[Claire ex-ax]

Since 1945, the strength of the US dollars has rested on it being the international reserve currency for oil transactions. The US prints billions of these “petrodollars” which are used by other countries to purchase oil and energy from OPEC producers. These fiat petrodollars then go from the OPEC producers back to the US via treasury bills or other dollar assets, in fact these dollars can only be used to purchase US dollar assets.

Without its petrodollars the US would go into economic meltdown. The dollar would crash in value, foreign funds would pour out of the US stock markets and those other dollar assets, and the budget deficit would go into default, etc.

And that's just in the US. Japan would very hard hit. And when goes Japan, the dominoes fall.

So you can see how important petrodollars are to the US.

The US thought it would have an easy (cheap) ‘win’ in Iraq. It has not planned for a drawn out 'liberation', okay it has no plan really at all. The $3 trillion it will cost was unexpected and the current administration is finding it difficult to justify the expenditure – and of course the hundreds of thousands of lives.

Yes, the US is strong enough to dominate the world militarily. But economically it is in decline, less and less competitive, and increasingly in debt. And, by its actions, it is showing it.

[Football16]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

How much of that money has gone to the GOP base - Haliburton etc?

I suspect a lot of it went to their friends companies like Haliburton.

Look at the US war spending clock churn:

Cost of Iraq War 2008
Cost of Iraq War and Nation Building (Updated 2008)


"If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem." — George W. Bush, Jan. 2001.

"We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon." – Paul Wolfowitz, March 28, 2003.

[KnowItAll]

>> I suspect a lot of it went to their friends companies like Haliburton.

So, there was a strong money driven motivation.

I blame the war on the petro-arm coalition, many of whom might even be clients of the Carlyle group.

Carlyle Group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interesting to see their political and business leadership huh, specially the middle east rep... ?

[Claire ex-ax]

(CNN) — John McCain’s chief media adviser said Tuesday he is stepping down rather than campaign against Barack Obama.

Mark McKinnon said last year that he would leave McCain’s campaign after the primary season if the Arizona senator were to run against Obama.

The Illinois senator is not the Democratic nominee, but he has accumulated a significant lead in the number of delegates required to claim the nomination.

In a 2007 interview with Cox News, McKinnon said he would vote for McCain, but "I just don't want to work against an Obama candidacy." He added that if Obama were to reach the White House, it "would send a great message to the country and the world."

The McCain campaign says McKinnon will remain a “major supporter” of the McCain’s presidential bid.

It's not news; it's CNN.

[worldsgreatest]

''why his message of change is popular.

With the hippies and yuppies perhaps....''

...so that means McCain is popular with the rednecks, warmongerers and Undeucated ..perhaps

[KnowItAll]

>> rednecks,

Mountain Mama has got that demographic.

>> Uneducated

Would hardly classify the overall Republican party as uneducated. Would love to see their income and education levels compared to the Democratic party... any good source for that?

>> Warmongers

Well, not like the Democrats have done anything to oppose war, other than lame and bland rhetoric.

[aussiegal]

Originally Posted by worldsgreatest

'...so that means McCain is popular with the rednecks, warmongerers and Undeucated ..perhaps

'

Hmm, so if you're American and you're not a hippy and you're not a yuppy you must therefore be either a redneck, a warmonger or uneducated? Sheesh, that's harsh! I've only been to the US a handful of times but i'm sure i've come across a few people with some good qualities.

[Skyhook]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

>> I suspect a lot of it went to their friends companies like Haliburton.

So, there was a strong money driven motivation.

I blame the war on the petro-arm coalition, many of whom might even be clients of the Carlyle group.

Carlyle Group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interesting to see their political and business leadership huh, specially the middle east rep... ?

I am surprized you havent uncovered Prescott Bush's pre war financing of the Nazi's , KIA ? The Bush family is about as bent as it gets, when it comes to having its hand in many tills.
You guessed it, Prescott Bush is George Bush Jnr's Grand pappy.

Prescott Bush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

YouTube - Prescott Bush Interview : Hear a...

YouTube - bush prescott nazi connection

GW Bush Junior with his venture capitalist partners the Bin laden Brothers, back in the 70's and Arbusto Oil & Energy Arbusto Energy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And Yes, GW Bush Senior's Carlyle group, is a multi billion dollar money maker, the Bush familiy is literally laughing all the way to the bank, especially after Sept 11..The Bush family fortune seems to be made up from businesses that are either oil related or weapon/munitions related.
Must be great to be a Bush during the last 8 year, especially now that crude oil is peaking, and about to surpass, its early 1900's highest prices.

[Skyhook]

Thanks for the negative feed back that read " Irrelevant. We're bashing Obama and McCain, not Bush"

Did you click Kia as well for raising the Carlyle group ? Which my post hinges off as a supporting post.......

I wasn't even being negative, US politics does interest me, especially the last 70 years worth.

Anyway, its all good...

[worldsgreatest]

any responses to sky hook? it surprises me how many people believe the lies that have been spun by the administration and that people can defend bush and his messed up foreign policies. There is a reason the rest of the world hates America (The administration - not the people), and its not because they are jealous!