The Domesticated Primate

One may get the impression that I'm just shilling books here, but I get no benefit from putting up good words about these - I generally only comment on books I like, and leave the stinkers uncommented on.

So this is yet another book I've read that I found a quick and fun read, with some new information that I've never known.

One major difference of opinion that Palast has from everyone else is that the Iraq war didn't have just one plan to invade, there were two. Another major difference is that the debacle is caused not just by hubris and hubris alone (and no plan after the invasion of Iraq) it was a pissing match between neocons and Big Oil, with their different representatives chosen to head it up at different points. Also different: he thinks Iraq was indeed about oil, but not so much increasing the supply as making sure they could keep it off the market and that's why the UN sanctions prior to invasion. This also keeps our good, freedom-lovin' buds the Sauds in power and doesn't upset the balance in OPEC - the wild card still being Venezuela, which explains a lot about the current animosity "we" have with Chavez.

Also very different from most commentators is his take on Hubbert's Peak oil - he thinks very different thoughts on that. Among the discussion is the fact that Hubbert had ulterior motives for his predictions, Canada's supply of oil is 15% higher than Saudi Arabia, and that we've passed what Hubbert predicted for the TOTAL world supply a while ago.

Overall, very refreshing take on many subjects - Iraq, voting fraud and stealing elections, Big Oil, etc. The only nit I saw was that Area 51 is in Nevada, not New Mexico and I think he mentions both Roswell & Area 51 as if they are both in NM, but that's a minor point.

If you've seen Bush Family Fortunes, you probably have seen Greg Palast - I cannot remember if he was in the special features or the feature itself, but he's one of the directors. Greg Palast also has a site at GregPalast.com.