Equatorial Guinea: Where there's oil....

[CentreHice]

.....there's a huge double-standard when it comes to "human rights issues" and "evil".

2011 Article

Equatorial Guinea remains mired in corruption, poverty, and repression under the leadership of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the country’s president for over 30 years. Vast oil revenues fund lavish lifestyles for the small elite surrounding the president, while the majority of the population lives in dire poverty. The government regularly engages in torture and arbitrary detention. It also continues a practice of abducting perceived opponents abroad and holding them in secret detention. Journalists, civil society, and members of the political opposition face heavy government repression.

And yet...safe haven.



What's the difference between Gaddafi, Hussein, and Obiang?

Obiang plays oil ball. EG is the 3rd largest reserve in Africa. Exxon Mobil and other oil giants are reaping huge profits...and so continue on, President Obiang. You're doing swell! Treat your people worse than dirt.

Build that new palace.

Can't wait to see your son's new $380 million yacht.

Article


Message is clear to me.....

[The New Guy]

Apr 8, 2011 15:50:34 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

What's the difference between Gaddafi, Hussein, and Obiang?

While I don't doubt that oil has a role to play in Obiang's special status, Gaddafi was playing quite nicely with western petroleum interests (not American, but much of the oil refined in France and Italy comes from Libya if I recall correctly, and I am quite certain BP had a number of very large projects upcoming in the region - big news for BP given that not too many nations are welcoming them right now) right up until the NATO air-strike started, so the argument that oil buys you security doesn't quite hold water.

There is, of course, the other difference. Hussein and Gaddafi both refuse(d) to play ball diplomatically with the west, while Obiang is at least willing to meet with western diplomats and try and give them happy feelings despite the atrocities. It's important to remember that there is very little political or social will to engage in any more armed conflicts with the USA (and most western powers, for that matter) and unless there is an urgent need (such as was the case in Libya, where massacres were promised) it would be hard to conduct a military operation (hell, Obama is getting beat up by both parties for the USA's limited involvement in Libya). If a diplomatic solution can be found, or even if the illusion of a diplomatic solution exists, you have to believe that law makers will try that for years.

[Cranky]

To me, what it's really exposing is the hypocrisy of the left and Europeans. Bush was evil incarnate born in a bath of oil. He only cared about oil. Bad Bush.

And what is Obama? What has he done differently? Where is the UN?

[CentreHice]

Apr 9, 2011 4:18:58 GMT -5 Cranky said:

To me, what it's really exposing is the hypocrisy of the left and Europeans. Bush was evil incarnate born in a bath of oil. He only cared about oil. Bad Bush.

And what is Obama? What has he done differently? Where is the UN?

Who's pinning it all on Bush? It started well before he was President. Has been since the mid-90s when Clinton, Chretien, and Major were in "power". And continued on with Bush, Martin, Blair....and so it goes.

My point is that "politics" don't enter into it at all. It doesn't matter who's in the White House or any other house. Oil's pulling the strings.....and the puppets (no matter the political stripe) move accordingly.

Dictators and tyrants play ball.....and a deaf ear and a blind eye is turned to how they treat their people.

Of course Obama is going to carry on the hypocrisy....so is Harper. So would Layton or Ignatieff.

When has the travesty known as Equatorial Guinea made front page news in the mainstream media? That'll have to wait until the day Obiang decides to renege on/change the direction of the current oil contracts...i.e. take control. He'll go from invisible "friend" to despicable despot overnight.

He's got a great deal going now, though. I'll doubt he'll rock the tanker. And the human rights issues will stay off the mainstream radar.