Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

This gang only represents one of many violent groups.  The others are known as cults, who involve themselves in violence at Port Harcourt, the capital of Nigeria's oil industry.

Violence flares over outrage over the fact that they want the Nigerian government to hand over a bigger share of Nigeria's fabulous oil wealth.  Even though Nigeria pumps out two million barrels of oil a day, the Niger Delta is one of the poorest parts of Nigeria.  Yet Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer.  Statistics reveal that 80% of the oil revenue goes to 1% of the Nigerian population.

Living conditions in Nigeria are dreadful.  Clean water is extremely scarce and dysentery is a major problem.  Food supplies are inadequate and housing often consists of no more than shacks.

Exxon-Mobil obtains much of its oil from Nigeria.  A year ago, a retiring CEO at Exxon-Mobil retired with a nearly $400 million retirement package, along with a million a year consulting fee, country club dues paid and use of the company jet.

Such gross distortions of any semblance of economic fairness generate gang violence.  Some see violence as the only way to lobby, albeit physically, for a fair share of Nigeria's oil revenue.

Until 35 years ago the world's largest oil supply was in the hands of 7 corporations located in Europe and the U.S.  Counting subsequent mergers, that number has been reduced to 4: Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Shell and British Petroleum.

With Iraq's oil reserves thought to be the largest in the world, it only stands to reason that the 4 oil giants could possibly be interested in access to Iraq's oil.  

In March, 2001, the National Energy Policy Development Group (known as the task force of Dick Cheney) along with CEO's of the U.S.A.'s energy companies recommended that the U.S.A. back initiatives by nations of the Middle East to "open up areas of their energy sectors to foreign investors."

After the disastrous Iraq invasion the Bush administration has aggressively tried to get a new Iraq oil law passed.  When Saddam Hussein was in power, Iraq's oil was nationalized as it is in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran.  

Will Iraqis lose out if their oil reserves are denationalized?

Apparently Iraqis think so.  That is precisely why Iraqis have refused to sign the oil distribution deal the U.S. keeps trying to put pressure on them to sign.

Antonia Juhasz, author of the book "The Bush Agenda:  Invading the World, One Economy at a Time", in the New York Times March 13, 2007, succinctly explains the oil deal that Bush, Cheney and U.S. oil barons would love to get Iraqis to agree to.  Juhasz states:

"The administration has highlighted the law's revenue sharing plan, under which the central government would distribute oil revenues throughout the nation on a per capita basis.  But the benefits of this excellent proposal are radically undercut by the law's many other provisions - these allow much (if not most) of Iraq's oil reserves to flow out of the country and into the pockets of international oil companies."

Iraq has 80 oil wells.  The U.S. wants access to 63 of those wells under its control.  Recently the U.S. has insisted that U.S. oil companies get priority in negotiating these leases on their oil wells.

Whose oil is it anyway?  Did the Bush administration go to the Iraq War primarily to obtain access to Iraqi oil?  

Only an in depth investigation can answer that hellish question and all of its sordid
ramifications!