Title: Re: [Mpls] re:Local implications of war on
Iraq
Thanks
Robert and Lydia for highlighting some of the Minneapolis implications
of Dubya's attempt to revive his dad's failed war with Iraq.
With
the first shot yet to be fired, the price of regular gas rose by 16
cents a gallon at my neighborhood station yesterday. Diesel fuel
remains at $1.39 a gallon most everywhere. This is probably a
reflection of diesel fuels industrial user base with relatively large
storage tanks that tends to stabilize the price of diesel fuel.
$1.52 a
gallon is not quite energy crisis material. However, with the war from
2 to 6 weeks away their are still plenty more opportunities for price
increases. So $2 a gallon or more at the consumer level for a gallon
of gasoline is not beyond the realm of near term possibility. Of
course the fuel our city buys is exempt from fuel taxes, so take about
40 cents or so off the price we consumers pay. This means a price rise
affects the city much more than us consumers.
This
assumes that we can get fuel. Historically, when fuel prices start to
rise speculators start to withhold fuel from the market. And while
little or no Iraqi oil makes it's way to Minneapolis, other countries
are customers for Iraq's production. If that supply is blocked those
countries will be competing with Minneapolis for fuel. Throw into this
volatile economic mix the possibility of oil production or transport
capacity being damaged in the war... the dilemma then becomes not one
of price, but whether or not petroleum based fuels can be bought at
any price.
So what
happens when our police departments fleet of Crown Vics gets parked
due to lack of gasoline? Can we hack their engine controls and run
them on ethanol? If petroleum diesel fuel becomes unavailable, can we
get enough soy diesel to power our snowplows this winter?
watching the diesel prices in Hawthorne,
Dyna
Sluyter
In a message
dated 9/24/2002 6:35:45 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
"emergency personnell" had
a bomb threat drill at the Mall of America,saying it was a
"possible
terrorism target". If Mr. Bush gets his war on Iraq,that may
become
reality,as I feel such a war will make Americans far more vulnerable
to
terrorist attacks.
Lydia,
There is much truth in the words you speak. Mr. Bush has establisjed a
dangerous precedent in his call to oust Saddam based on perceived
peril. He himself has now assumed this very same caricature around the
world. It is time for cooler heads to prevail: this mad rush to
carnage is just as savage, if not more, than the peril he envisions.
It will definitely cause loss and suffering of human life, animal and
plant life, therefore it is of no value to humanity today.
War is hell, said Harry, and he was right. War for the sake of war is
ludicrous. Unfortunately the lives of many will be wasted in the
process, and for generations to come. For those who think such thought
un-American, ever consider why America is under attack?? Is it
fathomable that people summarily wake up on a given morning and
decide to hate Americans?? It is time to shift posture and see the
world as fellow citizens of the planet, not just so much fodder to
unleash your spoils and take advantage of. Our strength should dictate
that we assist others to reach for excellence, allied against anything
negative , or threatening, to the progress of humanity. After all, our
strength is in our diversity.
Robert
Anderson
IP Candidate
for the House
Field-Regina
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