to believe or pretend to believe that this or any other US administration wouldn't oppose Saudi production cuts which would raise US gas prices regardless of their timing?
Yes, they are.
15 Oct 22
@vivify
One evidence of the nature of SA and oil prices in the US, it has been noted they lowered the price for everyone else but the US, the US is the only one they cut shipments to and raised prices also but not elsewhere.
Mr Average Joe said he would get SA on their knees or words to that effect that he, presumably because of his incredible intelligence, he ALONE can solve this crisis and DAMED Biden for his reaction. If you are reading this JOE Average, tell us oh maven what is your solution, I asked you that in another post with no reply. Which I take as you just blowing smoke out your voluminous ass.
15 Oct 22
@vivify saidYeah but the US does not buy or need Saudi oil is it more about arms sales and the geo political map of the Middle East.
Oil.
It seems it does not matter how many women the Sunni Saudis butcher for some non crime we prefer them to the Shiite Iranian butchers.
Oil does not explain US foreign policy in the region anymore.
15 Oct 22
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@kevcvs57 saidWhether the US directly buys Saudi oil or not doesn't matter; the price of oil is set in international markets and responsive to global supply and demand. Thus, if the Saudis limit production it raises gas prices in the US regardless of how much Saudi oil flows to the US.
Yeah but the US does not buy or need Saudi oil is it more about arms sales and the geo political map of the Middle East.
It seems it does not matter how many women the Sunni Saudis butcher for some non crime we prefer them to the Shiite Iranian butchers.
Oil does not explain US foreign policy in the region anymore.
BTW, the US does buy some oil from Saudi Arabia, 5-6% of our total petroleum imports in 2021. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php
15 Oct 22
@no1marauder saidYeah I know all this but oil still does not in any way explain or command US foreign policy in the Middle East especially given that the trading currency for oil is the dollar.
Whether the US directly buys Saudi oil or not doesn't matter; the price of oil is set in international markets and responsive to global supply and demand. Thus, if the Saudis limit production it raises gas prices in the US regardless of how much Saudi oil flows to the US.
The price of oil is inextricably linked to the value of the dollar, if it is high the cost of oil for the US is low, the US has its own domestic levers.
You need to look at wider geopolitical concerns in the region to explain US foreign policy towards Saudi, Israel and its enmity with Iran might not be a bad place to start.
15 Oct 22
@kevcvs57 saidIt all makes perfect sense to neoliberal and neoconservative ideologies that dominate Western foreign policy though it might be incomprehensible to those like yourself who can't get past a "good guy, bad guy" view of geopolitics.
Yeah I know all this but oil still does not in any way explain or command US foreign policy in the Middle East especially given that the trading currency for oil is the dollar.
The price of oil is inextricably linked to the value of the dollar, if it is high the cost of oil for the US is low, the US has its own domestic levers.
You need to look at wider geopolitical concer ...[text shortened]... US foreign policy towards Saudi, Israel and its enmity with Iran might not be a bad place to start.
Oil made the Saudis rich and they have integrated themselves into the Big Money world of capitalist economics. They send their kids to Harvard, Oxford, MIT, etc. etc. to pal around with the future leaders of the capitalist world. Thus, they are willing partners in the Western dominated global economy. Even better, it's a small country that is militarily insignificant (except when they are bombing Yemenis who, unlike Ukrainians, don't register as any concern of the West) and thus no threat to the neoconservative goals of expanded US world domination.
So minor foibles like butchering journalists and repressing their own People are easily forgiven.
Glad to help.
15 Oct 22
@sonhouse saidYeah. Gas is $4 per gallon and rising, but at least we have a leader who had the wisdom to publicly call Saudi Arabia a "pariah state" while also eliminating our own chance for energy independence in the near future.
@vivify
Sure but Trump was all but kissing their collective asses.
It is really important to do that as a precursor to all other diplomacy to insult your adversaries.
We don't barter much over prices in the US, but when I travelled abroad, I quickly learned the way to get the best prices was to set the stage by insulting the merchant immediately.
Thankfully we have Biden. Had he not publicly insulted Saudi Arabia we'd have all correctly assumed that he must actually love them and all they stand for. I mean, what else can it be? Publicly insult them (forcing them to change nothing), or support all they are and all they stand for. Nothing else is even possible to think.
15 Oct 22
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@no1marauder saidOh here he goes again some idiot told him about Neo cons and Neo liberals and he thinks it explains ‘life the universe and everything’.
It all makes perfect sense to neoliberal and neoconservative ideologies that dominate Western foreign policy though it might be incomprehensible to those like yourself who can't get past a "good guy, bad guy" view of geopolitics.
Oil made the Saudis rich and they have integrated themselves into the Big Money world of capitalist economics. They send their kids to Harvar ...[text shortened]... es like butchering journalists and repressing their own People are easily forgiven.
Glad to help.
It’s you that sees the world through overly simplistic 1960s tinted glasses.
It’s them damnable Neos what’s to blame I tells ya, they forced Putin to erect / resurrect a totalitarian state at home where himself and his cabal of pals had to steal the sovereign wealth of Russia and now they’ve had to brutally invade their neighbour so they can do the same there to keep it safe from them Neo liberals, in fact we’ll buy super yachts, palaces and London Town houses with it that’ll teach them capitalist running dog Neo liberals 🙄
Have you any idea how ridiculous your mantra sounds in the real world.
Your the one with the bad guy good guy fetish, but for you Putin = good whilst the USA and the SOCIALLY liberal nations of the west are the bad guys, yeah sure thing, that makes perfect sense when you put it like that.
15 Oct 22
@kevcvs57 saidWhat a bunch of idiotic drivel.
Oh here he goes again some idiot told him about Neo cons and Neo liberals and he thinks it explains ‘life the universe and everything’.
It’s you that sees the world through overly simplistic 1960s tinted glasses.
It’s them damnable Neos what’s to blame I tells ya, they forced Putin to erect / resurrect a totalitarian state at home where himself and his cabal of pals had to ...[text shortened]... s of the west are the bad guys, yeah sure thing, that makes perfect sense when you put it like that.
Sorry, if you can't deal with the realities of the world.
15 Oct 22
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@no1marauder saidOtherwise known as the truth in the real world but yeah other than that another spot on if somewhat haughty repost.
What a bunch of idiotic drivel.
Sorry, if you can't deal with the realities of the world.
15 Oct 22
@no1marauder
So minor foibles like butchering journalists and repressing their own People are easily forgiven.
Glad to help.
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It sounds cruel but there is much truth to that.
Had this been Bush and the King, this eruption and name calling would not have occurred. And I understand that
Khashoggi was American too, but... don't burn bridges. That is what wise diplomats learn to do (or not)