So much suffering that never should have happened all because Palestinians were never given equal rights and were dehumanized. Wars for oil during a climate crisis. --White Rabbit 2587 on X
Connect The Dots… or Wars For Oil During A Climate Crisis
by C.A. Matthews
227 Dead from Hurricane Helene (109 in North Carolina alone)
118,908+ Palestinians dead in the Genocide of Gaza by Israeli Forces (5.4% of the total population, estimated by 99 US doctors who have been to Gaza in the past year. Other estimates are over 200,000+ dead.)
2000+ Lebanese dead by Israeli Forces
$725 promised to Hurricane Helene victims by FEMA
$20 billion + promised to Israel to continue its bombing campaigns of Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon
2024 will probably be the “Hottest Year on Record” beating 2023, the current record holder.
The list of top ten countries with the most petroleum reserves:
1. Venezuela 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Iran 4. Canada 5. Iraq 6. United Arab Emirates 7. Kuwait 8. Russia 9. United States 10. Libya
The list of countries that US and/or NATO-align countries have had or are currently picking a fight with in order to gain control of petroleum reserves: Venezuela, Russia, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen
122 trillion cubic foot of natural gas along with an estimated at 1.7 billion barrels of oil are located off the coast of Gaza. This resource legally belongs to the Palestinian people, not Israel.
The US Military is one of the biggest polluters in the world with a huge carbon footprint. In 2017, the US military used 269,230 barrels of oil a day and emitted more than 25,000 kilotons of carbon dioxide by burning those fuels.
What have these seemingly random facts or “listicles” got to do with each other? Read them again and see if you can’t connect the dots.
Can you guess what was behind the strength and destruction of Hurricane Helene (and as of this writing, Hurricane Milton)? What if I told you that the Gulf of Mexico is super hot this year, hotter than it’s ever been in recorded history. The heat of the gulf’s water fueled Helene’s strength, causing it (and now Milton’s strength) to jump from a Category 1 to a Category 4 hurricane in less than a day. The rapidly heating Earth will continue to increase the flooding, tornadoes, and assorted storm damage.
The climate crisis—or more accurately the climate catastrophe—is doing more than making your air conditioner work overtime. It’s causing droughts, floods, and killer storms like Hurricane Helene. The burning of fossil fuels is making things worse by adding to the “greenhouse gas effect” that is heating up our planet. Humanity needs to kick the oil habit—and fast—if we want to even begin to turn things around and save our children’s futures.
Now do some more connect-the-dots... The US Empire wants to control all the petroleum reserves that remain on our rapidly heating planet. The US military uses a lot of fossil fuels in its endeavors around the globe. US currency is based on the price of oil, not gold or silver. That’s why it’s called the petrodollar. It’s where American war hawks’ desire for Wars for Oil comes from. The US must control the petroleum reserves worldwide or else its currency would soon be worthless.
But what does Israel committing a genocide of the Palestinian people and invading their neighbors in Lebanon have to do with the US controlling oil and natural gas reserves? Much more than we’ve been led to believe.
The US continues to supply arms and financial aid to Israel so that the oil rich nations of the Middle East/West Asia are kept in check and stay in line. The US can’t have any of them stop trading in the petrodollar, since that’s what makes our money worth anything. Remember Libya? Unfortunately, Libya’s leaders a few years ago decided they didn’t want to continue trading in the petrodollar. The US doesn’t like countries who don’t play by our rules because we can’t control their petroleum reserves that way. President Obama took care of them—he had his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her goon squad blow up the Libyan leadership. Today there’s no more competition from Libya, only slave markets and death.
So, connect the dots…. American addiction to oil leads to the continued use of fossil fuels (in a time when everyone on the planet should be weaning themselves off it), causing global warming (which is causing deadly hurricanes) as well as wars/genocides and other bloodshed by those who wish to dominate the petroleum market. Fairly simple, huh?
Lives lost in the Southeastern US, lives lost in Gaza, lives lost in Lebanon all could have been saved if not for the US Empire’s addiction to oil and its willingness to wage Wars for Oil through its proxy states like Israel that can’t wait to profit from Gaza’s natural gas reserves.
I doubt President Biden likes being labeled “Genocide Joe”, but if that’s what it takes for the US to stay on top in the world in dominating petroleum reserves, then so be it. Kamala Harris seems willing to take on the mantle of “Holocaust Harris” in order for the US to keep the upper hand. The same goes for Donald Trump, who has pledged even more support to Israel and its genocidal intentions.
Any candidate running as a member of the uniparty/duopoly (a party known by two names, beginning with “D” and “R”) will more than likely receive large campaign contributions from Big Oil lobbyists and AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). These politicians seem more than willing to live with the bad mouthing they receive from the lunatic fringe who doesn’t think supporting fossil fuel corporations or genocide is a good thing. But when you’re being paid well while on the campaign trail never to mention the climate crisis,or how much money continues to be sent to a genocidal regime like Israel while ignoring the pleas of your own people harmed by a killer hurricane, who really cares what the American people think?
That leaves only one real solution to end the bloodshed in Palestine, Lebanon, and the world as a whole: The US must stop warring for oil immediately, and start phasing out its dependency on petroleum altogether in the long term. Americans can’t allow duopolists who take money from Big Oil and AIPAC to remain in office. It is imperative that Americans take these bribed stooges out of government as soon as possible, be it through elections, impeachments, or by other means, up to and including guillotines if necessary.
“Wait, it doesn’t have to go quite that far!” some of you are saying at this point. “We can reason with them and show them the errors of their ways in a peaceable fashion. Nobody really wants killer storms and the genocide of innocents, right?”
It’s been twelve full months since Israel began dropping 2,000 pound bombs on Gaza, and reasoning with the genocide-supporters in office doesn’t seem to be working. These sociopaths aren’t listening to our pleas, our protests, or our marches. They’re censoring and shutting us down every chance they get.
The US government has given hundreds of billions to Israel over the years to conduct a genocide and a measly $750 to people who have lost their homes and earthly possessions in Hurricane Helene. The US funds universal health care in Israel, but won’t do the same for Americans affected by a killer storm. Unreasonable, sociopathic US government officials will only do as we tell them to do if we’re in charge. So, we must show them we’re in charge, not Big Oil or AIPAC or the military-industrial complex. It’s time for the stick, not the carrot, to motivate them.
If we don’t connect the dots and take action, we could find ourselves or our loved ones being sent to fight yet another War for Oil in Iran, Syria, Russia or China. Don’t say it isn’t coming. Congress has already passed an automatic military draft in order to raise sufficient cannon fodder (a.k.a. “troops”) to keep the petroleum profits flowing.
If we don’t want our sons—and possibly our daughters as well—to be sent off to war, we’ll need to start a campaign instructing them on how to become conscientious objectors. Here’s one group that can help save our children:
Quaker House provides counseling and support to service members who are questioning their role in the military; educates them, their families, and the public about military issues; and advocates for a more peaceful world.
Peace—it is the ultimate solution to all our problems. With no new troops, the Wars for Oil will cease and those who fund them put out of business for good. The desire to keep burning petroleum will hopefully decrease as well, and more human energy will be directed toward working on sustainable, green energy sources such as solar, geothermal, and wind.
With peace and ample green energy, we could together work on how to solve the climate catastrophe and mitigate the damage it is causing. We could work on ways to lessen killer storms such as Hurricane Helene. We could work on ways for neighbors to learn to live in peace with their neighbors, ending the insatiable desire to invade and bomb other countries to steal their land and natural resources.
Wars for Oil during a climate crisis not only don’t make sense, they’re entirely immoral and harmful.
As indie journalist Caitlin Johnstone says:
They work so hard to manufacture our consent for these atrocities because they absolutely require our consent. So don’t give it to them. When all is said and done our rulers are at all times acutely aware of the fact that there are a whole lot more of us than there are of them, and that we could very easily turn around and eat them all if we got it into our heads that that would be a good thing to do. Hold fast to your power, refuse to be taken in by their manipulations, and help wake everyone up to the fact that we are being continuously deceived into compliance, confusion and powerlessness by murderous psychopaths who want to rule the world.
Our real enemies are not in Iran.
Our real enemies are not in Lebanon.
Our real enemies are not in Gaza or the West Bank.
Our real enemies are not in Yemen, Syria, or Iraq.
Our real enemies are in Washington and London and Tel Aviv. In Berlin and Paris and Canberra. In secretive government agencies in the state of Virginia, and in imperial propaganda institutions in New York and Hollywood.
From Never Let Your Government Tell You Who Your Enemies Are
It’s past time to stop listening to our governments full of liars who are paid off by corporations and groups who would have us all killed rather than stop what they’re doing, which is killing the planet. They’re insane. We don’t have to be. Our children and their future depend on us supporting sane and compassionate leadership today. Connect the dots and support only sane, compassionate people running for office. It’s the only thing that will save us all.
Related Articles and Other Interesting Links
Help Hurricane Helene victims: https://www.appalachiafunders.org/
Helene death toll rises to at least 227 across 6 states https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/helene-death-toll-rises-to-at-least-225-across-6-states/ar-AA1rKAGR
US Has Sent Record $18B in Military Aid to Israel in Past Year — at a Minimum https://truthout.org/articles/us-has-sent-record-18b-in-military-aid-to-israel-in-past-year-at-a-minimum/
Greater Israel Explained: The Israeli Plan to Conquer the Arab World youtu.be/NEYEcAd-tzQ?si=6D4GVaoEkzi7MnED
More than 2,000 people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon: Ministry https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/10/4/live-israeli-bombs-rain-down-on-lebanons-beirut-gaza-occupied-west-bank
‘Bodies shredded into pieces’: unprecedented Israeli airstrike in West Bank kills 20, including entire family https://mondoweiss.net/2024/10/bodies-shredded-into-pieces-unprecedented-israeli-airstrike-in-west-bank-kills-20-including-entire-family/
War Crimes of the Snipers of the "Ghost Unit" https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1842242729436201158.html
US officials quietly backed Israel’s military push against Hezbollah https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/30/us-israel-military-hezbollah-00181797
Inside the State Department’s Weapons Pipeline to Israel https://www.propublica.org/article/israel-gaza-america-biden-administration-weapons-bombs-state-department
The Western Media Helped Create These Horrors In The Middle East https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-western-media-helped-create-these
Quaker House https://quakerhouse.org/
Why global temperatures matter https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2865/a-degree-of-concern-why-global-temperatures-matter/
My Enemy Is Not Iran. My Enemy Is The Western Empire. https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/my-enemy-is-not-iran-my-enemy-is
Burn the Planet and Lock Up the Dissidents https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/burn-the-planet-and-lock-up-the-dissidents
These Are US Wars. These Are Biden's Wars. https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/these-are-us-wars-these-are-bidens
BONE BY BONE: Putting Together The Pieces Of What War Is Really About https://mark192.substack.com/p/bone-by-bone-putting-together-the
We're The Fucking Terrorists https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/were-the-fucking-terrorists
The Middle East Is Always At War Because The West Keeps Pushing It That Way https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-middle-east-is-always-at-war
Iran Fires Missile Barrage at Israelhttps://news.antiwar.com/2024/10/01/us-claims-iran-is-preparing-ballistic-missile-attack-on-israel/#gsc.tab=0
Australian Officials Push Authoritarian Crackdown On Pro-Hezbollah Speech https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/australian-officials-push-authoritarian
Here's an excellent list of products to boycott from Israel: https://boycott.thewitness.news/browse/1
Meta Is Aggressively Censoring Criticism Of US-Israeli Warmongering https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/meta-is-aggressively-censoring-criticism
In First Speech Since Release, Assange Says Imprisonment Set 'Dangerous Precedent' https://mark192.substack.com/p/in-first-speech-since-release-assange
Julian Assange Speaks Out For First Time Since Freed From Prison https://scheerpost.com/2024/10/04/julian-assange-speaks-out-for-first-time-since-freed-from-prison/
Carolina On Our Minds. Science Says Stronger Storms Are The Norm. https://www.thebrockovichreport.com/p/carolina-on-our-minds-science-says
Abandon Harris Endorses Green Party’s Jill Stein https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/abandon-harris-endorses-green-partys-jill-stein
GAZA (a film containing social media posts showing war crimes of the IDF posted by the soldiers themselves) https://www.ajiunit.com/investigation/gaza/
STARVING GAZA (a film on how many young children in Gaza have died from malnutrition because of Israel’s blockade of food and medicine.) https://www.aljazeera.com/program/fault-lines/2024/9/29/starving-gaza
Thanks for connecting these dots. I agree completely with what you've said.
Also, don't forget that war itself consumes huge amounts of fossil fuels with their bombers, tanks, etc. and causes untold environmental damage. And for what? More fossil fuels, of course, and American hegemony.
It's insane.
Excellent article!
I would add one clarification on Libya. The US created coup there wasn't merely because of the issue of the petrodollar. Gaddafi came to power in a 1969 coup that removed the US's tool King Idris:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idris_of_Libya
This coup and Gaddafi's new government, meant that the US eventually lost access to a naval base they had in Libya. And that they US oil companies could no longer take most of the wealth from Libya's oil production, as it was nationalised and foreign involvement was no longer on outrageously unfavourable terms. Using this wealth, Gaddafi implemented socialist programs and proved in Africa and the Middle East that a different way was possible: universal free education, universal free healthcare, free housing government run social welfare state, not neoliberal capitalism. All paid for directly from the nation's wealth of national resources.
Now you might be thinking that was 1969 and bygones are bygones. But that's not how the ghouls in the US government and spooks think. They carry grudges for EVER. Like Iran since 1979 and Cuba since 1958.
That's why Gaddafi was removed. At various points in time over the decades they had sanctioned Libya and some may recall the Reagan era incident with the jets and so on. They always had it out for him. It wasn't merely the petrodollar thing.