Tweet
We're Screwed Again
Friday, August 29th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/126495/were-screwed-again/
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
You probably read that the United States Geological Survey has come
out with a report that says there might be a million barrels of oil
and 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas recoverable from the innards
of the current Republic of Armenia.
This report has been pending for a while. But let's be clear. The USGS
found four possible sources of hydrocarbons, but didn't even evaluate
three of them because the chances that anything might ACTUALLY be
found were very low. Even the reported oil and gas has only a 10%
chance of existing.
You might be wondering how this is possible. Realize that this report
is not based on even a single test-well being drilled. It simply
studied the geology of the area and based on what was there, projected
the possibility that oil and natural gas might exist.
And, if this rings vague bells, as though you've heard something like
this before, it could be because the study was based on data from a
1974 publication in Russian. Someone else might have made similar
guesses in the past.
Why, you're probably wondering, is this news another example of being
screwed? Think of it. Given the corruption in the Republic of Armenia
(RoA), all it will take is for some connected crook to get the notion
that there's oil/gas underground, and somehow get the money to start
looking for it. This could well destroy underground water and
above-ground agricultural resources because the area in which these
hydrocarbons are thought to lie under is... you guessed it, the Ararat
plain, Armenia's agricultural heart!
As if this isn't enough, news came out the same day that the U.S.
State Department had cleared a $320-million medium-range air-to-air
missile sale to Turkey. This is happening, it is explained by those in
power, in the context of increasing security risks in the region, and,
of course, the NATO alliance. We're also told this won't alter the
basic military balance in the region. These two points seem
contradictory. If the balance isn't altered in Turkey's favor, what's
the point of selling them the equipment?
We're also told that these will help Turkey defend its extensive
coastline and borders. I'm really curious as to what airborne threat
could possibly assail Turkey. Would it come (in alphabetical order)
from Armenia? Black Sea (maybe flight capable monsters inhabit these
waters...)? Bulgaria? Greece? Iran? Iraq? Kurdistan? Syria? Each of
these is more preposterous a proposition than the rest! It's not at
all possible that Turkey might use these weapons against the RoA and
Artsakh should Azerbaijan's bellicosity lead to another shooting war
on that front, right?
It turns out that this sale could have been prevented if a hold had
been put on it within two weeks by a U.S. senator. It didn't happen.
Why? Could it be that our elected Senators have a guilty conscience,
knowing that one or more U.S. government agencies may have been
quietly supporting Turkey's indiscriminate support of
anti-Syrian-regime rebels?
Write to your Senators and ask for an explanation about this foolhardy
sale to an ever more regionally destabilizing country, Turkey.
Friday, August 29th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/126495/were-screwed-again/
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
You probably read that the United States Geological Survey has come
out with a report that says there might be a million barrels of oil
and 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas recoverable from the innards
of the current Republic of Armenia.
This report has been pending for a while. But let's be clear. The USGS
found four possible sources of hydrocarbons, but didn't even evaluate
three of them because the chances that anything might ACTUALLY be
found were very low. Even the reported oil and gas has only a 10%
chance of existing.
You might be wondering how this is possible. Realize that this report
is not based on even a single test-well being drilled. It simply
studied the geology of the area and based on what was there, projected
the possibility that oil and natural gas might exist.
And, if this rings vague bells, as though you've heard something like
this before, it could be because the study was based on data from a
1974 publication in Russian. Someone else might have made similar
guesses in the past.
Why, you're probably wondering, is this news another example of being
screwed? Think of it. Given the corruption in the Republic of Armenia
(RoA), all it will take is for some connected crook to get the notion
that there's oil/gas underground, and somehow get the money to start
looking for it. This could well destroy underground water and
above-ground agricultural resources because the area in which these
hydrocarbons are thought to lie under is... you guessed it, the Ararat
plain, Armenia's agricultural heart!
As if this isn't enough, news came out the same day that the U.S.
State Department had cleared a $320-million medium-range air-to-air
missile sale to Turkey. This is happening, it is explained by those in
power, in the context of increasing security risks in the region, and,
of course, the NATO alliance. We're also told this won't alter the
basic military balance in the region. These two points seem
contradictory. If the balance isn't altered in Turkey's favor, what's
the point of selling them the equipment?
We're also told that these will help Turkey defend its extensive
coastline and borders. I'm really curious as to what airborne threat
could possibly assail Turkey. Would it come (in alphabetical order)
from Armenia? Black Sea (maybe flight capable monsters inhabit these
waters...)? Bulgaria? Greece? Iran? Iraq? Kurdistan? Syria? Each of
these is more preposterous a proposition than the rest! It's not at
all possible that Turkey might use these weapons against the RoA and
Artsakh should Azerbaijan's bellicosity lead to another shooting war
on that front, right?
It turns out that this sale could have been prevented if a hold had
been put on it within two weeks by a U.S. senator. It didn't happen.
Why? Could it be that our elected Senators have a guilty conscience,
knowing that one or more U.S. government agencies may have been
quietly supporting Turkey's indiscriminate support of
anti-Syrian-regime rebels?
Write to your Senators and ask for an explanation about this foolhardy
sale to an ever more regionally destabilizing country, Turkey.