PIPELINE - Tapping Into The World Of Oil
Jan 8, 2007 | NY Times | Opinion Blog
Blood Oil
“In America it’s bling bling, but out here it’s bling bang,” says Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in the movie “Blood Diamond,” explaining how diamonds on American fingers play a role in conflict and death in Africa. Thanks to this film, diamonds are the taboo commodity of the moment — “All who touch it are left with blood on their hands,” intones the voice-over in the preview.
But many Americans don’t realize that the oil in our gas tanks, plastics, medicines, lubricants and cosmetics is implicated in an even larger bloody trade. From Nigeria to Iraq, Colombia, Chechnya and the Straits of Malacca, a growing global trade in illicit petroleum — as much as 750,000 barrels a day, or one percent of the world oil production — is providing money and weapons for violent conflict. And conflict oil is much trickier to manage than blood diamonds are. Most of us are like Ellen Barkin — we may have sentimental attachments to our jewels, but we’ll give them up the moment they start to seem icky. But no one, rich or poor, can really give up oil.
Continued at:
pipeline.blogs.nytimes.com
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In her first post, journalist Lisa Margonelli explains how the oil industry, like the diamond trade, is implicated in violent conflict.
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