Oil prices davastating to rogue nations

[Rajoo]

Some of the unintended consequences of very low oil prices and from what analysts tell us, going to be staying there for a very long time.

So three countries that mostly depend on oil exports to support their economy is in deep shit. Basket cases Venezuela, Iran and Russia are and will be hurting. Venezuela is close to default, Iran will be hurting even more now with the sanctions and Russia, who cares (I don't). Of this Iran is the most interesting as this will seriously impact their ability to fund the proxy wars that are being fought in the middle east. Will the Sunni's gain an upper hand?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...y.html?hpid=z2

[Boreas]

Apart from anything else, I would take exception to your characterizing these three countries as rogue nations. For starters, if we applied the same standard to our own country as is applied to Iran and Russia (state sponsor of terrorism and interfering militarily in the affairs of their neighbors), we'd be at or near the top of the list. Venezuela is a failed state, or about to become one, but the only "rogue" behavior they exhibit is giving free heating oil to poor Americans.

John

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Apart from anything else, I would take exception to your characterizing these three countries as rogue nations. For starters, if we applied the same standard to our own country as is applied to Iran and Russia (state sponsor of terrorism and interfering militarily in the affairs of their neighbors), we'd be at or near the top of the list. Venezuela is a failed state, or about to become one, but the only "rogue" behavior they exhibit is giving free heating oil to poor Americans.

John

Your points are noted and so I will characterize Venezuela, Iran and Russia as rogue nations when American self interest is the first and foremost consideration.

Venezuela is subsidizing oil to South American countries to form an anti US block. Iranians end their weekly prayers with "death to America". Russia? The heck with Putin, he deserves every hardship since the Snowden debacle.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Apart from anything else, I would take exception to your characterizing these three countries as rogue nations. For starters, if we applied the same standard to our own country as is applied to Iran and Russia (state sponsor of terrorism and interfering militarily in the affairs of their neighbors), we'd be at or near the top of the list. Venezuela is a failed state, or about to become one, but the only "rogue" behavior they exhibit is giving free heating oil to poor Americans.

John

Beamon's characterizations indicate how much many of us adhere to official
pronouncement.

BTW Venezuela gives a lot of relief re the price of oil to many Caribbean states such as Jamaica.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Your points are noted and so I will characterize Venezuela, Iran and Russia as rogue nations when American self interest is the first and foremost consideration.

Venezuela is subsidizing oil to South American countries to form an anti US block. Iranians end their weekly prayers with "death to America". Russia? The heck with Putin, he deserves every hardship since the Snowden debacle.

Venezuela: they're simply trying to extend their influence in the region by economic means, the same way we do. That the big loser in this may be the US is cosmic justice, a payback for our trying to remove Chavez by organizing a coup.

Iran: frankly, I doubt that such utterances are all that common. Probably less common than US congregations praying for Muslim deaths.

Snowden: obviously you don't but I consider his actions to have been heroic and in the interest of Americans, if not our government. Would you prefer to live in a world where the governmental actions he revealed were still unknown to us and still going on? As for Putin/Russia, their involvement was after the fact. The worst you can say about it is that they saw an opportunity to tweak us in the nose. IMO, it's much more benign than our meddling in Ukraine.

John

[Rajoo]

John, end of the day I would rather put my faith and trust in America than in Venezuela (dysfunctional democracy), Iran (theocracy) or Russia (dictatorship).

This from a recent news item (Oct. 2013):

Iranian president pushes to ban the 'Death to America' chant that is shouted after weekly prayers

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...y-prayers.html

Dondilion, "...........how much many of us adhere to official
pronouncement." How so.

Snowden is Gen Y and I am not under the illusion that he was interested in informing the American public.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

John, end of the day I would rather put my faith and trust in America than in Venezuela (dysfunctional democracy), Iran (theocracy) or Russia (dictatorship).

That's fine but it doesn't justify your characterization of them as rogue states.

Snowden is Gen Y and I am not under the illusion that he was interested in informing the American public.

Because he's "Gen Y"????

John

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Venezuela is subsidizing oil to South American countries to form an anti US block.

ROGUE implies more evil stuff.

[Rajoo]

“That means that we, as one of the biggest consumers of oil – 25 per cent of the world’s oil – have to have an energy strategy not just to deal with Russia, but to deal with many of the rogue states we’ve talked about, Iran, Venezuela.” –Barack Obama, first presidential debate, September 26, 2008.

That's good enough for me.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/pr...al-debate.html

My Gen-Y comment stands.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

ROGUE implies more evil stuff.

Chavez did refer to President Bush as the Devil.........