Has this guy gone completely senile? I can understand exxagerating for effect, but where could anyone come up with a number like 64%? How could any sane person come to the conclusion that the US’s relationship with the UN has to do with the color of the secretary general? I’m certainly not a war-hawk, but this seems to be some of the stupidist rhetoric I’ve heard yet regarding this issue. This is the dude who helped pull South Africa out of apartheid?
What burns my ass is THIS quote of his: “If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America.”
What “unspeakable atrocities” are those, Mr. Mandela? Boycotting the apartheid government that kept YOU in jail? Kicking in hundreds of thousands of tons of food aid for starving Africans every year? Bankrolling the invention of the drugs which are the only known source of relief for AIDS?
Well, he IS 84 years old. I suppose we could cut him a certain amount of slack for that.
The BBC is running a different version, leaving out the peculiar “Iraq/64%” mention, but including a slam at Tony Blair, and a remark about Israel. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2710181.stm
Maybe this will be a signal to his handlers not to let him speak in public too much anymore…
Hmm. Not sure what to think. For you context-hungry people, the article also says**
“Mandela said he would support without reservation any action agreed upon by the United Nations against Iraq.”**
My guess is that he believes the UN must be the entity that enforces “due process” in international law. He probably sees unilateral US action as destructive to the UN’s credibility. He thinks that if the US goes it alone, it undermines the grand principle of solving global problems through democracy and international cooperation.
I don’t know where he got that 64% figure, though.
Here’s some data – I cannot vouch for its accuracy.
Iraq contains
112 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the second largest in the world (behind Saudi Arabia)
plus roughly 215 billion barrels of probable and possible resources.
“Iraq’s true resource potential may be understated, as deeper oil-bearing formations located mainly in the Western Desert region could yield additional resources, but have not been explored” http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/iraqfull.html
It’s oil that’s also easy to get at, with 30 to 40 per cent of Iraq’s reserves lying just 600 metres beneath Earth’s surface, Mohammad Al-Gailani, managing director of British-based GeoDesign Ltd.
Number of potential drilling sites: 526
Number of sites actually drilled: 125
Number of drilled sites with proven potential: 90
Number of proven sites that are developed: 30
“You can imagine the huge potential that lies there for the future,” said Al-Gailani, an Iraqi geologist. http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2002/1216future.htm
When one speaks of “producing the world’s oil,” one generally means “producing the oil that is used by the world.” At any rate, whether you are talking about total oil produced or just oil that is exported, Mandela’s number are nowhere near anything close to reality. At its peak in 1988 Iraq was producing 3 million barrels of crude per day, about the same as what Canada produces right now. And about 30% of what what the US produces on its own.
Yes, even if you calculate production, Iraq’s share is < 4%, I think. The only thing he could be remotely referring to is oil reserves but still he would be a ways off.
The man is as old as dirt. Of course he’s senile. He was a great patriot and is a legitimate hero, but my grandfather was a war hero and flew 36 bombing missions over Germany and we won’t even let him use the Clapper anymore. Cut him some slack. Nelson Mandela, that is.
Of course, anyone who BELIEVES his senile nattering without using a little skepticism and checking those “Facts,” now, they’re genuine idiots. And I guarantee you the “64%” figure will be accepted truth among many people within two months.
** RickJay **
Much to my utter disappointment, I am slowly learning that that is precisely how the media works. There is so much mis-information and rhetoric…
