4 ms·

The oil argument is just as stupid and baseless as claiming Biden stole the election. Texas is now the number 1 oil producer in the world. A war wasn’t needed t

The oil argument is just as stupid and baseless as claiming Biden stole the election. Texas is now the number 1 oil producer in the world. A war wasn’t needed to achieve that and those wars did not increase US access to oil.

phreeza 6y ago
I kind of agree that the oil argument is stupid, though I would not say it is baseless, it is probably overly reductive though. Fracking is what lead the US to rebound as the largest oil producer, and IIRC that became big after the invasion of Iraq?
- austincheney 6y ago
  More simply has any war ever increased US access to oil?
  - phreeza 6y ago
    We don't have the counterfactual, so it is impossible to say. But I think it is generally accepted that US policy, including wars, is very supportive of Saudi Arabia and against any other potential regional powers like Iran or Iraq, and this in turn enables US access to Saudi oil at favourable conditions.
    - austincheney 6y ago
      SA is an OPEC nation. Price and access are not set by member states. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC
      - phreeza 6y ago
        SA is a powerful inside voice against anti-US measures by OPEC (post 73 at least), and promotes other US-friendly aspects such as the Petrodollar.
Daho0n 6y ago
>Texas is now the number 1 oil producer in the world That make no sense at all. It is like stating "the US make the most car tires and hence must have the most rubber trees". The argument is about access to oil reserves. The US emptying its oil fields faster than anyone else is not much of an argument. Looking at how many years of oil is left in the ground at the current rate of usage the US has less than 10 years left. Kuwait has not only twice as much oil as the US it also has almost 100 years left at the current rate of usage. Combine that with Iraq's also close to 100 years the US is in a very bad position. Had an enemy of the US 100% control of all that oil it could quickly become a problem. For example if OPEC either raised the price or stopped selling oil to the US the US war machine (and all of US society) could grind to a halt. Now the biggest known oil reserves are in Venezuela. I wonder what that will do to Geo-politics....
- austincheney 6y ago
  This nonsense is dispelled with two very simple points: 1 There is no evidence suggesting any war has ever increased US oil access. 2 All Middle East nations you mentioned are OPEC countries who do not individually set prices or determine customer preference. > That make no sense at all. It is like stating It's like stating, numerically speaking, oil was not a motive.
  - Daho0n 6y ago
    You clearly didn't read or understand the post. Tell me, what would the US do in ten years if OPEC became hostile or raised prices? >1 There is no evidence suggesting any war has ever increased US oil access. Saddam wanted to switch away from petrodollars. How would the US access Iraqi and Kuwait's oil then? Buying in another currency? Refute the facts with facts instead of just saying NJET! It doesn't look good.
- 29athrowaway 6y ago
  Large reserves of shale oil and gas were found near Neuquen, Argentina (3rd largest reserves in the world of their type). Shortly after, the US installed an overseas base near that location. Around the same time they put a base near the Guarani Aquifer, one of the largest freshwater reserves in the world. The situation reminds me of the game Spore.
29athrowaway 6y ago
Hydraulic fracturing (aka fracking) has helped the US earn a place among the top crude oil producers. But that's a recent scenario. The domestic oil production has been roughly like: - 2000: ~100,000 barrels per day. - 2016: ~4,000,000 barrels per day. - 2019: ~15,000,000 barrels per day. During the Bush administration (2000-2004), the US had a lower domestic oil production and a higher dependence on foreign oil. Additionally, the oil production in the Middle East was much higher and has decreased over time.

phreeza 6y ago

I kind of agree that the oil argument is stupid, though I would not say it is baseless, it is probably overly reductive though. Fracking is what lead the US to rebound as the largest oil producer, and IIRC that became big after the invasion of Iraq?

austincheney 6y ago
More simply has any war ever increased US access to oil?
- phreeza 6y ago
  We don't have the counterfactual, so it is impossible to say. But I think it is generally accepted that US policy, including wars, is very supportive of Saudi Arabia and against any other potential regional powers like Iran or Iraq, and this in turn enables US access to Saudi oil at favourable conditions.
  - austincheney 6y ago
    SA is an OPEC nation. Price and access are not set by member states. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC
    - phreeza 6y ago
      SA is a powerful inside voice against anti-US measures by OPEC (post 73 at least), and promotes other US-friendly aspects such as the Petrodollar.

Daho0n 6y ago

>Texas is now the number 1 oil producer in the world That make no sense at all. It is like stating "the US make the most car tires and hence must have the most rubber trees". The argument is about access to oil reserves. The US emptying its oil fields faster than anyone else is not much of an argument. Looking at how many years of oil is left in the ground at the current rate of usage the US has less than 10 years left. Kuwait has not only twice as much oil as the US it also has almost 100 years left at the current rate of usage. Combine that with Iraq's also close to 100 years the US is in a very bad position. Had an enemy of the US 100% control of all that oil it could quickly become a problem. For example if OPEC either raised the price or stopped selling oil to the US the US war machine (and all of US society) could grind to a halt. Now the biggest known oil reserves are in Venezuela. I wonder what that will do to Geo-politics....

austincheney 6y ago
This nonsense is dispelled with two very simple points: 1 There is no evidence suggesting any war has ever increased US oil access. 2 All Middle East nations you mentioned are OPEC countries who do not individually set prices or determine customer preference. > That make no sense at all. It is like stating It's like stating, numerically speaking, oil was not a motive.
- Daho0n 6y ago
  You clearly didn't read or understand the post. Tell me, what would the US do in ten years if OPEC became hostile or raised prices? >1 There is no evidence suggesting any war has ever increased US oil access. Saddam wanted to switch away from petrodollars. How would the US access Iraqi and Kuwait's oil then? Buying in another currency? Refute the facts with facts instead of just saying NJET! It doesn't look good.
29athrowaway 6y ago
Large reserves of shale oil and gas were found near Neuquen, Argentina (3rd largest reserves in the world of their type). Shortly after, the US installed an overseas base near that location. Around the same time they put a base near the Guarani Aquifer, one of the largest freshwater reserves in the world. The situation reminds me of the game Spore.

29athrowaway 6y ago

Hydraulic fracturing (aka fracking) has helped the US earn a place among the top crude oil producers. But that's a recent scenario. The domestic oil production has been roughly like: - 2000: ~100,000 barrels per day. - 2016: ~4,000,000 barrels per day. - 2019: ~15,000,000 barrels per day. During the Bush administration (2000-2004), the US had a lower domestic oil production and a higher dependence on foreign oil. Additionally, the oil production in the Middle East was much higher and has decreased over time.