Naomi Klein: Bush Sees Crises in Fuel, Food, Housing and Banking as Chance to Exploit Us More

Naomi Klein: Bush Sees Crises in Fuel, Food, Housing and Banking as Chance to Exploit Us More

www.alternet.org

Well, I think we're seeing the Bush administration in its final months just handing out a series of gifts to the oil and gas industry, both at home, pushing for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and then in Iraq, the prize, the biggest prize of all, which is allowing foreign multinationals to gain control of Iraq's oil fields. And we're seeing a two-stage process now, and it isn't over yet, where first there was the service -- the short-term service agreements, no-bid contracts, that were announced. They haven't been signed yet, but they're going to the big oil companies that were kicked out of Iraq in the '70s. They're coming back.


Goodman: Explain how that works, these no-bid contracts, how it is -- who's signing these contracts?


Klein: OK. Well, at the moment, Iraq does not have an oil law, so Iraq can't sign long-term exploration agreements, although they are doing it in Iraqi Kurdistan, and we've heard about this with Hunt Oil. But that's -- those are illegal contracts. They're very precarious. There could be future expropriations. It's really risky to go that route, because there isn't a law. And we know it's been a major push of this administration to get the Iraqi parliament to accept a US-backed oil law. This has been sold as a symbol of Iraqi unity. That's not the way it's seen in Iraq.

(visit the link for the full news article)

"And not only have companies like BP and Texaco been offered these no-bid contracts, but what's strange about it is that they're service contracts, and these are not oil service companies. So what's significant about these contracts is that they appear to be giving these oil companies the right of first refusal on future, more significant contracts. So, one week after these smaller service agreements were announced, the Iraqi Oil Ministry announced that they also will be handing out longer-term management agreements, which will give oil companies the ability to manage existing fields in Iraq and hold onto 75 percent of the worth of those contracts and leave only 25 percent for Iraqis, which is absolutely unheard of in the region, where 51 percent for the country is the baseline for new exploration, for new fields. These are existing fields. They're already working. The technology is already there. And these foreign companies are going to be taking 75 percent of the worth of those existing fields in Iraq. So it's daylight robbery. It's armed robbery, actually."

Naomi Klein makes a lot of great points in this interview!!



www.alternet.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

That is such a great article. Thanks for posting, I hadn't read that interview.

It's just so clear that there seems to be a methodology behind what has unfolded in the past few years - particularly this past year with all of the economic issues. In the article Klein states that this sort of parasitic and exploitive thinking has been going on for years, and I agree, but I tend to think that, with the help of slick marketing, certain sectors and interests have perfected it lately.

Here is a link to a discussion of her book:

The Shock Doctrine: Disaster Capitalism

Just to give context to Naomi Klein insane rambling.

en.wikipedia.org...

In 2000, Klein published the book No Logo, which for many became a manifesto of the anti-corporate globalization movement. The book lambastes brand-oriented consumer culture by describing the operations of large corporations.

Klein ranked 11th in an internet poll [1][2][3] of the top global intellectuals of 2005, a list of the world's top 100 public intellectuals

When I hear the word "intellectuals" I automatically think of someone who has never created a job, has no real world experience, and thinks they are smarter than everyone else.

Just consider the source, think about her agenda, then make an informed decision on what she is saying.

reply to post by RRconservative


Yeah!!!
You're right!!

Smart people are stupid and contribute nothing to society. Lobotomies for everyone!!! Free speech for morons!!

All hail ant-intellectualism!
All hail corporatism!
All hail globalism!
All hail brand-oriented consumer culture!
All hail disaster capitalism!

Shut up and like it!

Criticism = terrorism!

The only difference between Obama and Osama is the BS!

(/sarcasm)

Reply to Gools:

You don't know how nerve-racking it is to see a moderator post a reply right after you have posted. I thought for sure I was getting some kind of warning, or something.

Certain terms bring out different reactions in some people. The term "intellectual" is a term that brings out a strong reaction from me.
But hey, even though they don't create jobs, they do add to our capitalistic society, whether they would admit to it or not. I'm sure she doesn't write books, publish her opinions, and do lectures for free?

Morons of the forums of unite! Oops, i'm a psuedo liberal, gotta jet.

peace

reply to post by RRconservative


Insane ramblings? She seems quite sane to me.

I guess if you don't like the message then attack the messenger.

The way I see it, she's more sane than you are. All you did was attack her character without giving any examples of "insane rambling". I sure don't see any. I read her article, a few others, even watched her film The Take - although I don't speak Spanish so much of that was unintelligible but I got the point - some pretty good stuff there IMO - and she's "insane", huh?

If you speak truth or anything close to it then you are labeled insane. By your way of thinking I guess we should all bow down and let the corporations and governments do whatever they want. They do know what's best for all of us so why should we even question them?

Whatever.........

The entire past 7 years have been a series of exploitations---Exploiting Iraq for Oil, Rebuilding, and Imperialism...Exploiting this nation to pay for it all, while simultaniously expoiting FEAR to create a willingness for us to give up our constitutional rights and civil liberties for "protection against the evil-doers"....No suprise these bottomlessly greedy and sick individuals will keep exploiting every crisis they can...

Originally posted by RRconservative
Just to give context to Naomi Klein insane rambling.

en.wikipedia.org...

In 2000, Klein published the book No Logo, which for many became a manifesto of the anti-corporate globalization movement. The book lambastes brand-oriented consumer culture by describing the operations of large corporations.

Klein ranked 11th in an internet poll [1][2][3] of the top global intellectuals of 2005, a list of the world's top 100 public intellectuals

When I hear the word "intellectuals" I automatically think of someone who has never created a job, has no real world experience, and thinks they are smarter than everyone else.

Just consider the source, think about her agenda, then make an informed decision on what she is saying.

But she criticizes Obama, i thought you would love this one.

I'm going to remember you saying these things, for when you post the same article to show how Obama is a flip-flopper on his economic policies and how he has conservative economic cronies in Chicago.

This article must put you in a tough spot, a person who criticizes the administration and Obama at the same time. "Which....way.....does....RR....view....this....article.....good...or....bad...cant....get.....my........around....it........"
Couldnt find a head exploding emoticon.