If we concede the war was about oil..

[stateofequilibrium]

Okay, for the sake of concession, let's say the war WAS entirely about oil. Since we seem to be kind of ignoring the more dangerous evil powers like Iran and N. Korea..

Would this war have happened REGARDLESS in another 50 year? I can bet you it would. When oil prices climb to staggering heights, American forces would be moved in to protect American interests. Wouldn't be the first time.. we did it for bananas, and how I love my bananas :-D

But I for one believed something like this would have been inevitable.. "Do you hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability."

[Vance]

Wha...?



Where am I?

[Seoulstriker]

Wha...?



Where am I?

the year 2053. where we're fighting for the last strategic resource:

http://www.woolworths.com.au/cookingtips/pics/banana.jpg

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

uuummmm hes been smoking em instead of eating them rofl

[Deuterium]

Okay let's concede that you fail to make any point at all. Mister Brahm you copy?

[wholagun]

In 50 years if we are not well on our way to harnessing the power and full potential of Hydrogen fuel then we are in trouble as a race.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Ok I wanna know were America fought the banana war at hahahaha...die you banana withholding bastards :bash:

[Vance]

The Banana War....bwhahahaha.

[Caribou Kid]

It was not just a co-incidence that George W. dumped a WHOLE lot of fuggin' money into research about Hydrogen fuel cells just days after September 11th. The world has not been blind to the fact that we have been led around by the Cojones byOPEC (read: not-so-humble Arabs and muslims) since the early 70's. Take away their leverage of petroleum products, and whaddya got...? A sandbox no one really wants to live in.
When the world jumps on the Hydrogen band wagon, the once-uppity members of that cartel will be left, cap in hand by the side of the road, like the parasites they have been. Sure, we might need lubricants to keep axles turning, or the by-products of the industry to make plastic, but super economy-sized Exxon Valdez ships bringing barrels of crude over to power gas guzzlers? Nah, that will go the way of the Railroad barons, mate, and the Steamtrain. With any luck, the only remaining petroleum based Internal combustion engines will be the ****ty, poorly maintained rickety buckets of bolts that you see nowdays on National Geographic in backwater 3rd world countries, hauling lumber to the sawmill , or peasants up some goat track.

Then, and only then, will you see a new landscape upon the world stage.

Me? I'm saving up for a toyota Prius... or maybe a segway

[ibstolidude]

Wha...?



Where am I?

the year 2053. where we're fighting for the last strategic resource:

http://www.woolworths.com.au/cookingtips/pics/banana.jpg
That would be funnier if it didn't already happen...
1st USMC Div. in Haiti, Nicaragua, and Santo Domingo (and other "banana Republics" in 1909 - 1930's.

[hood]

And we'll all strive to be banana republics..

Thank you! I'm here all week!

[Vance]

And we'll all strive to be banana republics..

Thank you! I'm here all week!
:hug:

[jdbjdb]

It wasn't about oil :petting:

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

WMD I think...no wait...to free the Iraqi people...No wait now there attackin us...Uhhh to kill terrorists that have invaded Iraq..there we go :P

[hood]

This week, the administration dropped 3 MOABs on a deserted field to further the war on excessive cell phone fees.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

"This week, the administration dropped 3 MOABs on a deserted field to further the war on excessive cell phone fees."

God bless...the satellitte phone in my igloo's way to expensive. p-)

[budanski]

Bananas going extinct? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2664373.stm)

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Damn we are going to be fighting a war for banana's...but its only against insects and bacteria...too bad I was just about to get on my fatigues p-)

[Caribou Kid]

Be wary of roadside un-opened banana peels.

There is no such thing as too many bananas

Peace through superior banana peels

reach out and banana someone

you can have it when you pry it from my cold, dead banana?

if they're all dark lookin', is that a STEALTH banana?

Armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot Banana rounds

Air cooled, magazine fed, semi-automatic banana peeler? (with bayonet lug, natch!)

[StarvingStudent47]

If this war was about oil, then why haven't the prices at the pumps gone down?

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Well if you had the most oil ritch country in the world under your power you'd want to make profit still while trying to rebuild the country. So it would make sense not to lower the prices.

[hood]

Prices at the pump (at least in the US) have been steadily dropping for the past month.

Killin' Bananas Dead

http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/banana-1.jpg

[Vance]

Jesus Christ, Hood!...why don't you warn us before you show graphic pictures like that....almost lost my lunch.

[Ratamacue]

I don't feel so good...

[StarvingStudent47]

When I see that picture, all I can think is "Loreena Bobbitt."

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Low blow son low blow ;)

[StarvingStudent47]

Low blow son low blow

Yes indeed, she did deliver a low blow ;)

[GazB]

"In 50 years if we are not well on our way to harnessing the power and full potential of Hydrogen fuel then we are in trouble as a race."

Ironic really it has been the low cost of oil and its availability that has held back other cleaner technologies like solar power and wind and wave power and of course fuel cells. Using solar power merely to seperate the hydrogen and oxygen in water you could then fill up on hydrogen and the smoke coming out of your exhaust would be steam... you could run it through a set of condensor pipes and have a large amount of pure water (depending upon how clean the air you burnt the hydrogen with of course) to use at your destination.

Those who say, hey hydrogen is dangerous... look at the hindenberg... well hydrogen burns with an invisible flame and at atmospheric temperatures it burns it doesn't blow up. The hindenberg was made of a material called nitro cellulose to make it strong... those who load their own ammo might recognise nitro cellulose as being called gun cotton or smokeless powder. The Hindenberg was a bomb made of smokeless powder for fabric covering, aluminium for the frame (aluminium powder is used to make the white sparks in fireworks) and hydrogen filled bags.

Petrol (gasoline) is far more explosive and is a more persistant danger... hydrogen evapourates rapidly and floats away.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

Actually a Canadian company called "Ballard" works with GM to make and design fuelcell cars that actually work and function like a normal car. There is also other companies working on making hydrogen powered cars. I think the two leaders in this area are Toyota and GM. They buy the technology off of these companies and implement them in there vehicles (i.e. Toyota Pirus or whatever its called). I've even seen a GM truck run off of the hydrogen technology. Theres always tons of commericals about it on Canadian television, so it hasnt been a new thing for us.

[Seraphim]

You know that bananas are at a risk of extinction because all the bananas are clones of each other and you know what that means if theres some bug out there.

[WARPIG]

Let’s give this a full analysis. Let’s pretend that the only reason we went to Iraq is for oil.
UN sanctions created to force Saddam to tear down his oppressive military power are viewed to be US sanctions that are responsible for killing thousands of Iraqi’s. Never mind that Saddam has been building palaces for himself and pouring money into WMD. Oh.. that’s right. There aren’t any WMD in Iraq. Saddam may have not gotten to where he was trying to go, but since we invaded before he had them, that justification is gone. So, oil it is then.
My question is if we went to war for oil, what is the benefit to us then? Do people really think that going against the popular opinion to invade Iraq is going to give the US a monopoly on the oil in the Middle East? Why ask the UN for help then? Why have we endured the attacks on US troops by guerillas for so long? So I can pay less at the pump? Do people really think that we put our troops in harms way, had them get close to the public, build schools, hospitals, etc. for oil? International opinion seems to think so. OK.. so if the Americans are such war happy, power hungry, oil mongers.. why hasn’t the international community opposed us? Why haven’t people taken the need for oil out of the picture? College kids are making cars that run on french fry grease. Why hasn’t European or Asian technology made cars that run on alternate fuel? The technology is there and has been for decades. The world has chosen to rely on oil. Not just the US.
All those critics of US actions come from countries that have just as much to gain from US occupation in Iraq. If Saddam had the stronghold in the Middle East, he has the oil power of the world. Not just US interests. So for oil alone then, the US is doing the dirty work, taking abusive power from Saddam, and controlling the oil for the world. For that those that not only benefit as much as we do, but don’t have the guts to take action criticize us. Instead, we take the risk, the criticism, and responsibility.
I am trying to say that oil is the big reason for going to war. Everyone knows that, but not every one knows why. Is it for money? Nope. It is for power. Is the US trying to gain power? Well why ask for help then? Why aren’t there more countries trying to put establish equal footing there? Because, they are happy to be able to be guilt free and blameless. The world knows that the US will gain control in Iraq and be forthcoming of the oil resources. We may justify our actions there by focusing on the evil oppression that existed but our critics hide behind faux moral high ground and inaction. US does the dirty work and even if the world community benefits, the only focus will be on the mistakes made along the way.

[Smoothie104]

Well if you had the most oil ritch country in the world under your power you'd want to make profit still while trying to rebuild the country. So it would make sense not to lower the prices.


Saudi Arabia is the most oil rich country in the world, I think Iraq is the 3rd.

Rock Bottom prices for the consumer were never really in the plan. The plan is to obtain as much as possible and sell it. Sell it to us, to anyone.. we won't make any money if we just continue to buy it.

If you think that the oil will be drilled and pumped by the "Free Iraqi Co-Op" you're wrong. It will be controlled by Exxon, BP, Chevron etc.

All the companies that have contributed tens of millions to bushs campaign. Its no secret that our National Securtiy Advisor used to be on the Board of Directors at Chevron, she even had a tanker named after her.

The bush administration went to war to obtain more natural resources, and to enrichen itself, pretty much the oldest reasons in the book.

The Bush adminstration cares about the welfare of the Iraqi people enough to send American boys to their death? Yet refuses to even put Saudi Arabia on a blacklist of countries who do not allow religous freedom. Labeling the rape, torture, and public executions of Christians and other non muslims believers as "no particluar concern" Riiiiight.

[budanski]

I've said it here before, if it was all about the oil, it would've been cheaper to just lift the sanctions and dealt with Saddam directly.

The Peacenik Top 10 List (http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/002/322bsxwo.asp)
(3)It's a war for oil.The United States could buy all the oil it wants from Iraq by lifting the sanctions and helping to reconstruct the Iraqi oilfields. It's the French and Russians who have oil deals with Saddam and thus are fixated on that issue. They don't want a war that would upset those deals.

For those who think we went in to steal the oil...

The accusations never quit, but no one can point to a single instance where the US has ever stolen anyone's oil, ever.

It doesn't happen. The US doesn't work that way, and certainly the US oil industry doesn't work that way. Doesn't have to.

The opposite is true, in fact. Mexico nationalized the US-built oil industry there in the twenties. We didn't go to war, we negotiated a settlement and walked away. The Venezuelans did the same thing to us in the seventies. Again, we negotiated a settlement, and walked away friends. The companies that lost their assets still assist their old subsidiaries on a consulting basis.

No one who is remotely familiar with the contract negotiations that go on for the privilege of drilling for someone else's oil could accuse the US of stealing. It is very competitive.

[WARPIG]

Good point Budinski. Striking a deal with Saddam may have been a cheaper option, but wouldn't have solved the problem at hand. "Dealing" with the likes of Saddam would have been a shorterm bargain that would have cost us inevitable actions in the near future.
I still think it isn't about money. "Stealing Oil" is and easy explaination for the uninformed and ignorant. I don't think that oil was not a reason because of the power struggle and leverage that comes with oil. Saddam was using oil, using WMD research, opression, and terror to leverage power for himself globally. His influence in the middle east had international impact.
Dealing with him would have saved us the criticism of Anti-War groups but we would have been hippocrits to our "War with Terror."

[Trigger]

http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/banana-1.jpg
Hood: 50 lashes with a rubber chicken for posting graphic and/or obscene photos of the untimely demise of bananas.

[budanski]

Ban Hood!! (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=63943&highlight=#63943)

[perdurabo]

holy **** noooo
Hood how could you? f** BANANA KILLER!!!!
;-)
BTW monkey avatar clan should say something about that!
;-)

[hood]

:) Here's to a brighter banana for telecommunications future!

http://www.seec.net/images/banana.jpg

[Trigger]

"OOOH OHWAAA OOHAR EEEE AAR?"


"UUAAAHAH!"

Translation:
"Can you hear me now?"

"Good!"

feel free to slap me :D

[Seoulstriker]

holy **** noooo
Hood how could you? f** BANANA KILLER!!!!
;-)
BTW monkey avatar clan should say something about that!
;-)

the monkey avatar clan should be pretty upset with this.

however, the orangutan avatar clan shouldn't be too upset with this because we don't eat too many bananas.


What do orangutan eat?
Orangutans are frugivorous (fruit eating). They eat over 400 different kinds of food which includes bark, flowers, leaves and occasionally insects.


Orangutans build nests in the trees from leaves and branches and eat mainly fruit, nuts and bark.

:)

[Longbranch]

The Banana Wars

The first CIA plan to overthrow Arbenz was formulated in 1952, but wasn't implemented until after Eisenhower became president in 1953. The CIA approached right-wing malcontents in the military and supplied them with weapons, with a generous $64,000 donation by United Fruit. The resulting uprising was defeated, and the role of United Fruit came out in the trial of the rebels.

http://eatthestate.org/03-26/UnitedFruitCIA.htm

[Seoulstriker]

The Banana Wars

The first CIA plan to overthrow Arbenz was formulated in 1952, but wasn't implemented until after Eisenhower became president in 1953. The CIA approached right-wing malcontents in the military and supplied them with weapons, with a generous $64,000 donation by United Fruit. The resulting uprising was defeated, and the role of United Fruit came out in the trial of the rebels.

http://eatthestate.org/03-26/UnitedFruitCIA.htm



A FORUM FOR ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN POLITICAL OPINION, RESEARCH AND HUMOR

:D

[Longbranch]

Sorry, will Stanford University suffice as a source then?

http://www.stanford.edu/~mbucheli/bitter.html

Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his brother CIA Director Allen Dulles had a personal interest in protecting United Fruit's businesses. Both had investments in firms with heavy investments in United Fruit. In addition, the American ambassador at the UN was a stockholder of United Fruit and President Eisenhower's personal secretary was the wife of United Fruit's public relations director. The Dulles brothers convinced Eisenhower that Arbenz was a real threat to American national security and got his appoval to develop a plan to get rid of the Guatemalan President.

[Seoulstriker]

Sorry, will Stanford University suffice as a source then?

http://www.stanford.edu/~mbucheli/bitter.html

Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his brother CIA Director Allen Dulles had a personal interest in protecting United Fruit's businesses. Both had investments in firms with heavy investments in United Fruit. In addition, the American ambassador at the UN was a stockholder of United Fruit and President Eisenhower's personal secretary was the wife of United Fruit's public relations director. The Dulles brothers convinced Eisenhower that Arbenz was a real threat to American national security and got his appoval to develop a plan to get rid of the Guatemalan President.

yes, i love stanford university! my bro goes to school there!