Australia admits oil a motivator in Iraq involvement

Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said Thursday morning that oil was a factor in his country's involvement in Iraq:

Speaking ahead of a key foreign policy speech today by PrimeMinister John Howard, Dr Nelson said defence was about protectingthe economy as well as physical security, and it was important tosupport the "prestige" of the US and UK.

"The defence update we're releasing today sets out manypriorities for Australia's defence and security, and resourcesecurity is one of them," he told ABC radio.

"The entire (Middle East) region is an important supplier ofenergy, oil in particular, to the rest of the world.

"Australians and all of us need to think well what would happenif there were a premature withdrawal from Iraq?"

Appalling, but rather honest.

In related news, Sunni lawmakers have once again rejected the US plan for oil revenue sharing in Iraq.

Comments

[granny]

Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson is a realist, pure and simple.

If we, the inhabitants of the industrial countries, WILL NOT move forward to alternative energies, then we will have to rework our self images and "protect" the resource" that runs our engines (economic, physical, personal...all of it).

That is ASIDE from the other aspect of it, which is that the global warming will continue to advance, and whatever the consequences, we will bear them...or not.

I noticed on the tv recently, Buick, touting it's brand new, super-duper, "crossover" car with great fanfare and boasting: the newest most wonderful response to consumer needs. What is it? A fabulous alternative energy car? NO. It's a regular, nothing new at all, ordinary, gas consuming, people stroking car.

NOTHING AT ALL to do with what is needed from the auto industry.

That's clueless! But WHO is it that's clueless. At this point it has to be the buyer, right? That's reality.

[granny]

Another day, an added comment, since I'm on a roll about what we buy, and what we don't. I am personally "lobbying" against the purchase of the new iPOD phone. Bottom Line: AT&T is the contract carrier, and AT&T is the MAJOR money behind killing "net neutrality". We're making choices, all the time.