Has Exxon, Shell, and BP become richer due to Emperor Bush's  invasion of Iraq  and Afghanistan?
961060
Well Yes...On October 30, 2006 ExxonMobil announced that “its third-quarter earnings rose to $10.49 billion, the second-largest quarterly profit ever recorded by a publicly traded U.S. company.” Royal Dutch Shell also “beat all forecasts with a 21 percent rise in underlying third-quarter profit.” \nDuring the 2000 presidential campaign, Bush criticized the Clinton Administration for allowing U.S. imports on foreign oil to reach 56% of U.S. oil consumption. Five years after President Bush announced his energy plan, U.S. imports of foreign oil have risen to 65% of U.S. consumption.
507692
Liberals don't think, they feel. As you point out, they think Bush is responsible for everything. That is because most attended a government sanctioned child abuse center, aka public school. Thus, you will get idiots replying that this was a "war for oil".  If so, then the price of gas would be around $1.00 a gallon.  Simple supply and demand.  \n\nLet's take a look at a few facts.  First, the cost of crude oil for each gallon of gas sold in this country has gone up from about 35 cents per gallon in 1999 to $1.59 per gallon in 2006.   So ... crude oil prices go up by 454% over a period of seven years.  How much did gas prices go up during the same period?  Try 162%.  Looks to me like things could be worse.\n\nSo ... did George Bush set those crude oil prices?  Did the oil companies go out there and set the prices that high?  Helllloooo!  Do you think the oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia might have had anything to do with it?  Is it possible that the ever-increasing worldwide demand for crude oil was a factor?  How about the fact that oil exploration slowed several years ago when crude was selling for under $20 a barrel?  Now that the price is so much higher many more companies are getting into the exploration business ... but it takes somewhere around 5 years from discovery of an oil deposit to actual production.  The price of oil didn't start its uphill swing until about 2004.  Do the math.  You also have the fact that oil is a commodity that is traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange.  Traders have much to do about setting prices.  Do you suppose that George Bush is calling these traders in to coach them on just what those prices should be?  That's what the Democrats want you to believe.\n\nBesides, can Big Oil set the price, even if it wanted to?  As The Motley Fool points out on their website, there are dozens of publicly traded oil companies.  Add to that mix the government-owned oil companies like Saudi Aramco, and the hundreds of small private companies (my brother used to be the president of one such company) that are drilling around the world ... and the Democrats want you to believe that they all got together to set these crude prices?  Not one of these companies wants to seek an advantage in the market place by lowering their prices?\n\nThis is all about playing on the ignorance of the American people for political advantage.  These Democrats and most in the media know the score.  They understand the difference between gross profits and profit margins ... and they know that most Americans do not.
95483
Oil most likly. Look we caught saddam but bin laden is still free about 5 years later.
758634
1) Exxon Mobil ($459 Billion)\n2) General Electric ($358 Billion)\n3) Microsoft ($282 Billion)
54857
It's Iraq, and the oil is important, but only to control militaries and sustain ours to enforce the economy. This is one of the "benefits" and or motives of invading Iraq however, we invaded Iraq because Hussein sported the idea of Arab nationalism which would have created a middle eastern european union and challenge our economy and therefore our idea of security. Is this right no, but I can see how some politicians could see this as noble. Also our economy is one of scales. Meaning that the more that is produced the cheaper it is too make a product. In the era of soft money it is feasible and happening that contrators need perpetual war to sustain themselves and hence our economy.
25337
In response to your question, I found this, which I'm excerpting from truthorfiction.com:\n\n" Shell purchased 3,611,000 barrels from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia\nBP purchased none from the Middle East.\nChevron purchased 14,724,000 from the Middle East.\nCitgo-None from the Middle East.\nAmoco purchased 3,611,000 barrels from the Middle East.\nExxon-Mobil combined purchased 13,273,000 barrels from the Middle East.\nMarathon purchased 10,710,000 in Middle Eastern oil.\nSunoco purchased none from the Middle East.\nConoco purchased 523,000 from the Middle East."\n\nhttp://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/oilterrorism.htm
314115
What do you think?  He's got cronies all over the oilfield, and they're all getting richer at the expense of our soldiers, and those of the U.N.
307164
Of course it is his fault... he is an oil tycoon! Oil companies and oil producing nations are benefiting from this increase and Mr. Bush is personally a close friend of many oil producing countries and oil companies. The Democrats have blocked oil exploration in the US because it is too expensive to drill in the USA due to the nature of the land.. even with today's technology.. and that's why American companies prefer to drill in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Libya and others. If you think it is cheaper to get oil from the ground beneath the USA then the government would've done that 200 years ago. It is too simple (why purchase something from someone if you can produce it cheaper).\nThen someone is talking about supply and demand, my dear nothing has changed in the world for it to demand that much of oil except that the US army needs and consumes lots of oil to operate... and oil producing nations –which Mr. Bush has close ties with- have increased their productions to please Mr. Bush and his friends.. some countries went to their daily max and some are considering building more refineries. They are taking your money and they are very happy with that.\nHere is a headline for you: USATODAY.com - Big oil tanks up: Exxon's profit nears $10B.\n\nYou should thank the democrats for their outstanding job... they don't want you to pay more! The republicans are good in hypnotizing people and making them believe in what they want them to believe in. Simply they are a group of magicians but not politicians. I'm sad to say that they are ruining and screwing up a great nation.
806984
I believe the Bush administration Is the cause for the increase in gas prices. Do you remember when the Vice President had a secret meeting with the oil big wigs? This meeting was so hush-hush the president went to the supreme court to have the minutes sealed. soon after gas prices went through the roof. The Bush started the war in Iran. We had Gulf coast storms. There were a lot of factors but mainly it is greed by the oil companies. Oil companies will site market conditions as the reason for gas prices increasing. What they wont tell you is that they caused those conditions. ask them why did they close oil refineries down in Calif. and not build new ones?
574053
The original premise for invading Iraq was the alleged presence of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and possible ties between Saddam and Al Qaeda.  Both allegations have been proven false since the invasion.  Whether Saddam's overthrow has made the region more stable will not be answered for years, possibly decades.\n\nThere are parallels between Iraq and Vietnam.  In both conflicts, our troops were not fighting an enemy which clearly identifies itself.  Another similarity shared by Iraq and Vietnam is the lack of well-defined goals for victory.\n\nWhile it has been speculated oil was the primary reason for invading Iraq, that remains largely unproven.  Statistically speaking, Canada and Mexico provide the largest chunk of imported crude oil to the United States, followed by Saudi Arabia.  It appears the decision to invade Iraq was based more on socio-political reasons (i.e. establishing a Western-friendly regime) than it was for acquiring natural resources.
154555
Yes they are right. The prices are determained by the future supply and demand of oil.  Iraq is not why they are high.  It is by the increase in world demand with supply shrinking.  Mainly do to emerging economies of India and China.  THe govt regualating anything would make it worse.
609322
Let me see Oil rich bastard gets elected oil companies record highest profits of any corporation in the history of the U.S. Coincidence?
1129497
Yes, i agree. They did it for greed and oil. Haliburton makes billions a day because we went in. And They are buddied up with the Bush administration. It is sad how much power the big corporations have over our government.
689443
Yes.\nI lost many friends...and almost myself...over the president's greed for OIL.\n\nOperation Liberate Iraq..... my @ss!!!!
1147879
Basically it comes down to supply and demand.  There is increasing demand for oil (mostly from developing countries like China and India, but demand in the US is increasing also).  OPEC is already producing near its capacity, coupled with no relatively new oil refineries having been built, this causes the an increasing demand against a slower (negligible) increase in supply of the refined oil used for gasoline.   Hurricane Katrina knocked out some production capacity which is still not completely up and running.  Also there are other less significant reasons such as the changing of fuel additives from mtbe to ethanol (this has been done for environmental reasons).  To put a few non-truths to bed...  The oil companies were NOT found to be doing any price gouging (illegally increasing prices beyond unreasonable economic fundamentals).  Second, everyone wants to blame President Bush for increasing prices when in fact he no longer has any personal investments in oil companies(he did this specifically to discredit these accusation most likely); in fact President Bush has probably more to lose from high oil prices than any other single individual alive.  He wants a strong economy, with little inflation and needs that help for party elections this fall.  If you want a specific group of people to blame, you should look at commodity traders themselves, they are the ones who control the international price changes from day to day and are the ones who fear supply disruptions (such as the one that occured in Africa, threats from Iran and Venezuela recently) and terrorists act which affect the flow of oil (the so called terror premium).
927334
If war was ever a worthwhile venture it would be different. But this is not war, it's a battle ground for control of a region and it's resources.  Unfortunately it's still out of control with no real solution in sight.  The Bush wealth wagon loaded with oil realizes that the loss of control means loss of wealth and the demise of an industry full of greedy corporate fat cats sucking blood from hard working commoners dependent on fuel to eke out a living.  Democrats somehow always seem to botch something and lose their governmental footage leaving the people without a prayer and under the feet of the Corporate based mentality of the Republicans. Hopefully this will change and maybe the Democrats can keep their zippers up. Unfortunately the surplus was squandered by Bush and replaced with a national debt that will trickle down to your great grandchildren.
1020569
The Saudi Royal family have a great deal to do with the Bush family's wealth. In the midst of a down oil market George Jr's Oil company turned record profits. You may say well George Jr. is a good businessman. Well, if his presidential prowess is any sign of how he runs a business we can put his former oil company profits in jeopardy. I have listed my source below.