Tag Archives: oil

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Despite U.S. oil sancitons on Iran, Royal Dutch Shell just bought 1.5 million barrels of Iranian oil

“We do not comment on our trading activities. Shell complies with all applicable sanctions.”-Royal Dutch Shell statement

An Iranian 270,000 ton supertanker, called Delvar, just docked in Singapore.  It’s delivering a huge load of oil for a major European/U.S. oil company: Royal Dutch Shell.

Before docking in Singapore, the Delvar transferred 60,000 tons of oil/condensate to a Chinese ship.

Despite the above recent quote from Royal Dutch Shell, on February 2, 2012, the CEO of the company said: “We will comply with the sanctions and we will therefore get our oil from somewhere else.”-Peter Voser, Chief Executive Royal Dutch Shell

Yet, a Singapore official confirmed that Royal Dutch Shell just bought 1.5 million barrels of Iranian oil: “Yes, Shell bought it. There is no other reason for the ship to be anchored at Bukom.”-unnamed ship broker

The U.S./European imposed sanctions against Iranian oil.  Also, on February 21, Iran banned oil sales to European Union countries, unless they signed new contracts under Iranian terms.  The Iranians have also stopped oil shipments to Britain and France. Royal Dutch Shell is partly owned by the British (about 40%).

Royal Dutch Shell gets about 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil, for Europe, and another 100,000 bpd for Japan.

The fact that Royal Dutch Shell (5th largest oil and gas company in the world) is still doing business with Iran indicates they’ve signed onto the new Iranian oil deal.  However, some oil traders do not think so: “I would not be surprised if they continued to ‘lift’ a little bit, until it becomes illegal to do so.”-unnamed oil trader

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran discovers new, huge oil fields!

“The newly discovered oil field must be considered among the biggest fields ever discovered in Iran!”-Seyyed Mahmoud Mohaddes, National Iranian Oil Company

On March 3, 2012, Iranian oil officials announced that not only have they discovered the largest oil field in Iran’s history, they’ve found several new oil fields!

Drilling has already started, and there are at least three more new oil fields.  Iran already has the second largest proven oil reserves in the world. Just more reasons for the West to get their hands on Iran!

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? New Study confirms old truth; Wars Do Not create Economic Recovery!

A new study has confirmed what most economic historians will tell you; long term wars actually destroy your economy: “…the positive effects of increased military spending were outweighed by longer term unintended negative macroeconomic consequences.”

The latest study was done by the Institute for Economics and Peace.  But their study revealed that the War on Terror has been more damaging to the U.S. economy than expected, because it’s the first U.S. war in which taxes collections went down!  This means that while military spending went up, the tax revenues to pay for the military went down!

A long term war, with reduced tax revenues to pay for it has resulted in “…the U.S. having severe unsustainable structural imbalances in its government finances…” and “…major constraints on the economy and limited the scope of options that were available to policymakers…”

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iraqi Sunnis refuse to stop fighting

“These groups are still fighting and still active, they continue to carry arms. They are active in….Mosul, Diyala, Anbar, Salahuddin, Baghdad, Babil, and some on the outskirts of Basra and Kut.”-Adnan al-Asadi, Deputy Interior Minister of Iraq

“We are happy to declare the defeat of the occupation but the occupation has a project and the effects of this project still exist.”-Ibrahim al-Shimari, Iraqi Islamic Army

“The occupier has not left, they left an embassy which includes thousands of persons, and certainly those are not diplomats. We will keep fighting to drive the last U.S. soldier from Iraqi soil….Even the contractors who live with the Iraqi Army in its bases, we will target them.”-Sheikh Khalid al-Ansari, al-Rashideen Army

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate Crime: New Mexico company ripped off U.S. & Iraqi taxpayers

“The indictment alleges that the defendants flagrantly enriched themselves at the expense of the Iraqi people, the very people they were there to help, and American taxpayers.”-Kenneth J Gonzales, U.S. Attorney General

Former executives of Laguna Construction Company, are accused of colluding with four foreign nationals, to defraud taxpayers of more than $5 million through kickbacks to subcontractors.

Two subcontractors were actually connected to Laguna Construction, and they are accused of overcharging, and charging for services not rendered.

It took several law enforcement agencies to identify the scam: “…joint effort by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our law enforcement partners from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division, and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.”-Janice M Flores, DCIS

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia joins West’s sanctions against Iran, freezes Iranian Embassy accounts!

The Russian bank, VTB 24, froze the accounts of Iranian embassy personnel in Russia.

“The bank said that this was an order from their top management, and they couldn’t do anything about it.”-Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi, Iranian Ambassador to Russia

Officials with VTB 24, a division of Russian state owned VTB, tried to downplay any connection to the U.S./European sanctions against Iran, by saying the move was because of a lack of profits being made off the Iranian accounts.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Canada orders troops to stand down, despite increasing taxpayer spending on the Afghan war

“I think for many years we just took it for granted that we were a training base and we didn’t have to face the loss of people. Then on the Easter weekend we lost six and then two more.”-Fay Tidd, Mayor of Oromocto, New Brunswick, Canada

From now until the end of 2012, about 950 Canadian troops from New Brunswick will be deployed in Afghanistan.

“We keep reassuring everybody it’s a peacekeeping mission. I don’t know if we’re trying to convince ourselves or who?”-Ken Weir,  St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church

Meanwhile, the Canadian Department of Defense has ordered 45 Canadian police officers and 70 diplomats working in Afghanistan, to stop what they are doing.  Canadian military trainers have also been ordered to stay away from Afghan government forces.  This is all because of the burning of dozens of Qur’ans by five U.S. troops!

The Canadian mission in Afghanistan is supposed to end in 2014,  yet it’s been revealed that the Canadian government is increasing spending for the military operation.  One report says spending will increase by at least another C $500 million.

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: More anti-U.S. rallies shut down Saudi Arabian oil ports

March 3, 2012, Saudi Arabian time, fresh anti-Saudi and anti-U.S. demonstrations reported in several Saudi Arabian oil ports along the Persian Gulf.

The latest port cities involved are Qatif (Al-Qatif), Rabiyia (Al-Rabeeya) and Awamiyah (Al-Awamia).  I’ve posted before how the U.S. media has been totally ignoring what’s been going on in the Pro-U.S. Saudi Arabia for the past year!

As much as 2 million barrels of oil passes through Awamiyah everyday.

Qatif is an ancient city, dating back to 3,500 BC.  Most of the jobs in Qatif are related to the oil industry. It’s estimated that Qatif handles 800,000 barrels of oil everyday.

Rabiyia is a town located in the Qatif county/region.

Last year human rights groups claimed hundreds of people were tortured by Saudi police.  Many Shi’a Muslims in Saudi Arabia are protesting because the Salafi Muslim government (that’s right, they’re Salafi/Wahhab, not Sunni as claimed by the U.S. media) has arrested and detained many Shi’a without charge, some since 1996!

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: More suicide attacks on NATO, Afghan official assasinated, new Pakistan offensive

On March 2, 2012, in Dund district of southern Kandahar Province, a suicide car bomber attacked a NATO convoy.

At least four U.S./NATO/ISAF forces, one Afghan police officer, an Afghan civilian and and Afghan interpreter were wounded.  The “Taliban” immediately claimed responsibility (as I’ve said before, those attacks where no one claims responsibility are suspicious), and claimed that 15 U.S. led forces were killed.

In the city of Tarinkowt, in southern Uruzgan Province, unknown militants assassinated the local Afghan Intelligence official.  “Taliban” are not claiming this one.

In another incident, in which the “Taliban” are not commenting on, a man was arrested as he was heading to Kandahar.  He’s accused of supplying weapons for a planned attack against Afghan government forces.

And despite the ignorant U.S. media, which spreads the lies that Pakistan isn’t doing enough to help fight the War on Terror, Pakistan has launched a new offensive in the Kyber region.  Already there are 10 dead Pakistani forces,and 23 dead “Taliban” militants, after an early morning firefight on March 2, 2012!

International, U.S.

World War 3: Obama to send more U.S. forces to Afghanistan

March 2, 2012, a report says the Department of Defense (DoD) has decided on a new round of troop deployments to Afghanistan.

The DoD decision was actually announced on February 16!

The U.S. Army has selected four Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), one separate brigade and an Army command, to be deployed between April and August 2012.

It will involve approximately 1,460 active component officers and senior non-commissioned officers, along with approximately 300 DoD civilians. The official purpose is to train Afghan government forces.

The new deployment will be made up of personnel from: 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. 3rd BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. 4th BCT, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. 162nd Infantry Brigade, Fort Polk, Louisiana.  And 1st Army, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.