Exxon Attacking Venezuelan Oil Nationalisation

“If you end up freezing (Venezuelan assets) and it harms us, we’re going to harm you,” Chavez said. “Do you know how? We aren’t going to send oil to the United States. Take note, Mr. Bush, Mr. Danger.”

Exxon Mobil has gone after the assets of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA in U.S., British and Dutch courts as it challenges the nationalization of a multibillion dollar oil project by Chavez’s government.

A British court has issued an injunction “freezing” as much as $12 billion in assets.

“I speak to the U.S. empire, because that’s the master: continue and you will see that we won’t sent one drop of oil to the empire of the United States,” Chavez said during his weekly radio and television program, “Hello, President.”

“The outlaws of Exxon Mobil will never again rob us,” Chavez said, accusing the Irving, Texas-based oil company of acting in concert with Washington.

Chavez has repeatedly threatened to cut off oil shipments to the United States, which is Venezuela’s No. 1 client, if Washington tries to oust him. Chavez’s warnings on Sunday appeared to extend that threat to attempts by oil companies to challenge his government’s nationalization drive in courts internationally.

“If the economic war continues against Venezuela, the price of oil is going to reach $200 (a barrel) and Venezuela will join the economic war,” Chavez said. “And more than one country is willing to accompany us in the economic war.”

This neatly reveals the political totalitarianism of the corporatocracy, people who work for corporations will often not think that what they do is any more than their job/career. When they vote, that’s politics, but not what they do for many hours every weekday. Thus reinforcing the false assumption that the current global capitalism is some kind of common-sensical natural order and democracy is really just choosing different management styles. As if something you do once every few years for a few minutes is somehow more powerful than that which you do for thousands of days between each election. Thus the scam of pretending capitalism=democracy thrives.
But here a political and economic war is taking place where a global corporation closely allied to national governments and military power is attacking a sovereign nation. Support Hamas and you will be called a terrorist, but work for Exxon? Well that’s just a job, innit?

Gates Threatens His Euro Bitches

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates warned Sunday that the failure of the international force in Afghanistan would increase the security threat to Europe.

Gates also renewed criticism of some European allies, telling the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy that disputes within NATO over troops in Afghanistan risked turning it into a “two tier” alliance of some countries ready to fight and others refusing.

“Instability and conflict abroad have the potential to spread and strike directly at the hearts of our nations,” he told the conference.

“But I am concerned that many people on this continent may not comprehend the magnitude of the direct threat to European security,” he told the forum, where ministers and top officials from around the world also discussed Kosovo’s looming independence and Russia’s relations with the West.

“For the United States, September 11 was a galvanizing event — one that opened the American public’s eyes to dangers from distant lands.”

Distant lands? You mean client oil regimes and close friends of the President’s family and yet still no bloody invasion of Saudi Arabia, gee I guess them already being in oil deals with you has no bearing on your target choices? And countries refusing to fight? Maybe they just aren’t being promised a bigger enough slice of the spoils, the empire has to learn to share Bobby boy. Short version- Kill and steal like us and for us otherwise it would be real unfortunate if an atrocity happens in your capital cities. You bein’ all nice and white Christian types like us, huh? Fear the other, fear him I say!

And then a quick unannounced trip to Iraq, because, well the resistance there ain’t so quick to lay down for a good pillaging. While he spewed out talk of ‘progress’ in the occupation (them Eyerack sumsabitches need to do what they’re told, do we have kill another million before them Hajis get it?) a huge car bomb and-

Sunni armed groups known as Awakening Councils appear to have withdrawn their support for US forces and the Iraqi government in Diyala province.

The move has been seen as a significant blow to the US, which has hailed the groups’ work in securing towns and neighbourhoods as a rare success in increasing security in the country.

What a great trip- promoting war, threatening allies, spreading fear then sneaking into the greatest disaster ever created by your regime because if anyone knew you’d be one dead war-pimping motherfucker. How does he sleep at night? Like a baby I’m sure, these people always do.

Even In Defeat Howard Is A Spiteful Little Coward, So The Queen Likes Him

Kevin Rudd, the Australian prime minister, is set to apologise to Aborigines who were taken from their families as children, saying that it was unfinished business for the nation.

The apology, due for Wednesday, will come 11 years after a landmark report into the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families under past assimilation policies, which recommended a national apology to what is known as the Stolen Generation. Rudd will deliver the announcement in parliament, making the historic gesture the first piece of parliamentary business for his Australian Labor Party government, which won power in November and ended almost 12 years of conservative rule. 

He said the apology would be to the Stolen Generation, their families and descendants, but said the government would not set up a compensation fund, as any claims for compensation would be decided by the courts. 

The previous conservative government led by John Howard refused to apologise, offering instead a statement of regret, saying current generations should not be held responsible for past actions. Howard, who lost his seat at the November election, said he would not attend the parliamentary sitting for the apology, which continues to divide the conservative Liberal Party.

Well no compensation plans is not good but this is a refreshing cultural shift away from the mean spirited, closed minded conservative years. But of course the slapheaded tory wanker hasn’t the decency to show his face although apparently the Queen thinks he might be neat, racists eh?

Speculation is mounting that Mr Howard has been personally selected by Queen Elizabeth to receive the Order of the Garter, the most senior and oldest British Order of Chivalry.  

Chivalry? Arthur rolls in his (mythical?) grave for Albion’s shame.