U.S. Government and Black Gold: One Big OILYgarchy

The relationship between the Bush and Saud families only skims the surface of what is a multi-layered dynamic. There are many within the highest echelons of our government and our corporations who have or had personal and financial interests as well. Amy and David Goodman, authors of The Exception to the Rulers, have given these purveyors of greed and destruction a name: OILYgarchy. The definition that they have given for this name is very apt:

"OILYgarchy n a bunch of guys from the oil industry who take over the political leadership
of a nation, then highjack its military to attack and occupy a vast oil-producing region of
the world, lavishly enriching themselves and ensuring perpetual control of global oil. In order
to survive , OILYgarchies typically require the abrogation of civil liberties, depict self-
enrichment as a patriotic duty, and rely on the cooperation of a slavish press."

The aforementioned authors have also given a list of those within the government whose integrity and judgement can be only considered questionable in the least.

OILYgarchy Cast of Characters

George Bush, president: Failed oilman.

Dick Cheney, vice president: Former CEO of Halliburton, the largest oil services company in the world.

Condoleezza Rice, national security advisor (current Secretary of State): Former member of Chevron board of directors for a decade. Had an oil tanker named after her.

Spencer Abraham, secretary of energy: Former top recipient of campaign contributions from the automotive industry while a one-term senator.

Don Evans, secretary of commerce: Ex-CEO and chair of Tom Brown Inc., a billion-dollar oil and gas company.

Gale Norton, secretary of interior: Former lawyer for Delta Petroleum.

Andrew Card, chief of staff: Former chief lobbyist, General Motors.

Under these auspices, it can only lead one to wonder what the true agenda was for invading Iraq. Were we truly lead there to search and destroy the always non-existent WMD's (see reports by United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors as far back as 1998 for further info) or for other nefarious, less altruistic reasons? The profit to be made by these individuals at our, the American people, expense was too good to be true. It is little wonder when certain countries (most especially Germany and France) declined the U.S.'s invitation to enter into an illegal war, our government showed little concern about forging ahead without the support of its long time allies.

Just to get a taste for how lucrative this venture has been for some, take a look at the Betchel Group. Here are some facts about a little engineerig company who could:

--Total contract value in Iraq and Afaganistan, 2002-2003: $1 billion.
--Was one of 24 U.S. companies that supplied Iraq with weapons during the 1990's.
--Reagan-Bush Secretary of State George Shultz is a former Betchel president and a current board
member.
--Reagan-Bush Secretary of Energy W. Kenneth Davis, fomer company vice president.
--Current senior vice president, General Jack Sheehan (USMC,retired) is also a member of the Pentagon's
Defense Policy Board.

Now, some may take this information as a diatribe from a frustrated and angry liberal. They would be right. However, this diatribe stems from an awed disbelief that this makes no one else angry to the point of sitting up and taking notice. When will we be willing to reassert our right to question the reasons and motives of those who hold the power to influence our future? Why are we so afraid to pull our heads out of the sand and wrest back the control that was given to us by the grace of democracy?

"To announce that there must be no criticisim of the President, or that we are to stand
by the President , right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally
treasonable to the American public."
--Theodore Roosevelt, The Kansas City Star, May 7,1918
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