Libya and Oil

I have seen two newspaper reports refer to Libya as an "oil-rich nation."

It isn't.

Libya produces about 1.8% of the world's crude oil. Often it is rounded up to 2% to make it easier.

Saudi Arabia has announced that they can, and, if necessary, will, make up any Libyan shortfalls in the world market. The US gets little to no oil from Libya.

So why the huge run up in gas prices? Run ups of 20 to 30 cents in hours?

I think we know the answer......

When Mr "Hope and Change" ran for office, gas was at $4 a gallon and it destroyed the economy. It is heading there again and we hear nothing from the White House.

The oil industry assures us that this is a temporary spike.

Really? We heard the same thing when Katrina smashed into New Orleans and disrupted the Gulf oil platforms production.

The sad thing is is that we cannot blame OPEC for this.

It is Americans inflicting pain on fellow Americans....again.

Who needs al-Qeida?

First Egypt, now Libya....

Photo courtesy of Reuters

Is the Middle East waking up from a totalitarian slumber? How much do you want to bet that Syria and Saudi Arabia are nervous? Let's not forget Iran....too many Middle Eastern countries to count...

Maybe even, dare I say,Washington? Take a look at Wisconsin and tell me if I am wrong.

The US supported Mubaruk for years and subsidized him for billions of dollars annually for nearly thirty years. Now the US is a champion for democracy? I am not trying to be cynical but it seems a little odd. At least someone in the State Department seems to be awake and reacting in time. It might be a little better to be genuinely supportive of democratic movements in the future though...just a little advice. Hopefully it works out.

Libya presents an interesting opportunity. We have had several clashes with him in the past and although recently Khaddafi has attempted to improve relations, the question we need to ask is this: will anyone miss him?

Let's not forget the Lockerbie bombing and a number of other terrorist attacks to busy to mention.

Remember what I said. Genuine support of democracy and push this guy over the edge.

Do this and suddenly you have two new allies in the Middle East.

Are they bright enough to recognize this in DC?

Cross your fingers but don't hold your breath....this administration has Americans getting stripped searched in airports and is trying to force everyone to buy health insurance.

Dismantaling the Police State

The House of Representatives voted 277-148 to not extend three provisions of the USA Patriot Act. Looking at the numbers, you will see quite a few Republicans joining near unanimous Democrat lack of support for the measure. Nice to see some bipartisanship for a change. This vote also comes on a day when Janet Napolitano tried to convince the audience at a security conference in Europe that the terror threat is also "greater than the time of 9/11."
She also alluded to internal threats telling the audience that al-Quaeda sympathizers are now in the US. That sounds like an admission that Homeland Security is not doing its job. Time to get rid of that along with the "Patriot" Act.
The three provisions in question are are are authority for court approved roving wiretaps (multiple wiretaps), the "library provision" where the FBI can looking into what people have checked out of the library, and finally the "lone wolf" provision added on in 2004 where the FBI can engage in secret intelligence on those not affiliated with terrorist groups.
Yes, you read that correctly. NOT affiliated with terrorist groups. If the person in question is such a threat, it should not be hard to get a warrant. Sorry, but the FBI has been caught in some compromising positions with this and may be wandered into some legally unstable territory with this bill.
The best way to fight terrorism is to reform immigration, not turn your country into a police-state. It looks like some people are starting to see this logic. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership cannot be included in this category.

But the rank and file can!

Same can be applied to the Democrats.

Get ready for the upheaval!

No go probe the TSA....

The story is here for your consideration, courtesy of AP:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110209/ap_on_re_us/us_patriot_act

Egyptian unrest!

Photo by AP....

There is so much happening in the world that it is hard to know where to begin!

Egypt has all but exploded into revolution but I do not think it will go that far. Maburak, "President" since 1981, is not going to step down but I don't see him running again when his 5,000th term is up in October. Plus he is getting up there in years.....he is 82 this year so October is the perfect way out for him. He has all ready lined up a successor, a young 74 year old whippersnapper named Omar Moussa.

Moussa is the chief spy for Egypt and hardly what anyone will call a liberal. Will he change Egypt's authoritarian "democracy". He might. Because if he does not, several thousand angry citizens out on the streets of Cairo will.

By the way America...are you watching? I hope you are taking notes. We might have to do this to get control of our increasing totlalitarian government.....

A lot of people fear this is a rerun of Iran in 1979. I can see the parrallels but I do not think the Egyptian Army is going to allow the Moslem Brotherhood to take over the country. Plus the fanatical Brotherhood is not as poplular as people think. Why would you replace one dicatorship with another?

The Suez Canal is in no danger. Any danger to it exists in the mind of the typically unscruploous oil speculators who try to ramp up the price of oil on any rumor. There was a $3. 82 spike in oil yesterday but half of that was lost today in the market.

The danger is having this unrest spread to other Arab countries (not one is a democracy) who do not have a government strong enough to ride out a storm. Ordinarily, that would be a good thing but unfortunatley in the Middle East, dictators follow dictators.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State commented on the unrest with the usual Solemn Statement, "Egypt must make the transition to democracy." Sounds a little hollow coming from a government that forces its citizens to be strip searched in airports, attempts to force people who can't afford health insurance to buy it under penalty of law and had no problem shoveling money to Mubarak over the last thirty years.

What's next? Budgetary adivce and how to tame a deficit?