Thursday, January 05, 2006

NIGERIANNA

STEPHEN GAGHAN, THE WRITER AND DIRECTOR OF SYRIANNA APPEARED ON THE CHARLIE ROSE SHOW IN LATE 2005. HE TOLD A STORY ABOUT AN EXPRERIENCE HE HAD WHILE MAKING THE FILM.
HE HAD BEEN INVITED TO A HOME WHERE SEVERAL AMERICAN BILLIONAIRES, WERE DISCUSSING WHICH COUNTRY WOULD BE AMERICA’S NEXT ‘FOCUS.’

AFTER GIVING THEIR OPINIONS, THE HOST ANNOUNCED THAT THE CORRECT ANSWER WAS NIGERIA.

WITHIN DAYS OF THE ROSE SHOW, TWO PLANES CRASHED IN NIGERIA; ONE KILLING ALL 117 ON BOARD, AND THE OTHER KILLING 103.

ON JANUARY 1, 2006, A FRONT PAGE STORY APPEARED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES WITH THE HEADLINE,

BLOOD FLOWS WITH OIL IN POOR NIGERIAN VILLAGES

NIGERIA, WITH 130 MILLION PEOPLE, AND A POVERTY RATE OF 70%, IS AFRICA’S LARGEST PRODUCER OF OIL, AND THE ELEVENTH LARGEST PRODUCER IN THE WORLD.
THE TIMES ARTICLE EXPLAINED THAT A POTENTIALLY VAST FIELD OF CRUDE OIL HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF A MAJOR ENERGY COMPANY, AND THAT AFRICAN OIL IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE UNITED STATES WITH A QUARTER OF ITS OIL SUPPLY IN THE NEXT DECADE, UP FROM FIFTEEN PERCENT NOW.

IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ( JANUARY 6TH) THOMAS FRIEDMAN WROTE ABOUT 'PETROLISM'. IT'S HIS TERM, " ... FOR THE CORRUPTING, ANTIDEMOCRATIC GOVERNING PRACTICES IN OIL STATES... [ SUCH AS ]... NIGERIA."
HE CLAIMS THAT, "...OUR ENERGY GLUTTONY FOSTERS AND STRENGTHENS VARIOUS KINDS OF PETROLIST REGIMES, ... [ AND ] ... IT EMBOLDENS AUTHORITARIAN PETROLISM IN... [PLACES LIKE] ...NIGERIA,... WHICH WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED LONG AGO, BUT HAVE BEEN SAVED BY OUR ENERGY EXCESSES. "

NIGERIA IS ATTRACTING SOME ATTENTION. NO CONSPIRACY, BUT LET’S FOLLOW THE STORY.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Doesn't appear that Al Scionti is is a fan of Bruce, Africans or Aids victims. Sounds like quite the open minded,compassionate fellow.

Anonymous said...

Al,
To play upon an old cliche:
From your lips to Bill O'Reilly's ears.

P.S. In your second sentence you should have written, "...waste HIS time.." rather than "..waste THEIR time..." In the same sentence you should have written,"...a country WHICH offers.." rather than, "a country WHO offers." (offered in the same spirit as your thoughtful corrections).

quicksand said...

YES, MOST OF AFRICA IS A FAILURE.
AND MAYBE, THE REASONS GO FAR BEYOND ITS HISTORY WITH COLONIALISM.
BUT THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT AFRICA OR NIGERIA.
IT'S ABOUT AMERICA, MOSTLY.
WE CLAIM THAT WE'RE IN IRAQ TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY, AND TO OPPOSE DESPOTIC REGIMES.
THE QUESTION HERE IS, WILL WE PRACTICE THAT SAME STANDARD IN PLACES SUCH AS NIGERIA?

Anonymous said...

Consistent with Hans Blix's points, our interest in the politics of other countries whether they be in the mideast (Iraq) or the dark continent of Africa is rarely if ever a matter of altruism. We couldn't care less about dictators and tyrants as long as these tyrants serve our economic and political interests. When asked whether he thought our presence in Iraq had anything to do with oil, the journalist Paul Fiske wisely replied, "If the maim exports of Iraq were asparagus and carrots, the 81st Airborne would not be there."

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