SubscribeSaudis See No Reason To Boost Oil Production
From an approving Associated Press:
Saudis see no reason to raise oil production now
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s leaders made clear Friday they see no reason to increase oil production until customers demand it, apparently rebuffing President Bush amid soaring U.S. gasoline prices.
It was Bush’s second personal appeal this year to King Abdullah, head of the monarchy that rules this desert kingdom that is a longtime prime U.S. ally and home to the world’s largest oil reserves. But Saudi officials stuck to their position that they will only pump more oil into the system when asked to by buyers, something they say is not happening now, the president’s national security adviser told reporters.
“Saudi Arabia does not have customers that are making requests for oil that they are not able to satisfy,” Stephen Hadley said on a day when oil prices topped $127 a barrel, continuing to set records. “What the Saudis wanted to tell us was we’re doing everything we can do … to meet this problem, but it’s a complicated problem.”
The Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, said the kingdom decided on May 10 to raise production by 300,000 barrels, at the request of customers, and that increase was sufficient.
“Supply and demand are in balance today,” he told a news conference. “How much does Saudi Arabia need to do to satisfy people who are questioning our oil practices and policies?”
Hadley also said the Saudis briefed Bush again on their plan to increase their production capacity over time. They also argued that even an increase would be unlikely to bring down the soaring prices, driven more by uncertainty in the market, lack of refining capacity for the type of oil readily available and other complicated dynamics, he said…
As a result, Hadley suggested the White House was satisfied with — or at least accepted — the Saudi response. He added, however, the Bush administration will see if the explanation “conforms to what our experts say.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said the discussion with Bush about oil was friendly. “He didn’t punch any tables or shout at anybody,” the minister said. “I think he was satisfied.” …
When Bush and Abdullah met in the kingdom in mid-January, the president also sought more Saudi output in a plea that also ultimately was for naught…
Oh, and you are welcome for us saving your country in the first Gulf War. (Of which the current war is merely a continuation.)
In fact, you’re welcome for us finding the oil, getting out of the ground for you — and giving you all the money with which you fund terrorist indoctrination centers around the world.
As Tolstoy once wrote, “God sees, but waits.”
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13 Responses to “Saudis See No Reason To Boost Oil Production”
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I’m not feeling the love. If it weren’t for America, the Saudi Royal family would be living in exile as we speak & Saddam would be running their dog squat of a country. Should have let Iraq take Kuwait AND Saudi Arabia. He could have been our man in the Middle East & with the oil revenue squashed Iran in the bargain.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
hindsight is a bitch
May 16th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Media_man: I broadly agree with you, but honestly, when we had I-forget-how-many divisions in Fraudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Storm, we just should have told Fahd, Abdullah and the rest of those s***stains that since we’re here, we’re keeping the oil fields and they can just go pound sand…and if they don’t like it, well, we can just send them straight to Hell.
Since we don’t have those force levels anymore, I’d say we should just dispatch the 509th, turn their population centers into glass, and then occupy the oil fields…and afterwards, open up ANWR, the outer North American continental shelf, Bakken, the Pacific Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. As for the enviroloons, tell them to shut up or move to what’s left of Arabia and become actual rather than figurative mutants.
I just paid $3.70 a gallon for gas…so yes, I AM a bit peeved!
May 16th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
$3.70???? That’s cheap!!!!
May 16th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
“$3.70???? That’s cheap!!!!”
No kidding nuthingbettertodo! (Not to belittle Sharps shock over the price at the pump.) My husband just paid $4.25 /gal. for diesel. The irony, he works as a design engineer/contractor with alternative energy and small oil wells. I was joking to him that he should fill up his truck with the oil/gas that they are pumping out at the sites that he works at. As if it was that easy. At least we know where to go when the energy crisis happens LOL
May 16th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Anyone ancient enough to remember 18.9 gas?
May 16th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
I can remember in the $.20-.25 range.
May 16th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
When I started driving , at the age of 14 yrs. old, it was $.25/gal……yeah I’m ancient. :-)
May 17th, 2008 at 1:00 am
There goes the WORLD…
Bush agrees to help Saudi (the ones who finance AQ and brought us the 911 hijackers) with a “civilian” nuclear program. Yippee!
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/S.....2FShowFull
May 17th, 2008 at 9:16 am
With oil at the price it is at right now, there is NO good reason why my DH shouldn’t be asking for a raise!
AtLien - You are SOOOO right! Has ALL of Washington lost their collective minds?!? It sure looks that way from here. And, Sharps, that is exactly what we needed to do. If someone over there comes to their senses and decides to do the right thing, someone just give me a quick heads up so I can pack up the Kids and get the heck out…
May 17th, 2008 at 10:08 am
The greatest, most powerful country in the history of the world has been reduced to begging a bunch of sand fleas to turn on some pumps.
Aren’t the results of liberalism great? Always keep in mind it is liberals and RINO’s (see John McCain) that have set us on this course by blocking development of our own natural resources. If we continue electing liberals, this situation will only worsen.
We are reaping what we have sown.
May 17th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I thought that, according to the Dhimmis, this war is for oil and that Bush is in solid with these camel jockeys. Oooooh, I’m soooooooo confused.
May 17th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
But, but Big Oil - the liberals are on the cusp of the next greatest energy discovery ever - clean, cheap and oh so available - just you wait and see, in 20 or 50 years they will have it ready to test and make our lives and world heaven, oops utopia on earth. Besides they mean well - so we can’t fault them as they drive up prices, taxes and gov bureaucracies without fixing the first problem and creating about a dozen more. . .
You know what AQ could do that would bring the World to it’s knees? Stop killing muslims that are siding with the infidels and blow up the oil wells in the ME - apparently he who drills the oil, rules the world. . .And aren’t we all glad that AQ is using oil money to fund their terrorism - talk about a gift that keeps on giving.
BTW, this is just another political dance for the masses - we get most of our oil (#1) from Canada and even when I took geography - Canda wasn’t in the ME. . .#2 is Saudi Arabia and #3 is Mexico - so as usual it is a distortion by the left to advance the War/Blood for Oil mantra and from the right to justify staying buddy buddy with people who would as soon kill as not. Besides, for the ever racist and devisive Dems/left - it is so much easier to hate (and formulate hate) at people who don’t look like or talk like us. . .