ADDRESS OF MICHAEL C.

RUPPERT
FOR THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB – SAN FRANCISCO
TUESDAY AUGUST 31, 2004

THANK YOU FOR THAT GRACIOUS INTRODUCTION.

LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING PAT LAMKEN FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE

TODAY AND FOR HER EFFORTS TO ARRANGE – WHAT IS CERTAINLY
FOR ME – A HISTORIC LANDMARK IN MY 26 YEARS OF WORK TO BRING
TO LIGHT INFORMATION – VITALLY IMPORTANT, LIFE AND DEATH,
INFORMATION – WHICH HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY IGNORED BY THE
MAINSTREAM MEDIA. THIS INFORMATION HAS ALSO REMAINED
COMPLETELY UNADDRESSED OR EVEN PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY
THOSE ELITES IN BOTH AMERICA AND THE WORLD THAT DETERMINE
AND SHAPE PUBLIC POLICY AND DIRECT THE COURSE OF HUMAN
EVENTS.

I SAY THIS WITH THE FULL AND COMPLETE AWARENESS THAT I AM

TONIGHT STANDING PARTIALLY IN THE MIDST OF THOSE ELITES AND
THAT THOSE ELITES ARE LISTENING.

I HAVE LONG BEEN AWARE OF THE STATURE AND PRESTIGE OF THE

COMMONWEALTH CLUB, FOR ITS ABILITY TO ATTRACT SOME OF THE
WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL SPEAKERS; ALSO FOR ITS REPUTATION
FOR BI-PARTISANSHIP; AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ITS
WILLINGNESS TO PRESENT CONFLICTING OR OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS.
MY APPEARANCE HERE TONIGHT NO DOUBT MARKS A DEPARTURE FOR
THE CLUB EVEN FROM THAT INSPIRING RECORD.

WITH TODAY’S REMARKS I INTEND TO ESTABLISH A WHOLE NEW

DEFINITION OF “CONFLICTING VIEWPOINT.”

I APPLAUD THE CLUB’S RECORD AND AM MINDFUL THAT, HAD IT NOT

BEEN FOR THE DANGEROUS AND EPOCHAL HISTORICAL EVENTS
TAKING PLACE AROUND US, I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AFFORDED
SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY AS THIS. BECAUSE CLEARLY, MY WRITING AND
PUBLIC SPEAKING HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT WHERE WE ARE TODAY
IS EXACTLY WHERE I SAID WE WOULD BE IF SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL
WAS NOT CHANGED ABOUT HOW WE BOTH VIEW THE WORLD, AND HOW
WE INTERACT WITH IT.

BEFORE PREPARING THIS SPEECH, OF COURSE, I DID SOME RESEARCH

TO SEE WHO HAD SPOKEN HERE BEFORE.

I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT I FOLLOW ON THE HEELS OF SUCH

NOTABLES AS FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JAMES WOOLSEY AND TWO
MEMBERS OF THE KEAN COMMISSION ON 9/11: SLADE GORTON AND
RICHARD BEN-VENISTE. THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE WHO I WOULD CALL
“KINDRED SPIRITS.” I ALSO SAW THE NAME OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SECRETARY TOM RIDGE AND FORMER TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT
RUBIN. THESE ARE ALSO LEADERS OF WHOM I HAVE BEEN SHARPLY
CRITICAL IN THE PAST AND WILL BE SHARPLY CRITICAL OF IN THE
FUTURE.

I ALSO SAW NAMES LIKE JOHN KERRY, JOHN EDWARDS, DENNIS

KUCINICH, JOE LIBERMAN AND MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.

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MY RECORD AS A JOURNALIST AND LECTURER SHOWS THAT I HAVE
NOT EMBRACED, AND HAVE INDEED BEEN FIERCELY CRITICAL OF, MOST
OF THESE OPINION MAKERS. WHILE I AM MORE INCLINED TO FIND
KINSHIP WITH DENNIS KUCINICH, I ALSO STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT
NO POLITICAL LEADER WHO DOES NOT ADDRESS THE REAL CAUSES OF
THE PROBLEMS FACING US WILL EVER BE CONSIDERED BY ME AS A
TRUE KINDRED SOUL – OR AS A POLITICAL CHAMPION FOR THE
FUTURE.

SUCH PRAISE AND ENDORSEMENT I OFFER ONLY TO THE LIKES OF MY

GOOD FRIEND, THE HONORABLE CYNTHIA MCKINNEY OF GEORGIA, AND
TO FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOUSING CATHERINE AUSTIN
FITTS. I HEARTILY RECOMMEND THEM TO THE CLUB AS POTENTIAL
SPEAKERS FOR FUTURE EVENTS.

I ALSO SAW THE NAMES OF SPIRITUAL LEADERS AND INDEPENDENT OR

INTERNATIONAL VOICES LIKE AL FRANKEN, JANE GOODALL, ARIANNA
HUFFINGTON, THE RABBI MICHAEL LERNER, NORMAN MAILER, TED
TURNER, HANS BLIX AND KING ABUDULLAH II.

IN LOOKING AT THIS LONG LIST OF PRESITIGIOUS SPEAKERS I WAS

VERY AWARE THAT THE LIFE’S WORK OF MICHAEL RUPPERT DID NOT
PLACE ME IN ANY CATEGORY THAT FIT WITH THESE PEOPLE. FOR THE
MOST PART – I HAVE LONG CONSIDERED THEM TO BE PART OF A
SERIOUS PROBLEM RATHER THAN PATHFINDERS TO ITS SOLUTION.

THAT REALIZATION BROUGHT TO MIND WHAT WAS PERHAPS THE

SINGLE MOST MEMORABLE LINE FROM THE 1992 VICE-PRESIDENTIAL
DEBATES IN WHICH ROSS PEROT’S RUNNING MATE, RETIRED NAVY
ADMIRAL JAMES STOCKDALE – A MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER AND
VIETNAM POW – ASKED, “WHO AM I?” AND “WHY AM I HERE?”

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I AM NOT PRONE TO OVER-ANALYZING SUCH OPPORTUNITIES. I HAVE
ALWAYS SAID THAT, IF GIVEN THE CHANCE, I WOULD WALK INTO THE
LION’S DEN OR THE DEVIL’S BEDROOM TO MAKE MY CASE AND THAT IS
WHAT I INTEND TO DO TODAY. THIS IS AS CLOSE AS I HAVE COME THUS
FAR TO EITHER. FOR HERE, I CAN SEE TONIGHT PARTS OF THE ELITE
WHOSE CONSCIOUSNESS AND ATTITUDES MUST BE CHANGED IF
HUMANITY IS TO EVEN PARTIALLY MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE “IN
OUR FACES.”

FOR ANY OF YOU WHO MIGHT BE EITHER LIONS OR DEVILS I HOPE THAT
YOU HAVE HAD A GOOD MEAL RECENTLY AND ALSO THAT YOU HAVE
CHECKED YOUR PITCHFORKS AT THE DOOR. I ALSO IMPLORE THAT
YOUR EARS BE OPEN AND YOUR MINDS ACCESSIBLE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REALIZE THAT A GLOBAL CRISIS IS CASTING

ITS SHADOW ACROSS THE ENTIRE PLANET, AND WHO WISH BETTER TO
UNDERSTAND ITS DYNAMICS, I AM HERE TO OFFER SOME OF MY
EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING AS A “MAPMAKER” WHO HAS NO
ALLEGIANCE TO PARTISAN POLITICS OR ANY DESIRE EXCEPT TO TELL
YOU THE TRUTH, NO MATTER HOW DISQUIETING IT MAY BE, OR HOW
DIVERGENT IT MAY BE FROM WHATEVER CHERISHED BELIEFS YOU MAY
HOLD; FROM WHATEVER COSOMOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES YOU MAY
BELIEVE IN; OR FROM WHATEVER ECONOMIC OR OTHER PERSONAL
INTERESTS YOU MAY HAVE.

A SPIRITUAL TEACHER ONCE TOLD ME THAT MY PROBLEM WAS NOT

THAT I THOUGHT HIGHLY OF MYSELF; NOT THAT I THOUGHT LOWLY OF
MYSELF; BUT THAT I THOUGHT CONSTANTLY OF MYSELF. IN THAT VEIN,

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LET US ALL TONIGHT TRY TO THINK OF ISSUES LARGER THAN
OURSELVES, OUR PERSONAL INTERESTS, OUR WANTS, OR OUR FEARS.

VIEWED FROM ALMOST ANY PERSPECTIVE; BE IT GEOPOLITICS,

ECONOMICS, CLIMATE, SPREADING WARFARE THAT THREATENS TO
UNLEASH A GLOBAL ORGY OF BLOODLETTING, RISING ENERGY PRICES,
DOCUMENTED ENERGY SHORTAGES, FRESH WATER SHORTAGES,
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, THE REPRESSION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES AT HOME
AND ABROAD, OR ANY OF A DOZEN OTHER ISSUES; PLANET EARTH AND
ALL OF ITS INHABITANTS ARE IN GREAT DANGER. THIS IS NOT A TIME
TO THINK OF NATIONAL SECURITY. IT IS A TIME TO THINK OF
PLANETARY SECURITY – INDEED, OF PLANETARY SURVIVAL.

AND I MUST RECOGNIZE ALSO THAT I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN

AFFORDED THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY,
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE CONSISTENT SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY;
THE REASEARH AND ACTIVISM; THE COURAGE AND
DISENFRANCHISEMENT, AND ABOVE ALL THE LOYALTY OF ALL THOSE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED MY NEWSLETTER, “FROM THE
WILDERNESS”, GROW IN JUST SIX YEARS FROM 68 TO MORE THAN
15,000 MONTHLY READERS WORLDWIDE. TODAY OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.FROMTHEWILDERNESS.COM AVERAGES MORE THAN 12,000
VISITORS A DAY.

THESE INCLUDE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC

LEADERS, PROFESSORS AT MORE THAN 30 UNIVERSITIES, RESPECTED
JOURNALISTS, AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN MANY COUNTRIES.

IF ANYTHING HAD AN IMPACT ON MY THINKING AS I PREPARED THESE

REMARKS IT WAS MY AWARENESS THAT THESE LOYAL SUPPORTERS
ARE THE PEOPLE ON WHOSE BEHALF I PRESUME TO SPEAK. IT IS THEIR

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VOICE AND THEIR COMMITMENT WHICH HAS GIVEN RISE TO MY VOICE. I
COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT BE HERE WERE IT NOT FOR THEM.

BUT I ALSO, IF I MAY BE THAT BOLD, PRESUME TO SPEAK FOR ALL

MANKIND, REGARDLESS OF RELIGION, ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY,
GENDER, SEXUAL PREFERENCE, BANK ACCOUNT OR ANY OTHER
ARTIFICIAL DISTINCTION.

THIS IS NO TIME TO BE SHY.

THIS IS NOT A TIME WHEN MEN AND WOMEN OF GOOD CONSCIENCE

CAN AFFORD TO BE POLITCALLY CORRECT OR BE GUIDED BY ANYTHING
EXCEPT A WILLINGNESS TO DISCARD EVERY “CHERISHED” BELIEF OR
OPINION WHICH STANDS IN THE WAY OF AN ACCURATE AND FEARLESS
APPRAISAL OF THE WORLD AROUND US.

AS I HAVE SAID SO MANY TIMES IN THE LAST THREE YEARS WHILE

DELIVERING MORE THAN 40 LECTURES ON THE TRUTH AND LIES OF 9/11
AND PEAK OIL, IN EIGHT COUNTRIES: THE EVENTS IN THE FIVE YEARS
FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH WILL DETERMINE THE
COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY FOR THE NEXT 500 YEARS OR MORE.

I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE RECORD OF MY LECTURES AND

WRITINGS, WHEREIN I HAVE COME TO BE KNOWN AS A MAN WHO BACKS
UP EVERYTHING HE SAYS AND PRESENTS IT TO HIS AUDIENCES FOR
VERFICATION, HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOW THE BOARD OF
GOVERNORS REACHED ITS DECISION TO EXTEND THIS INVITATION.
FOR MANY YEARS NOW NOT A SINGLE FACT, CITATION OR PIECE OF
EVIDENCE, PRESENTED IN MY LECTURES, OR IN MY BEST-SELLING
VIDEO, “THE TRUTH AND LIES OF 9/11” HAS BEEN PROVED INACCURATE.

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I AM KNOWN AS A MAN WHO DOES NOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO TAKE HIS
WORD ON FAITH BUT WHO ASKS AND EVEN EXPECTS PEOPLE TO
CHALLENGE HIS RESEARCH, EVALUATE IT, AND REACH THEIR OWN
CONCLUSIONS.

OPERATING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE PAST CREDIBILITY OF

MY RESEARCH HAS PRODUCED A RECORD WHICH GOT ME IN THE DOOR
AT THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB, I AM TODAY, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME
AND FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT, GOING TO DISPENSE WITH MY CUSTOMARY
SLIDE PRESENTATION. I FULLY EXPECT THAT ANYONE WHO
CHALLENGES OR DISAGREES WITH MY ASSERTIONS WILL GO OUT AND
DO SOME CHECKING FOR HIM OR HER SELF.

ALMOST EVERYTHING I PRESENT TO YOU TODAY WILL BE FULLY

DOCUMENTED – BY MEANS OF APPROXIMATELY 1,000 ENDNOTES – IN
MY SOON TO BE RELEASED BOOK, “CROSSING THE RUBICON: THE
DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE AT THE END OF THE AGE OF OIL.”

THE BOOK, PUBLISHED BY NEW SOCIETY PUBLISHERS, SHOULD BE

AVAILABLE FOR SALE FROM THE FTW WEB SITE WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS AND
IT WILL GO ON SALE NATIONALLY, THROUGH ALL MAJOR OUTLETS, BY
MID-OCTOBER.

SEPTEMBER 11TH

BOTH HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD I AM NOT
ALONE IN BELIEVING THAT THE ATTACKS OF SEPTMEBER 11TH WERE
FACILITATED, ORCHESTRATED AND EXECUTED BY THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF
MISUNDERSTANDING AND CONCLUSION JUMPING ABOUT THESE
ASSESSMENTS THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE. I WAS

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TRAINED AS A POLICE OFFICER AND DETECTIVE, AND FOR MANY YEARS
NOW I HAVE BEEN AN EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST BECAUSE
I HAVE ADHERED TO STRICT EVIDENTIARY AND INVESTIGATIVE
STANDARDS.

THE 9/11 ATTACKS WERE THE RESULT OF DELIBERATE PLANNING AND

ORCHESTRATED EFFORTS BY IDENTIFIABLE LEADERS WITHIN THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT, AND THE ENERGY AND FINANCIAL SECTORS, TO SEE A
PEARL HARBOR-LIKE ATTACK WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE AMERICAN
EMPIRE WITH A PRETEXT FOR WAR, INVASION AND THE SEQUENTIAL
CONFISCATION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS RESERVES, OR THE KEY
TRANSPORTATION ROUTES THROUGH WHICH THEY PASS. 9-11 WAS A
PREMEDITATED MURDER AND IN MY BOOK, AND HERE TONIGHT, I WILL
NAME SOME OF THE SUSPECTS WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME. IN MY
BOOK I WILL SHOW YOU OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF THEIR GUILT
WHICH I WOULD BE PROUD AND CONFIDENT TO PLACE EITHER BEFORE
A DISTRICT ATTORNEY OR A JURY.

HISTORICALLY, THE ASSERTION THAT THE UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT WOULD ORCHESTRATE AN ATTACK UPON AMERICAN
INTERESTS HAS AMPLE PRECEDENT. FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI DESCRIBED THE NEED FOR SUCH AN
EVENT IN SEVERAL PLACES IN HIS 1997 BOOK “THE GRAND
CHESSBOARD.” IT WAS I WHO FIRST BROUGHT THIS BOOK TO WORLD
ATTENTION IN LATE 2001. THE PROJECT FOR A NEW AMERICAN
CENTURY MADE REFERENCE TO THE NEED FOR SUCH AN ATTACK IN ITS
2000 REPORT “REBUILDING AMERICA’S DEFENSES.” DECLASSIFIED TOP
SECRET DOCUMENTS DISCLOSED BY AUTHOR JAMES BAMFORD IN HIS
BOOK, “BODY OF SECRETS” TELL US THAT IN 1962 THE JOINT CHIEFS
HAD APPROVED A PLAN CALLED “OPERATION NORTHWOODS” WHICH
WAS A COVERT OPERATION THAT WOULD SHOOT DOWN AMERICAN

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AIRCRAFT AND STAGE ATTACKS ON AMERICAN MILITARY FACILITIES
WITH THE INTENT OF BLAMING THOSE ATTACKS ON FIDEL CASTRO AND
PROMPTING THE SUBSEQUENT US INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF
CUBA.

THE DECLASSIFIED NORTHWOODS DOCUMENTS CAN BE SEEN AND

DOWNLOADED FROM THE FTW WEB SITE. BUT ONCE VIEWED, THEY
CANNOT BE IGNORED.

THEREFORE IT CANNOT BE SAID THAT SUCH A THING HAS NEVER BEEN

CONCEIVED OF OR CARRIED OUT BY AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERS.
FROM THE SINKING OF THE BATTLESHIP MAINE, TO THE GULF OF
TONKIN, AND INDEED, EVEN TO PEARL HARBOR ITSELF, HISTORY TODAY
PROVIDES US WITH ABUNDANT DOCUMENTATION OF US GOVERNMENT
COMPLICITY IN VARYING DEGREES IN SIMILAR ATTACKS. THE BOOK
“DAY OF DECEIT” AND OTHER RECORDS FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
HAVE SHOWN US THAT THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION HAD BROKEN
THE JAPANESE CODES WELL BEFORE DECEMBER 7TH, AND THAT A
CONSCIOUS DECISION WAS MADE TO ALLOW THE ATTACK ON PEARL
HARBOR TO TAKE PLACE. THIS WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE
NECESSARY IMPETUS FOR US ENTRY INTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR
AT A TIME WHEN GREAT BRITAIN WAS BUCKLING UNDER THE MILITARY
BLITZKRIEG, AERIAL BOMBING AND U-BOAT WARFARE OF THE THIRD
REICH.

CROSSING THE RUBICON IS A DETECTIVE STORY THAT GETS TO THE

INNERMOST CORE OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS. IT PLACES 9/11 AT THE
CENTER OF A DESPERATE NEW AMERICA, CREATED BY SPECIFIC,
NAMED INDIVIDUALS IN PREPARATION FOR PEAK OIL: AN ECONOMIC
CRISIS LIKE NOTHING THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

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SIMPLY DEFINED, PEAK OIL IS THAT MOMENT IN TIME WHEN GLOBAL OIL
– AND NATURAL GAS – PRODUCTION BEGINS AN IRREVERSIBLE AND
PERMANENT DECLINE WHICH WILL NOT YIELD OR GIVE WAY
REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH MONEY AND EFFORT IS SPENT TRYING TO
CHANGE IT.

WITH DEMAND STILL ACCELERATING RAPIDLY IN BOTH THE US AND THE

INDUSTRIALIZED AND DEVELOPING WORLD, THE ARRIVAL OF PEAK OIL
LITERALLY DESCRIBES A POINT OF OVERSHOOT IN WHICH ECONOMIC
AND ECOLOGICAL STASIS – LET ALONE GROWTH – BECOMES
UNSUSTAINABLE. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS,
“FROM THE WILDERNESS” HAS PIONEERED THE INVESTIGATION AND
DOCUMENTATION OF THIS CRISIS. WITH THE INVALUABLE RESEARCH
AND WRITING OF FTW’S ENERGY EDITOR DALE ALLEN PFEIFFER, A
GEOLOGIST, AND THROUGH MY OWN TRAVELS AND RESEARCH IN THE
US, FRANCE AND GERMANY, WE HAVE DRAWN UPON THE EXPERTISE
OF THOSE WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE OIL INDUSTRY (MANY
OF WHOM HAVE LEFT IT), INDEPENDENT SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICS
HAVING NO CONNECTION TO THE ENERGY INDUSTRY, BUSINESS AND
FINANCIAL LEADERS, INTERNATIONAL BODIES SUCH AS THE
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AND ACTUAL WORLD EVENTS TO
DRAW ATTENTION TO WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST SERIOUS THREAT
FACING MANKIND IN ITS ENTIRE HISTORY.

IT IS MY BELIEF, AS I SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT THAT PLANET EARTH IS –

PLUS OR MINUS ONE YEAR – AT THE ALL TIME PEAK OF HYDROCARBON
ENERGY PRODUCTION. SIMPLY PUT, WE HAVE USED HALF OF ALL THE
OIL GOD PLACED ON THIS PLANET, AND EVERY DROP, EVERY BARREL
EXTRACTED FROM THE GROUND FROM NOW ON WILL BECOME
PROGRESSIVELY MORE EXPENSIVE, OF LESSER QUALITY, AND MUCH
HARDER TO OBTAIN. WE HAVE PICKED THE LOW HANGING FRUIT. AS

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ALL EXPERTS AGREE, PEAK IS SOMETHING WE WILL ONLY KNOW OF A
CERTAINTY AS WE VIEW IT IN OUR REAR VIEW MIRRORS.

THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001 WERE THE PRETEXT FOR THE
AMERICAN, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT, THE BRITISH AND ISRAELI
EMPIRES TO BEGIN SEIZING, BY FORCE, THOSE ENERGY SUPPLIES
NEEDED TO SUSTAIN THEIR POWER, HEGEMONY (WHETHER REGIONAL
OR GLOBAL) AND THEIR TEETERING ECONOMIES.

THE ATTACKS OF 9/11 WERE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH AN AMAZING

ORCHESTRATION OF LOGISTICS AND PERSONNEL. FORMER NATIONAL
SECURITY AIDE AND COUNTER-TERROR ADVISOR RICHARD CLARKE
HAS POSTULATED THAT SUCH A CONSPIRACY COULD NEVER BE KEPT A
SECRET. TOO MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, HE SAID.

ON THIS POINT I DISAGREE WITH CLARKE COMPLETELY AND POINT TO

THE FACT THAT THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, WHICH DEVELOPED THE
ATOM BOMB AND THE STEALTH FIGHTER PROJECT WERE BOTH
SUCCESSFULLY KEPT SECRET. THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN
BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS FAR EXCEEDED THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REQUIRED TO EXECUTE
9/11.

HOWEVER, I MUST EXPRESS A DEEP DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO CLARKE.

FOR IN HIS BOOK “AGAINST ALL ENEMIES” HE LEFT A COMPELLING TRAIL
OF BREAD CRUMBS, CONTRADICTIONS TO THE SWORN TESTIMONY OF
OUR HIGHEST LEADERS, AND HARD EVIDENCE WHICH PROVIDED ME
WITH MUCH OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO SAY THAT NOT ONLY
CAN I NAME SOME OF THE US GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO
PERPETRATED THOSE ATTACKS, I CAN ALSO IDENTIFY THE PRIME
SUSPECT – OR MR. BIG – WHO PLAYED THE COMMAND ROLE IN

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EXECUTING THEM. MR. CLARKE IS NOT A STUPID MAN AND I CAN ONLY
CONCLUDE THAT HE LEFT THOSE CRUMBS FOR OTHERS TO FIND.

ALL OF THIS OF COURSE STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE REPORT

OF THE SO-CALLED INDEPENDENT COMMISSION WHICH INVESTIGATED
THOSE ATTACKS. BEFORE I START NAMING NAMES, LET ME FIRST TAKE
A LOOK AT WHY ABSOLUTELY NOTHING PRESENTED BY THE KEAN
COMMISSION CAN, OR SHOULD, BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT CHALLENGE.

THE KEAN COMMISSION

A RECENT STORY IN THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE REPORTED ON

HOW ONE US SENATOR, MARK DAYTON OF MINNESOTA, FOUND SOME
EGREGIOUS INCONSISTENCIES IN THE FINAL REPORT OF THE KEAN
COMMISSION. THE STORY SAID THAT DURING A RECENT HEARING
EVALUATING THE KEAN REPORT:

“DAYTON TOLD LEADERS OF THE SEPT. 11 COMMISSION THAT,

BASED ON THE COMMISSION'S REPORT, A NORAD
CHRONOLOGY MADE PUBLIC A WEEK AFTER THE ATTACKS
WAS GROSSLY MISLEADING. THE CHRONOLOGY SAID THE FAA
NOTIFIED THE MILITARY'S EMERGENCY AIR COMMAND OF
THREE OF THE HIJACKINGS WHILE THOSE JETLINERS WERE
STILL AIRBORNE. DAYTON CITED COMMISSION FINDINGS THAT
THE FAA FAILED TO INFORM NORAD ABOUT THREE OF THE
PLANES UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD CRASHED.

“AND, HE SAID, A SQUADRON OF NORAD FIGHTER PLANES

THAT WAS SCRAMBLED WAS SENT EAST OVER THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN AND WAS 150 MILES FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., WHEN

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 THE THIRD PLANE STRUCK THE PENTAGON – ‘FARTHER THAN
THEY WERE BEFORE THEY TOOK OFF.’

“DAYTON SAID NORAD OFFICIALS ‘LIED TO THE AMERICAN

PEOPLE, THEY LIED TO CONGRESS AND THEY LIED TO YOUR
9/11 COMMISSION TO CREATE A FALSE IMPRESSION OF
COMPETENCE, COMMUNICATION AND PROTECTION OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.’ HE TOLD KEAN AND HAMILTON THAT IF
THE COMMISSION'S REPORT IS CORRECT, PRESIDENT BUSH
‘SHOULD FIRE WHOEVER AT FAA, AT NORAD ... BETRAYED
THEIR PUBLIC TRUST BY NOT TELLING US THE TRUTH.’”

WHAT SENATOR DAYTON DID NOT FULLY FOCUS ON WAS THAT, JUST A
FEW SHORT WEEKS BEFORE RELEASING ITS FINAL REPORT, THE KEAN
COMMISSION UNILATERALLY CHANGED THE TIMES OF CERTAIN KEY
EVENTS, NEGATING AND OVERRULING TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE
PRESENTED UNDER OATH, WITHOUT HAVING RECEIVED A SINGLE NEW
PIECE OF EVIDENCE – EITHER FORMALLY OR INFORMALLY – THAT
CONTRADICTED OR CHANGED THE EVIDENCE ALREADY RECEIVED.

I’M SURE THAT THERE ARE SOME ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM TONIGHT. I
WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD ACQUIESCE TO THE JUDGE IN A
CRIMINAL TRIAL SUBMITTING AND RULING ON EVIDENCE THAT NEITHER
THE DEFENSE NOR PROSECUTION HAD PRESENTED DURING TRIAL, BUT
WHICH THE JUDGE HAD SOMEHOW PRODUCED, WITHOUT
EXPLANATION, FROM HIS OR HER CHAMBERS. HOW WOULD YOU REACT
IF THE JUDGE THEN RULED ON THE BASIS OF THAT EVIDENCE, MAKING
NO ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED BY EITHER
SIDE?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE JURY?

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WHILE SENATOR DAYTON WAS ASTUTE ENOUGH TO NOTE SOME
GLARING INCONSISTENCIES AND CONTRADICTIONS IN A HIGHLY
MANIPULATED AND FREQUENTLY ALTERED EVIDENTIARY RECORD, HE
MISSED, OR CHOSE TO IGNORE OTHER ELEPHANTS SITTING
COMFORTABLY IN THE LIVING ROOM OF ONE OF THE MOST SHAMELESS
PIECES OF DISHONEST PUBLIC ACCOUNTING IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
THESE INCLUDE THE FACT THAT THE COMMISSION INEXPLICABLY
INTRODUCED, AT THE LAST MINUTE, A COMPLETELY NEW TIMELINE OF
EVENTS SURROUNDING THE RESPONSES OF THE FAA, NORAD AND THE
PENTAGON ON 9/11 IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO PREVIOUSLY SWORN
TESTIMONY AND EXHIBITS FROM THESE COMMANDS. IN MOST CASES
THIS EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED BY THE SAME MEN WHO ACTUALLY
MADE KEY DECISIONS THAT DAY.

WHY?

IN ITS MERE CONSTITUTION, THE KEAN COMMISSION’S MEMBERS

WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO EVEN APPROACH THE BAR OF
JUDICIAL IMPARTIALITY IN AN AMERICAN COURTROOM TO DECIDE SUCH
AN IMPORTANT CASE. THEY – EVERY ONE OF THEM, INCLUDING YOUR
TWO RECENT SPEAKERS – WOULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN
IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED FROM PROVIDING, AS WAS MANDATED BY
LAW, “A FULL ACCOUNTING” OF THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH.

IN DESCRIBING TO YOU SOME OF THESE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, I

WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST
JIM RAREY WHO DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB OF CATALOGUING THE
HISTORIES OF THE WOLVES AND THE FOXES WHO MANAGED THE HEN
HOUSE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH’S HISTORICAL RECORD.

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THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A PARTIAL DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE
MORE OBVIOUS CONFLICTS WITHIN THE KEAN COMMISSION.

THOMAS KEAN (CHAIRMAN)

THOMAS KEAN IS A DIRECTOR (AND SHAREHOLDER) OF AMERADA HESS
CORPORATION, WHICH IS INVOLVED IN THE HESS-DELTA JOINT
VENTURE WITH DELTA OIL OF SAUDI ARABIA, OWNED BY THE [KHALID]
BIN MAHFOUZ AND AL-AMOUDI CLANS. THIS COMPANY WAS INVOLVED
IN THE INITIAL PLANNING FOR A TRANS-AFGHAN OIL PIPELINE JUST
PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 11TH. KHALID BIN MAHFOUZ, ONCE A SENIOR
EXECUTIVE WITH THE LEGENDARY ORGANIZED CRIME BANK BCCI, IS
SAUDI ARABIA’S LARGEST BANKER AND HIS CLIENTS INCLUDE BOTH
THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY AND THE SAUDI BINLADIN GROUP OF
COMPANIES.

COINCIDENTALLY, THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY IS ALSO A

MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, TOGETHER WITH
ANOTHER PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
AMERADA HESS, FORMER SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY NICHOLAS
BRADY.

IT IS ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THAT THOMAS KEAN ALSO SITS AS CO-

CHAIRMAN OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY PROJECT (HSP) UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE CENTURY FOUNDATION. IN THIS CAPACITY, KEAN
HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
CENTURY FOUNDATION, WHICH PARTIALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY LEGISLATION.

JOURNALIST WAYNE MADSEN HAS SHOWN WITH AMPLE

DOCUMENTATION THAT GEORGE W. BUSH ALSO HAD BUSINESS

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RELATIONS WITH KHALID BIN MAHFOUZ, WHEN HE WAS IN THE TEXAS
OIL BUSINESS. BOTH GEORGE W. BUSH AND KHALID BIN-MAHFOUZ
WERE ALSO IMPLICATED IN THE BCCI SCANDAL CLOSELY TIED TO THE
IRAN-CONTRA AND SAVINGS AND LOAN SCANDALS.

OTHER LINKS BETWEEN BUSH AND MAHFOUZ CAN BE FOUND THROUGH

INVESTMENTS IN THE CARLYLE GROUP, AN AMERICAN INVESTMENT
FIRM MANAGED BY A BOARD ON WHICH FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE
H.W. BUSH HIMSELF ONCE SAT. THE YOUNGER BUSH PERSONALLY
HELD SHARES IN ONE OF CARLYLE’S OWNED COMPANIES, CATERAIR,
BETWEEN 1990-94.

LEE HAMILTON (VICE CHAIR)

IN 1987, HOUSE SPEAKER JIM WRIGHT (WHO LATER RESIGNED IN

DISGRACE) APPOINTED HAMILTON TO CHAIR A COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATING THE IRAN/CONTRA AFFAIR.

WHEN A QUESTION WAS RAISED ABOUT CIA/CONTRA DRUG

SMUGGLING, THE RESPONSE WAS RELEASE BY HAMILTON OF A
CURSORY REVIEW THAT CONCLUDED THERE WAS NO TRUTH TO THE
CHARGES. THE CIA RELEASED A REPORT IN OCTOBER OF 1998
(VOLUME II OF THE CIA INSPECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT ON IRAN-
CONTRA DRUG TRAFFICKING), THAT RECEIVED ALMOST NO PUBLICITY
YET ADMITTED THE DRUG CONNECTION AND DIRECT CIA INVOLVEMENT
IN THE TRANSSHIPMENT OF THOUSANDS OF KILOS OF COCAINE.

HAMILTON PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE SO-CALLED OCTOBER SURPRISE

OF 1980-81 IN WHICH IT WAS CHARGED THAT THE REAGAN-BUSH
CAMPAIGN TEAM WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SECRETLY NEGOTIATED
WITH IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT TO DELAY RELEASE OF

16
THE AMERICAN HOSTAGES HELD AT THE US EMBASSY IN TEHRAN. THE
DEAL WAS THAT THE HOSTAGES WOULD BE RELEASED AFTER THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SO THAT JIMMY CARTER COULD NOT BENEFIT
FROM THEIR EMANCIPATION DURING THE CAMPAIGN. IN THIS
PROGENITOR OF THE IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL MILITARY WEAPONS
WERE PROMISED TO THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR ITS
COOPERATION. THE EVIDENCE WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS WHICH WERE ULTIMATELY CHAIRED BY
THEN CONGRESSMAN HAMILTON.

AS MOST OF US WHO ARE OLD ENOUGH RECALL, THE HOSTAGES WERE

NOT RELEASED UNTIL THE VERY DAY OF RONALD REAGAN’S FIRST
INAUGURATION IN JANUARY OF 1981. THIS WAS ONE OF HISTORY’S
GREAT COINCIDENCES.

FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, VETERAN WASHINGTON JOURNALIST

SARAH MCLENDON WAS THE GRAND DAME OF THE WHITE HOUSE
PRESS CORPS. UNTIL HER JANUARY 2003 DEATH (AT 92) SHE WAS A
REVERED AND ACTIVE JOURNALIST KNOWN FOR HER FEISTY
CONFRONTATIONS WITH PRESIDENTS AND THE POWERFUL DATING TO
THE TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION. IN HER LATER YEARS SHE HAD A
GREAT HABIT OF APPEARING TO BE ASLEEP IN HER WHEELCHAIR UNTIL
THE MOMENT WHEN SHE WOULD WAKE UP AND POUNCE ON HER PREY
WITH INCISIVE QUESTIONS THAT REVEALED SHE HADN’T MISSED A
WORD OF WHAT HAD BEEN SAID. ONCE, ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND
IN THE MIDDLE OF A LIVE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE, SHE
EVEN DARED TO QUESTION PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON ABOUT THE
ABUNDANTLY DOCUMENTED RECORD OF CIA AND ARKANSAS STATE
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG SMUGGLING OPERATIONS AT
ARKANSAS’ MENA REGIONAL INTERMOUNTAIN AIRPORT DURING THE
1980S.

17
IN 1994 AND 1995, WHILE LIVING IN WASHINGTON, I WAS A REGULAR
ATTENDEE AT MCLENDON’S WEEKLY STUDY GROUP AT THE NATIONAL
PRESS CLUB AND LATER AT HER RESIDENCE ON CONNECTICUT
AVENUE. AFTER SHE PASSED, THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB RENAMED
ONE OF ITS CONFERENCE ROOMS AS “THE MCLENDON ROOM.” IN 1992
MCLENDON OFFERED HER OBSERVATIONS ON HAMILTON’S BEHAVIOR
AS THE CHIEF “FACT-FINDER” AND CHAIR OF THE OCTOBER SURPRISE
AND IRAN-CONTRA COMMITTEES.

“I DECLINED TO WITHDRAW THE REPORT I MADE THAT

CONGRESSMAN HYDE ELICITED AND OBTAINED A PROMISE
FROM CHAIRMAN LEE HAMILTON, D., IND. OF THE HOUSE TASK
FORCE ON OCTOBER SURPRISE, THAT THE GROUP WOULD
CLEAR PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH OF GOING TO PARIS TO
CINCH A DEAL OF WEAPONS FOR IRAN IN EXCHANGE FOR
RETAINING AMERICAN HOSTAGES TO BE DELIVERED TO
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN AND NOT TO OUTGOING
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER. HYDE SAYS HE MADE NO SUCH A
DEAL AND I MUST REMEMBER THAT HAMILTON IS A
DEMOCRAT. THAT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. HAMILTON HELD A
PRESS CONFERENCE TO CLEAR BUSH BEFORE THE
INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEAL BETWEEN THE REAGAN-BUSH
CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE AND THE IRANIANS
HAD EVEN STARTED. HAMILTON THEN ADMITTED HE HAD NOT
INTERROGATED WITNESSES OR TALKED WITH HIS SPECIAL
ATTORNEY HIRED TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER.”

IRAN-CONTRA, IN ALL ITS HORRIFIC CORRUPTION, WAS EFFECTIVELY

“MANAGED” BY LEE HAMILTON IN THE HOUSE AND JOHN KERRY (AMONG
OTHERS) IN THE SENATE THROUGHOUT THE LATE 1980s TO CONCEAL

18
THE GREATEST CRIMES OF THE ERA; CRIMES COMMITTED BY A LITANY
OF WELL-KNOWN GOVERNMENT OPERATIVES. AT THE TIME, HAMILTON
WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE
ON INTELLIGENCE.

WHILE MANY ACTIVISTS REGARD 2004 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL

CANDIDATE KERRY AS SOMETHING OF A HERO FOR BRINGING MANY
DETAILS OF IRAN-CONTRA DRUG ACTIVITIES TO LIGHT (AND INTO THE
PUBLIC RECORD), OTHERS, MORE DEEPLY VERSED IN THE EVIDENTIARY
RECORD, SUSPECT THAT HE ALSO DID A MASTERFUL JOB OF KEEPING
SOME OF THE MOST DAMAGING IRAN-CONTRA SECRETS — ESPECIALLY
RECORDS OF CIA PROPRIETARY COMPANY OPERATIONS — HIDDEN. I
AM AMONG THE LATTER GROUP.

MANY FIGURES WHO CAME UNDER CRIMINAL AND INVESTIGATIVE

SCRUTINY IN IRAN-CONTRA, LIKE JOHN POINDEXTER, ELLIOT ABRAMS,
RICHARD ARMITAGE, DICK CHENEY, OTTO REICH, COLIN POWELL AND
JOHN NEGROPONTE, RETURNED (WITH LITTLE OR NO CONGRESSIONAL
OPPOSITION) TO SERVE IN THE CURRENT BUSH ADMINISTRATION
AFTER THE 2000 (SO-CALLED) ELECTION.

VETERAN AP JOURNALIST BOB PARRY, WHO BROKE THE FIRST MAJOR

STORY LINKING DRUG SMUGGLING TO CONTRA SUPPORT ACTIVITIES,
ONLY TO LATER LOSE HIS JOB, OFFERED SOME ADDITIONAL
OBSERVATIONS ON LEE HAMILTON IN HIS INDEPENDENT WEB
NEWSLETTER CONSORTIUM NEWS.

”ONE OF THE KEY CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS FIGHTING

THIS REAR-GUARD ACTION WAS REP. DICK CHENEY OF
WYOMING, WHO BECAME THE RANKING HOUSE REPUBLICAN

19
 ON THE IRAN-CONTRA INVESTIGATION. CHENEY ALREADY
ENJOYED A FAVORABLE REPUTATION IN WASHINGTON AS A
STEADY CONSERVATIVE HAND.

”CHENEY SMARTLY EXPLOITED HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH REP.

LEE HAMILTON, D-IND., WHO WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE IRAN-
CONTRA PANEL. HAMILTON CARED DEEPLY ABOUT HIS
REPUTATION FOR BIPARTISANSHIP AND THE REPUBLICANS
QUICKLY EXPLOITED THIS FACT.”

NOT ONLY DID HAMILTON FAIL TO FIND ANY WRONGDOING BY TOP

OFFICIALS IN EITHER INVESTIGATION, HE WAS EVEN “SATISFIED” WITH
THE PERFORMANCE OF MARINE LIEUTENANT COLONEL OLIVER NORTH
IN THE IRAN-CONTRA HEARINGS. AS ONE COMMENTATOR CONNECTED
TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVES OBSERVED:

“NORTH APPEARS BEFORE THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE

ON INTELLIGENCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS ROLE IN
A CONTRA RESUPPLY OPERATION. HE LIES CONVINCINGLY: HE
HAS "NOT IN ANY WAY, AT ANY TIME VIOLATE[D] THE
PRINCIPLES OR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE BOLAND
AMENDMENT," WHICH BANS FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THE
NICARAGUAN COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES. COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN LEE HAMILTON, D-IND., PRONOUNCES HIMSELF
SATISFIED WITH NORTH'S "GOOD FAITH." WHEN NORTH'S
SUPERIOR, JOHN POINDEXTER, IS TOLD OF HIS SUCCESSFUL
DECEPTION OF CONGRESS, POINDEXTER E-MAILS OLLIE: ‘WELL
DONE.’”

PHILIP ZELIKOW (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

20
PERHAPS NO MORE GLARING CONFLICT OF INTEREST ATTRACTED
OPPOSITION FROM VICTIM FAMILIES AND 9/11 ACTIVISTS THAN THAT OF
THE COMMISSION’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PHILIP ZELIKOW. CONCERNS
WERE RAISED WHEN IT WAS DISCLOSED THAT ONLY TWO COMMISSION
MEMBERS AND ZELIKOW MIGHT BE ALLOWED TO SEE CERTAIN
CLASSIFIED PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS, INCLUDING THE MUCH
BALLYHOOED AND PUBLICLY DEBATED PRESIDENTIAL DAILY BRIEFING
(PDB) OF AUGUST 6, 2001.

PERSONALLY, I VIEWED THE AUGUST 6TH PDB AS A RED HERRING AND A

HUBRISTIC PRETEXT OVER WHICH THE COMMISSION COULD MAKE A
SHOW OF “BATTLING” THE WHITE HOUSE FOR INFORMATION. THE PDB,
TITLED, “BIN LADEN DETERMINED TO STRIKE IN US” WAS EVENTUALLY
RELEASED IN A ONE AND A HALF PAGE VERSION THAT WAS PRESENTED
TO THE WORLD AS “COMPLETE.”

NOTHING COULD HAVE BEEN FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THE

RESPECTED GERMAN PAPER DIE ZEIT PUBLISHED A STORY IN OCTOBER
OF 2002, WELL BEFORE THE PDB BECAME AN ISSUE, STATING THAT THE
PDB WAS ACTUALLY ELEVEN AND ONE HALF PAGES LONG. SINCE I HAD
DOCUMENTED SO MANY OTHER CLEAR, DIRECT AND CREDIBLE AND
APPARENTLY MORE DETAILED WARNINGS OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS, THE
AUG 6 PDB WAS A NON-ISSUE FOR ME. IN “CROSSING THE RUBICON” I
WILL DOCUMENT MORE THAN A DOZEN SPECIFIC WARNINGS WHICH
FORETOLD HIJACKED AIRLINERS BEING CRASHED INTO THE WORLD
TRADE CENTER DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 9TH. OTHER
WARNINGS, SUCH AS MASSIVE INSIDER TRADING ON FINANCIAL
MARKETS FROM HONG KONG TO TOKYO, TO CHICAGO, TO NEW YORK,
TO LONDON AND BERLIN TOLD THOSE WHO WERE WATCHING THAT THE
AIRLINES INVOLVED WOULD BE UNITED AND AMERICAN.

21
THE INSIDER TRADING, ACKNOWLEDGED AND DOCUMENTED BY THE
LIKES OF CBS NEWS, BLOOMBERG, AND RESPECTED FINANCIAL
COMMENTATORS WAS GIVEN THE COMPLETE BRUSH OFF BY THE KEAN
COMMISSION IN ITS FINAL REPORT. ALL IT SAID WAS THAT OSAMA BIN
LADEN AND AL QAEDA DID NOT MAKE THE TRADES. IN MY BOOK I WILL
GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHO DID.

THE CONTROVERSY ARISING FROM THE PUBLIC DEBATE OVER ZELIKOW

FORCED EVEN THE NEW YORK TIMES TO COMMENT ON SOME OF HIS
MORE OBVIOUS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

“ADVOCATES FOR THE FAMILIES SAID THEY WERE ALARMED

BY THE COMMISSION’S DISCLOSURE ON THURSDAY THAT
ONLY ONE OF THE 10 COMMISSIONERS WOULD HAVE ACCESS
TO A WIDE RANGE OF THE BRIEFINGS, AND THAT THE ONLY
PERSON FROM THE COMMISSION WITH SIMILAR ACCESS
WOULD BE ITS STAFF DIRECTOR, PHILIP ZELIKOW, WHO HAS
CLOSE TIES TO CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND OTHER SENIOR
OFFICIALS IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.

“THE COMMISSION HAS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED A REQUEST

FROM VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO LIMIT MR. ZELIKOW’S
RESPONSIBILITIES SHARPLY IN LIGHT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT
OF INTERESTS INVOLVING THE WHITE HOUSE.

“THE FAMILIES’ ADVOCATES SAID THE DECISION TO HAVE MR.

ZELIKOW BE ONE OF ONLY TWO COMMISSION OFFICIALS WITH
WIDE ACCESS TO THE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — THE
OTHER IS JAMIE S. GORELICK, A DEMOCRATIC COMMISSION
MEMBER WHO WAS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE

22
 CLINTON ADMINISTRATION — RAISED NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE INVESTIGATION’S IMPARTIALITY…

“MR. ZELIKOW, WHO WROTE A BOOK WITH MS. RICE IN 1995,

WAS ON THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S TRANSITION TEAM FOR
THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED
HAVING CONTACTS EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH KARL ROVE,
PRESIDENT BUSH’S CHIEF POLITICAL ADVISER, ABOUT MR.
ZELIKOW’S SCHOLARLY WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
VIRGINIA.

WHAT’S MORE, ZELIKOW HAD BEEN SERVING AS A MEMBER OF

PRESIDENT BUSH’S FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD (PFIAB)
SINCE 2001 AND HE ALSO MADE A SEPTEMBER 2002 PUBLIC STATEMENT
SAYING THAT US MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ WOULD BE BASED
UPON A DESIRE TO PROTECT ISRAELI INTERESTS RATHER THAN ANY
REAL THREAT FROM IRAQ.

PERHAPS THE WORST CONFLICT OF INTEREST WAS THE FACT THAT

ZELIKOW HAD ADVISED THE INCOMING BUSH ADMINISTRATION ON
TERROR-RELATED INTELLIGENCE MATTERS AND HAD SEVERAL
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA IN 2000-2001 WITH
RICHARD CLARKE. BY RIGHTS, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WITNESS
TESTIFYING UNDER OATH BEFORE THE COMMISSION INSTEAD OF ITS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. WHEN MANY OF THE VICTIM FAMILIES LEARNED
OF THIS THEY WERE JUSTIFIABLY OUTRAGED AT AN ARRANGEMENT
THAT WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PERMITTED IN A COURT OF LAW.

IN SPITE OF ALL THE CONTROVERSY, AND CALLS FROM MANY FOR HIS
RESIGNATION, ZELIKOW REMAINS SECURELY IN PLACE AT THE KEAN
COMMISSION TO THIS DAY.

23
JAMIE GORELICK
FREELANCE JOURNALIST JIM RAREY WRITES:

“CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FIFTY MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN

THE COUNTRY, CFR MEMBER JAMIE GORELICK IS CURRENTLY
VICE-CHAIR OF THE GIANT MORTGAGE LENDER AND INSURER
FANNIE MAE. FROM MARCH 1994 UNTIL SHE JOINED FANNIE
MAE IN MAY 1997 SHE WAS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE
NUMBER TWO SPOT IN JANET RENO’S DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE.

“IN MAY 1995, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY LAW

ENFORCEMENT POLICY BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO MEET
QUARTERLY AND DISCUSS MUTUAL CONCERNS OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE. THE BOARD WAS CO-CHAIRED BY GORELICK
AND DCI GEORGE TENET. OTHER MEMBERS INCLUDED ALL OF
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, THE ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
AND THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT GENERAL COUNSEL.

“THIS IS THE SAME TIME FRAME (SPRING OF 1995) IN WHICH

THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT APPRISED THE FBI, CIA AND
STATE DEPARTMENT OF “PROJECT BOJINKA” AN ISLAMIC
TERRORIST PLOT WHICH INCLUDED HIJACKING COMMERCIAL
AIRLINERS AND FLYING THEM INTO THE PENTAGON, WORLD
TRADE CENTER TOWERS AND, SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS.

“THE BCCI SCANDAL INVOLVED A NUMBER OF POWERFUL

INDIVIDUALS. CLARK CLIFFORD AND ROBERT ALTMAN WERE

24
 THE TOP TWO OFFICERS IN FIRST AMERICAN, THE NEW NAME
GIVEN FINANCIAL GENERAL BANKSHARES WHEN IT WAS TAKEN
OVER BY BCCI (KNOWN AS THE BANK OF CROOKS AND
CRIMINALS INTERNATIONAL IN THE CORRIDORS OF
WASHINGTON) WITH THE HELP OF THE JACKSON
STEPHENS/LIPPO WORTHEN BANK AND THE ROSE LAW FIRM.

“FIRST AMERICAN IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USING THE

NOTORIOUS PROMIS SOFTWARE.

I WILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO SAY ABOUT THIS LEGENDARY

“SPYWARE” IN “CROSSING THE RUBICON.”

BACK TO JIM RAREY:

“WHEN BCCI AND FIRST AMERICAN WERE EXPOSED, THE

LEGAL DEFENSE TEAM FOR CLARK CLIFFORD AND ROBERT
ALTMAN ATTRACTED A BEVY OF WELL-KNOWN NAMES
INCLUDING ROBERT FISKE (LATER THE FIRST “INDEPENDENT
COUNSEL” INVESTIGATING WHITEWATER AND VINCE FOSTER’S
“SUICIDE”), ROBERT BENNETT (LATER ATTORNEY FOR BILL
CLINTON), AND JAMIE GORELICK…

“IN 1998, WHILE AT FANNIE MAE, GORELICK SERVED ON

CLINTON’S CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISORY PANEL AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT’S REVIEW OF
INTELLIGENCE.”

AT ONE POINT IN THE KEAN COMMISSION HEARINGS, A BRIEF STIR WAS

CAUSED WHEN REPUBLICAN PARTISANS CHARGED THAT GORELICK
BORE SOME PERSONAL BLAME FOR THE ATTACKS BY VIRTUE OF

25
HAVING CREATED AN “INTELLIGENCE WALL” BETWEEN THE FBI AND THE
CIA.

THERE WAS NO WALL. A 2001 RAND CORPORATION STUDY, WHICH I

QUOTE IN MY BOOK, OFFERED GREAT PRAISE FOR THE WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE FBI AND THE CIA. IT DOCUMENTS A
NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION AND
INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN THE BUREAU AND THE CIA ACTUALLY
PREVENTED A NUMBER OF AL QAEDA AND OTHER TERRORIST ATTACKS
AGAINST US INTERESTS.

THERE IS ALSO NO WALL BETWEEN THE KEAN COMMISSION AND THE

GOVERNMENT IT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING.

GORELICK ALSO HAS OIL CONNECTIONS. MRS GORELICK SITE ON THE

BOARD OF THE WORLD’S PREMIER OIL DRILLING FIRM,
SCHLUMBERGER.

GORELICK WAS ONE OF FOUR COMMISSION MEMBERS ALLOWED TO

REVIEW PRESIDENTIAL INTELLIGENCE RECORDS AND MAKE NOTES
BEFORE REPORTING TO THE COMMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT THE
WHITE HOUSE HAD VERY LITTLE TO WORRY ABOUT.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR RECENT GUESTS WHO CAME HERE

PROMOTING THE FINAL 9/11 REPORT. JIM RAREY TELLS US:

RICHARD BEN-VENISTE
BEN-VENISTE IS A HIGH-VISIBILITY WASHINGTON ATTORNEY
AND DEMOCRATIC POWER BROKER. HE WAS DEMOCRAT
COUNSEL TO THE SENATE WHITEWATER INVESTIGATION

26
WHERE HE BLOCKED INQUIRIES ABOUT WEBSTER HUBBELL’S
HIRING BY THE LIPPO GROUP AND OTHERS ADMINISTERED BY
TRUMAN ARNOLD.

ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST DANIEL

HOPSICKER, BEN-VENISTE THEN TURNED AROUND AND
DEFENDED ARNOLD (THE MAN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
INVESTIGATING) BEFORE KEN STARR’S WHITEWATER GRAND
JURY, FOR WHICH HE WAS ROUNDLY CRITICIZED.

HOPSICKER ALSO REVEALS THAT ARNOLD HAD FURNISHED A

$2 MILLION AIRPLANE TO HIS FRIEND WALLY HILLIARD FOR $1.
HILLIARD, HOPSICKER SAYS, OWNED THE FLIGHT SCHOOL IN
VENICE, FLORIDA WHERE (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL
ACCOUNTS) FOUR OF THE ISLAMIC TERRORIST PILOTS WERE
TRAINED THAT FLEW THE SUICIDE MISSIONS ON 9/11.

ANOTHER OF BEN-VENISTE’S CLIENTS WAS BARRY SEAL, THE

DRUG RUNNING CIA ASSET OF IRAN/CONTRA AND MENA,
ARKANSAS NOTORIETY. IN FACT, HOPSICKER RELATES BEN-
VENISTE TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, “I DID MY PART BY
LAUNCHING HIM (SEAL) INTO THE ARMS OF VICE PRESIDENT
BUSH WHO EMBRACED HIM AS AN UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE.”

SLADE GORTON
SLADE GORTON IS A FORMER SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON. AFTER HE LOST HIS REELECTION BID IN 2000,
HE JOINED THE SEATTLE LAW FIRM OF PRESTON, GATES &
ELLIS, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

27
 IF JURY SELECTION RULES WERE BEING USED, GORTON
WOULD PROBABLY BE DISMISSED FROM CONSIDERATION FOR
THE COMMISSION FOR CAUSE [A TECHNICAL TERM FOR
CONFLICT OF INTEREST]. TWO DAYS AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS
HE TOLD A PUBLIC-TELEVISION AUDIENCE THERE WAS
NOTHING GOVERNMENT INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS COULD
HAVE DONE TO THWART THE ATTACK, ACCORDING TO THE
SEATTLE TIMES. THE TIMES QUOTES GORTON AS SAYING, “I
DOUBT WE CAN EXPECT TO GET TOO MUCH INSIDE
INFORMATION NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.”

GORTON SERVED TWO YEARS ON THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE

COMMITTEE. HE SAYS THAT EXPERIENCE AND HIS PERSONAL
FRIENDSHIP WITH TRENT LOTT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS
APPOINTMENT BY LOTT.

EVERY COMMISSION MEMBER HAS DEEP CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH

RESPECT TO 9/11 AND ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES CHARGED WITH PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT
DAY. I WILL DISCUSS ALL OF THEM IN MY BOOK. ONE, APPARENTLY,
WHO DID NOT, IS FORMER GEORGIA SENATOR MAX CLELAND, WHO AT
ONE POINT CALLED THE COMMISSION A SHAM. CLELAND RESIGNED
FROM THE COMMISSION BEFORE ITS INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETE.

WHAT HAPPENED ON 9/11?

WHILE THESE ATTACKS WERE ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS

HOMICIDES EVER COMMITTED, THE INVESTIGATION AND
"PROSECUTION" OF THAT CASE BY MEANS OTHER THAN DICK CHENEY'S
"WAR THAT WILL NOT END IN OUR LIFETIMES" HAS NEVER EVEN
APPROACHED THE LEGAL AND LOGICAL STANDARDS GOVERNING ALL

28
SUCH INVESTIGATIONS. NO REAL CASE HAS EVER BEEN MADE THAT
WOULD PASS FIRST MUSTER OF EVEN A JUNIOR ASSISTANT DISTRICT
ATTORNEY.

WITHOUT SUCH A COURT PROCESS, WE ARE FORCED TO EMPLOY

ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS. BUT THERE REMAINS TO US THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL, FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY FOR THE PROSECUTION OF
CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR: DEMONSTRATING THAT A SUSPECT (OR
SUSPECTS) DID, OR DID NOT, POSSESS THE MEANS, MOTIVE, AND
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMIT THE CRIME.

TO DATE, THE CASE THAT 9/11 WAS PERPETRATED SOLELY BY OSAMA

BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA HAS NEVER BEEN PROVED, EVEN TO THE
MOST RUDIMENTARY STANDARDS. IN FACT, SOME 35 MONTHS AFTER
THE ATTACKS THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE SUCCESSFUL 9/11
PROSECUTION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THE ONLY CONVICTION
THAT HAD BEEN SECURED, A GERMAN PROSECUTION AGAINST MOUNIR
EL MOTASSADEQ, CHARGED WITH AIDING THE SO CALLED HAMBURG
CELL OF MOHAMMED ATTA, WAS OVERTURNED IN 2004 BECAUSE THE
US GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO PRODUCE KEY WITNESSES SUCH AS
KHALID SHAIKH MUHAMMAD OR RAMZI BIN AL-SHIBH AND OTHER
EVIDENCE RELEVANT TO THE CHARGES. EVERY DEFENDANT IN A
WESTERN CRIMINAL CASE HAS THE RIGHT TO EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE
USED AGAINST HIM AND TO CROSS-EXAMINE WITNESSES.

TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS TO THE 9/11 RESEARCH

COMMUNITY, THE MYSTERIOUS AND INEXPLICABLE FAILURE OF THE
NATION’S AIR DEFENSES THAT DAY REMAINS THE MOST GLARING AND
GAPING HOLE IN THE KEAN COMMISSION’S ACCOUNT AND IN THE
GOVERNMENT’S VERSION OF EVENTS. SCRAMBLING FIGHTER
AIRCRAFT WAS A ROUTINE OCCURRENCE FOR YEARS BEFORE 9/11.

29
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS TOLD US THAT FIGHTER AIRCRAFT WERE
SCRAMBLED AND FLYING BESIDE ERRANT COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE
AIR TRAFFIC WITHIN MINUTES OF THE SLIGHTEST DEVIATION SOME 67
TIMES IN THE CALENDAR YEAR PRECEDING JUNE 1 2001. THIS IS ONE
OF MANY AREAS WHERE THE KEAN COMMISSION NOT ONLY FAILED TO
LOOK BUT ACTUALLY ALTERED EVIDENCE IN THE PREPARATION OF ITS
FINAL REPORT.

FOR ME, THE PIVOTAL EVIDENCE ABSOLUTELY DEMONSTRATING

DIRECT GOVERNMENT COMPLICITY IN, AND MANAGEMENT OF, THE
ATTACKS WAS FOUND IN A NUMBER OF UNDISPUTED, YET VIRTUALLY
UNADDRESSED WARGAMES THAT I WILL SHOW WERE BEING
CONDUCTED, COORDINATED AND/OR CONTROLLED BY VICE PRESIDENT
DICK CHENEY OR HIS IMMEDIATE STAFF ON THE MORNING OF
SEPTEMBER 11TH. THE NAMES OF THOSE WARGAMES ARE KNOWN TO
INCLUDE: VIGILANT GUARDIAN, VIGILANT WARRIOR, NORTHERN
GUARDIAN, NORTHERN VIGILANCE, AND TRIPOD II. ALL HAVE BEEN
REPORTED ON BY MAJOR PRESS ORGANIZATIONS RELYING ON
UNDISPUTED QUOTES FROM PARTICIPATING MILITARY PERSONNEL.
THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN CONFIRMED BY NORAD PRESS RELEASES. ALL,
EXCEPT FOR NORTHERN VIGILANCE AND TRIPOD II HAD TO DO WITH
HIJACKED AIRLINERS INSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES,
SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE NORTHEAST AIR DEFENSE SECTOR WHERE
ALL FOUR 9/11 HIJACKINGS OCCURRED.

ACCORDING TO A CLEAR RECORD SOME OF THESE EXERCISES

INVOLVED COMMERCIAL AIRLINE HIJACKINGS. IN SOME CASES FALSE
BLIPS WERE DELIBERATELY INSERTED ONTO FAA AND MILITARY RADAR
SCREENS AND THEY WERE PRESENT DURING (AT LEAST) THE FIRST
ATTACKS. THIS EFFECTIVELY PARALYZED FIGHTER RESPONSE
BECAUSE, WITH ONLY EIGHT FIGHTERS AVAILABLE IN THE REGION,

30
THERE WERE AS MANY AS 22 POSSIBLE HIJACKINGS TAKING PLACE.
OTHER EXERCISES, SPECIFICALLY NORTHERN VIGILANCE HAD PULLED
SIGNIFICANT FIGHTER RESOURCES AWAY FROM THE NORTHEAST U.S.
– JUST BEFORE 9/11 – INTO NORTHERN CANADA AND ALASKA. IN
ADDITION, A CLOSE READING OF KEY NEWS STORIES PUBLISHED IN THE
SPRING OF 2004 REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT SOME OF THESE
DRILLS WERE “LIVE-FLY” EXERCISES WHERE ACTUAL AIRCRAFT, LIKELY
FLOWN BY REMOTE CONTROL – WERE SIMULATING THE BEHAVIOR OF
HIJACKED AIRLINERS IN REAL LIFE. ALL OF THIS AS THE REAL ATTACKS
BEGAN. THE FACT THAT THESE EXERCISES HAD NEVER BEEN
SYSTEMATICALLY AND THOROUGHLY EXPLORED IN THE MAINSTREAM
PRESS, OR PUBLICLY BY CONGRESS, OR AT LEAST PUBLICLY IN ANY
DETAIL BY THE SO-CALLED INDEPENDENT 9/11 COMMISSION MADE ME
THINK THAT THEY MIGHT BE THE HOLY GRAIL OF 9/11.

THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY TURNED OUT TO BE.

ONLY ONE WARGAME EXERCISE, VIGILANT GUARDIAN, WAS MENTIONED

IN A FOOTNOTE TO THE KEAN COMMISSION REPORT AND THEN IT WAS
DELIBERATELY MISLABELED AS AN EXERCISE INTENDED TO INTERCEPT
RUSSIAN BOMBERS INSTEAD OF A HIJACK EXERCISE IN THE
NORTHEAST SECTOR. EVEN THEN, A DELIBERATE LIE WAS TOLD TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS NORAD COMMANDER RALPH EBERHART
TESTIFIED TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE EXERCISE ACTUALLY
EXPEDITED US AIR FORCE RESPONSE DURING THE ATTACKS.

WHEN MICHAEL KANE, A BRILLIANT YOUNG NEW YORK ACTIVIST AND

BUDDING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER APPROACHED GENERAL
EBERHART ON AN FTW ASSIGNMENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE
COMMISSION’S LAST PUBLIC HEARING AND ASKED FOR INFORMATION

31
ON THE OTHER EXERCISES, EBERHART’S ONLY RESPONSE WAS, “NO
COMMENT.”

AND AN ADDITIONAL NON-MILITARY BIOWARFARE EXERCISE CALLED

TRIPOD II, BEING “SET UP” IN MANHATTAN ON SEPTEMBER 11TH WAS
UNDER THE DIRECT COORDINATION OF FEMA AND – BY WHITE HOUSE
DIRECTIVE – THE IMMEDIATE CONTROL OF THE VICE PRESIDENT. THE
SET UP FOR THAT EXERCISE CONVENIENTLY PLACED A FULLY STAFFED
FEMA, NEW YORK CITY AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMAND POST
ON MANHATTAN’S PIER 29 IN TIME FOR IT TO BE CONVENIENTLY USED
AS THE COMMAND POST AFTER THE TWIN TOWERS HAD COLLAPSED.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY AREAS WHERE THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT AND
THE FINDINGS OF THE KEAN COMMISSION ARE CONTRADICTED BY
HARD EVIDENCE, OFFICIAL RECORDS, MAINSTREAM NEWS
INVESTIGATIONS AND EVEN SWORN TESTIMONY. BOTH THE LOS
ANGELES TIMES AND THE NEW YORK TIMES HAVE NOTED SOME OF THE
LESSER, BUT NO LESS GLARING, INCONSISTENCIES. IN MY BOOK I WILL
PROVIDE YOU WITH MANY MORE.

IN MY BOOK I WILL MAKE SEVERAL KEY POINTS:

1. I WILL NAME RICHARD CHENEY AS THE PRIME SUSPECT IN THE MASS

MURDERS OF 9/11 AND WILL ESTABLISH THAT, NOT ONLY WAS HE A
PLANNER IN THE ATTACKS, BUT ALSO THAT ON THE DAY OF THE
ATTACKS HE WAS RUNNING A COMPLETELY SEPARATE COMMAND,
CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WHICH WAS SUPERCEDING
ANY ORDERS BEING ISSUED BY THE NMCC, OR THE WHITE HOUSE
SITUATION ROOM. TO ACCOMPLISH THAT END HE RELIED ON A
REDUNDANT AND SUPERIOR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM MAINTAINED
BY THE US SECRET SERVICE IN OR NEAR THE PRESIDENTIAL
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER – THE BUNKER TO WHICH HE AND

32
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR CONDOLEEZZA RICE WERE REPORTEDLY
“RUSHED” AFTER FLIGHT 175 STRUCK THE WTC’S SOUTH TOWER. I WILL
DEMONSTRATE THAT THE SECRET SERVICE POSSESSED RADAR
SCREENS WHICH GAVE THEM, AND THE VICE PRESIDENT, WHOSE SIDE
THE NEVER LEFT, WITH REAL-TIME INFORMATION AS GOOD AS OR
BETTER THAN THAT AVAILABLE TO THE PENTAGON;

2. I WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT IN WHAT ARE CALLED NATIONAL SPECIAL

SECURITY EVENTS THE US SECRET SERVICE IS THE SUPREME US
AGENCY FOR OPERATIONAL CONTROL WITH COMPLETE AUTHORITY
OVER THE MILITARY AND ALL CIVILIAN AGENCIES.

3. I WILL ESTABLISH CONCLUSIVELY THAT IN MAY OF 2001, BY

PRESIDENTIAL ORDER, RICHARD CHENEY WAS PUT IN DIRECT
COMMAND AND CONTROL OF ALL WARGAME AND FIELD EXERCISE
TRAINING AND SCHEDULING THROUGH SEVERAL AGENCIES,
ESPECIALLY FEMA. THIS ALSO EXTENDED TO ALL OF THE CONFLICTING
AND OVERLAPPING NORAD DRILLS ON THAT DAY.

4. I WILL ALSO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE TRIPOD II EXERCISE BEING

SET UP ON SEPT. 10TH IN MANHATTAN WAS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO
CHENEY'S ROLE IN NUMBER 3 ABOVE.

5. I WILL ALSO PROVE CONCLUSIVELY THAT A NUMBER OF PUBLIC

OFFICIALS, AT THE NATIONAL AND NEW YORK CITY LEVELS, INCLUDING
THEN MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI, WERE AWARE THAT FLIGHT 175 WAS
EN ROUTE TO LOWER MANHATTAN FOR 20 MINUTES AND DID NOTHING –
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING – TO ORDER THE EVACUATION OF OR WARN THE
OCCUPANTS OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. ONE MILITARY OFFICER
WAS FORCED TO LEAVE HIS POST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATTACKS AND
PLACE A PRIVATE CALL TO HIS BROTHER - WHO WORKED AT THE WTC -

33
WARNING HIM TO GET OUT. THAT WAS APPARENTLY AN ACT OF
DESPERATION BECAUSE NO OTHER PART OF THE SYSTEM WAS TAKING
ACTION.

6. I WILL ALSO SHOW THAT THE ISRAELI AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS

ACTED AS PARTNERS WITH THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT TO HELP IN THE PREPARATION AND, VERY POSSIBLY,
THE ACTUAL EXECUTION OF THE ATTACKS."

ISRAEL
I MUST NOW DIGRESS TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT ISRAEL.

ISRAEL IS A COUNTRY. JUDAISM IS A RELIGION.

IT IS NO MORE PROPER TO SAY THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE ISRAELI

GOVERNMENT ARE ABOVE CRITICISM THAN IT IS TO SAY THAT
CRITICISM OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS A CRITICISM OF ALL
AMERICANS.

THERE ARE MANY DIRECT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ISRAELI

INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND THE EVENTS OF 9/11 INCLUDING A
REPORT FROM THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, SHOWING
THAT MORE THAN 100 ISRAELI COVERT OPERATIVES WERE
FUNCTIONING INSIDE THE UNITED STATES JUST BEFORE AND DURING
THE ATTACKS. SOME OF THESE OPERATIVES WERE PLACED IN
EXTREMELY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO FOUR OF THE 9/11 HIJACKERS IN
SOUTH FLORIDA AND SAN DIEGO. ISRAELI COMPANIES SUCH AS
AMDOCS, COMVERSE AND ODIGO HAD DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO THE
EVENTS OF 9/11. A “FORMER” ISRAELI ANTI-TERROR OPERATIVE WAS
ON BOARD AMERICAN FLIGHT 11.

34
TO SAY THAT ISRAEL PLAYED A CRIMINAL ROLE IN THE ATTACKS IS NOT
THE SAME THING AS SAYING THAT ISRAEL PERPETRATED THE
ATTACKS. A KEY QUESTION ASKED BY ANY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR
IS CUI BONO? WHO BENEFITS. AND ON THIS ACCOUNT WE CAN FIND
ONLY THREE COUNTRIES, THE US, BRITAIN AND ISRAEL THAT HAVE
NEVER WAVERED IN THEIR SUPPORT OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS
HAPPENED SINCE 9/11.

TONIGHT, EVEN AS I SPEAK, AN ISRAELI SPY SCANDAL IS SPREADING

THROUGH THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE PENTAGON AND REVELATIONS
FROM BREAKING NEWS STORIES STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THE
INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
CARRIED WITH IT THE SANCTION OF SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE I
HAVE CHARGED IN “CROSSING THE RUBICON” WITH PERPETRATING THE
ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH. TONIGHT I PREDICT THAT THE CURRENT
SCANDAL WILL OVERLAP AND CONNECT WITH THE RECENT ARREST BY
SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORITIES OF SIR MARK THATCHER, SON OF
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER, FOR HIS
ROLE IN SPONSORING AN ABORTED COUP IN THE WEST AFRICAN
NATION OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA. THE MOTIVE: BRITISH COMMERCIAL
ACQUISITION OF OIL RIGHTS IN A REGION THAT – AS I HAVE BEEN
WRITING FOR TWO YEARS NOW – IS DESTINED TO BECOME THE NEXT
REGIONAL ZONE OF CONFRONTATION.

WEST AFRICAN NATIONS FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, TO NIGERIA, TO

SIERRA LEONE, TO SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE, TO CHAD, TO CAMEROON
TO ANGOLA ARE ALL FEVERISH OIL-RUSH BOOM TOWNS WHERE
NATIONS, MONEY, MILITARY MIGHT, COVERT OPERATIONS AND
INTRIGUE ARE CONVERGING WITH LIGHTNING SPEED TO CONTROL OIL
RESERVES. ALTHOUGH MUCH SMALLER THAN THE RESERVES OF THE
MIDDLE EAST, THESE AFRICAN RESERVES ARE CRITICAL SWING AND

35
LESSER SUPPLIERS OF OIL IN A WORLD WHERE – AS WE TOO WELL
KNOW – THE REMOVAL OF JUST A MILLION BARRELS A DAY FROM
GLOBAL SUPPLY CAN WREAK ECONOMIC HAVOC. AFRICA’S PRICELESS
ENERGY TAKES ONLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO REACH AN AMERICAN
GAS TANK AS OPPOSED TO THE SIX WEEK JOURNEY REQUIRED FOR OIL
FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.

LAST SPRING, JUST AFTER THE US OCCUPATION OF IRAQ, IT WAS

DISCLOSED THAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAD ENTERED
NEGOTIATIONS WITH US REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPLORE THE
POSSIBILITY OF REBUILDING A DEMOLISHED PIPELINE FROM NORTHERN
IRAQ TO THE ISRAELI PORT OF HAIFA.

TO LEVEL A CHARGE OF ANTI-SEMITISM AT ME OR ANYONE ELSE WHO

DARES TO CRITICIZE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT ACTIONS IS TO ARGUE
THAT ISRAEL AND ALL OF JUDAISM IS A MONOLITHIC STRUCTURE,
SHARING ONLY ONE VIEWPOINT. IT IS TO SAY THAT BEING A JEW
MEANS BEING A LIKUDNIK. IT IS TO OVERLOOK THE ENORMOUS
DISSENT WITHIN ISRAEL OF GROUPS LIKE WOMEN IN BLACK, NOT IN
OUR NAMES, AND THE ALMOST 700 COMMISSIONED AND NON-
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS FROM THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES WHO
HAVE REFUSED TO SERVE IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. IT IS TO
IGNORE THE FACT THAT THE NEPHEW OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS
REFUSED COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE AND RISKS JAIL FOR THAT
DECISION.

I LOOK IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND I SEE MY DEAR FRIEND, AGENT
AND PUBLICIST KEN LEVINE. LAST SPRING I WAS PRIVILEGED TO
PARTICIPATE IN A SEDER AT THE HOME OF HIS INCREDIBLE 92 YEAR-
OLD MOTHER.

36
I STOP AND GIVE THANKS FOR JAMEY HECHT, PH.D., A POET, ENGLISH
LITERATURE PROFESSOR, GREAT FRIEND AND AMERICAN JEW WHO
EDITED “CROSSING THE RUBICON.”

IN THE SAME BREATH I ALSO THINK OF AND THANK MY DEAR FRIEND

DR. FAIZ KHAN, A MUSLIM IMAM AND EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN
WHO LEFT HIS POST AT JEWISH HOSPITAL IN BROOKLYN AND RUSHED
TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TO RENDER AID ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.
HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DOCTORS ON THE SCENE AND HE WAS ONE
OF THE LAST TO LEAVE.

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR STEREOTYPICAL THINKING IN A TIME OF

CRISIS. AS FAIZ KHAN SAID TO ME ONCE, A PARADIGM IS WHAT YOU
THINK ABOUT SOMETHING BEFORE YOU THINK ABOUT IT. IT IS THESE
TRAPS WHICH WE MUST ALL AVOID.

I WILL SAY ONE MORE THING BEFORE LEAVING THE SUBJECT OF 9/11
TONIGHT. I LIKE MANY AMERICANS AND MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD HAVE SERIOUS LINGERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COLLAPSE
OF THE TWIN TOWERS, WHAT IT WAS THAT ACTUALLY STRUCK THE
PENTAGON AND WHAT – IN THE NAME OF GOD – IT WAS THAT CAUSED
THE COLLAPSE OF WTC 7, A BUILDING THAT HAD NOT EVEN BEEN
STRUCK DURING THE ATTACKS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WAS QUICKLY DESTROYED

AND SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS IS NOT AVAILABLE TO US TO ANSWER THESE
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. IN ORDER TO MAKE THE STRONGEST LEGAL
CASE POSSIBLE I HAVE AVOIDED DISCUSSIONS OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
– OPEN TO ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE AND SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGE – AND
CHOSEN TO DO WHAT ANY GOOD POLICE OFFICER MUST DO; KEEP MY
EYE ON THE SUSPECTS. IT DOES NOT TAKE A SCIENTIST TO PROVE

37
THAT GEORGE BUSH, DICK CHENEY, DONALD RUMSFELD, CONDI RICE,
GENERAL RALPH EBERHART, GENERAL RICHARD MYERS, FBI DIRECTOR
ROBERT MUELLER, JOHN ASHCROFT AND GEORGE TENET LIED TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.

THERE IS A RECORD THAT PROVES THIS AND THAT IS THE RECORD I

WILL PRESENT TO YOU IN “CROSSING THE RUBICON.”

BUT ON THE SUBJECT OF WTC 7 I WILL, IN MY BOOK, EXPLAIN WHY THAT

PARTICULAR BUILDING HAD TO BE DESTROYED. AND ALTHOUGH I
CANNOT PROVE TO YOU HOW THE TWIN TOWERS WERE COLLAPSED, I
WILL SHOW YOU WHO PERFORMED THE REQUISITE STUDIES THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL TO PULL OFF THAT FEAT.

PEAK OIL

I TURN NOW TO THE MOTIVE FOR THE MURDERS. PEAK OIL IS NO

SECRET. ITS CHIEF OPPONENT IS SOMETHING CALLED DENIAL – WHICH
IS NOT A RIVER IN EGYPT.

DICK CHENEY KNEW ABOUT IT. I WILL SHOW YOU THAT IN MY BOOK.
HIS NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY DEVELOPMENT GROUP – YOU KNOW,
THE ONE THAT REFUSED TO RELEASE ITS RECORDS SPARKING A
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS AND A SUPREME COURT RULING, KNEW
ABOUT IT. I WILL SHOW YOU THAT IN MY BOOK TOO.

OIL AND NATURAL GAS ARE INDISPENSABLE TO OUR WAY OF LIFE. THE
WORLD CONSUMES TEN CALORIES OF HYDROCARBON ENERGY FOR
EVERY CALORIE OF FOOD THAT IS EATEN. ALL COMMERCIAL
FERTILIZERS ARE MADE FROM NATURAL GAS. ALL PESTICIDES ARE
MADE FROM PETROLEUM. ALL IRRIGATION, PLOWING, HARVESTING

38
AND TRANSPORT IS ACCOMPLISHED BY EITHER OIL POWERED
MACHINERY OR OIL OR NATURAL GAS GENERATED ELECTRICITY.

THERE ARE BETWEEN 600 AND 700 MILLION INTERNAL COMBUSTION

POWERED VEHICLES ON THE PLANET AND THE DEMAND FOR THEM IS
EXPLODING EXPONENTIALLY, ESPECIALLY IN CHINA WHERE GM’S SALES
ROSE 300% IN ONE YEAR ALONE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC THIS LAST JUNE THERE ARE SEVEN GALLONS OF OIL IN
EVERY TIRE. WANT TO SUDDENLY BUILD 600 MILLION NEW VEHICLES
THAT RUN ON SOMETHING ELSE, HYDROGEN PERHAPS? HOW MUCH OIL
WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT? TO MINE AND MELT THE ORE? TO
TRANSPORT IT TO FACTORIES THAT DON’T EXIST, USING ELECTRICITY
THAT ISN’T THERE? TO MAKE THE PAINTS, SOLVENTS AND ALL OF THE
PLASTIC NEEDED? ALL PLASTIC IS MADE FROM OIL.

HYDROGEN IS A CRUEL JOKE THAT CREATES FALSE HOPE. A RECENT

STUDY FROM EV MAGAZINE REPORTED THAT THE AVERAGE LIFE
EXPECTANCY OF A VERY EXPENSIVE FUEL CELL ENGINE WAS JUST 200
HOURS. COMMERCIAL HYDROGEN IS NOW MADE FROM NATURAL GAS.
WE’RE NEARLY OUT OF THAT TOO.

CHINA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS SEEN IT REPLACE JAPAN AS THE

WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST IMPORTER OF OIL AND CHINA IS NOW
COMING INTO DIRECT ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL COMPETITION WITH
THE US FOR WHAT OIL REMAINS.

I HAVE ATTENDED TWO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ON THE

SUBJECT OF PEAK OIL AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CIVILIZATION; ONE IN
PARIS IN 2003 AND ONE IN BERLIN THIS YEAR. FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE
YEAR BETWEEN THE PARIS AND BERLIN CONFERENCES THE ICONS OF
THE MAINSTREAM PRESS – THE ONES KNOWN AND EMPLOYED TO

39
MOLD PUBLIC AND BUSINESS PERCEPTION – HAVE BEEN
ACKNOWLEDGING PEAK OIL’S REALITY, SOMETIMES RELUCTANTLY,
SOMETIMES LESS THAN DIRECTLY, BUT ALSO SOMETIMES VERY
BOLDLY. CNN, THE BBC, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE ECONOMIST;
DOZENS OF MEDIA GIANTS HAD BEGUN TO RESPOND, LIKE A GIANT
SHIP TURNING SLOWLY IN THE WATER. THE SHIP HAS CLEARLY
CHANGED COURSE, BUT WAS IT ENOUGH? WAS IT IN TIME? I HAVE
SAVED CLOSE TO 200 OF THESE STORIES.

LOOKING AT JUST A FEW OF THEM MAKES THE POINT WELL ENOUGH.

• “THE END OF CHEAP OIL” – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (COVER

STORY) – JUNE 2004.
• “WHAT TO USE WHEN THE OIL RUNS OUT” – BBC – APRIL 22, 2004
• “ADIOS CHEAP OIL” – INTERPRESS NEWS AGENCY – APRIL 27, 2004
• “G7: OIL PRICE THREATENS WORLD ECONOMY” – MOSCOW TIMES
– 4/26/04
• “WORLD OIL CRISIS LOOMS” – JANE’S -- 4/21/04
• “US PROCURING THE WORLD’S OIL” – FOREIGN POLICY IN FOCUS
– JANUARY 2004
• “ARE WE RUNNING OUT OF OIL? SCIENTIST WARNS OF LOOMING
CRISIS” – ABC NEWS.COM – 2/11/04
• “BLOOD, MONEY, AND OIL” – US NEWS – 8/18/03
• “SOARING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR OIL STRAINS PRODUCTION
CAPACITY” – WALL STREET JOURNAL – 3/22/04
• “CHECK THAT OIL” – WASHINGTON POST – 11/14/03
• “CHINA’S DEMAND FOR FOREIGN OIL RISES AT BREAKNECK PACE”
– KNIGHT RIDDER –1/26/04
• ’WORLD OIL AND GAS RUNNING OUT’ – CNN – 10/02/03
• “DEBATE RAGES ON OIL OUTPUT BY SAUDIS IN FUTURE” – THE
NEW YORK TIMES – 2/25/04
• “FOSSIL-FUEL DEPENDENCY: DO OIL RESERVES FORETELL BLEAK
FUTURE?” – SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE – 4/02/04
• “THE END OF THE OIL AGE: WAYS TO BREAK THE TYRANNY OF OIL
ARE COMING INTO VIEW. GOVERNMENTS NEED TO PROMOTE
THEM” – THE ECONOMIST – 10/23/03

THE SUBJECT OF PEAK OIL IS ONE WHICH REQUIRES A LITTLE STUDY

TO GET YOUR BRAIN AROUND. IT DOES NOT, HOWEVER, REQUIRE
MUCH SCIENCE EXCEPT FOR BASIC ARITHMETIC.

40
DISCOVERIES OF LARGE OIL DEPOSITS HAVE BEEN IN STEEP DECLINE
SINCE 1962. DEMAND, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS BEEN SOARING.

TO QUOTE MY ENERGY EDITOR DALE ALLEN PFEIFFER, A GEOLOGIST:

IT APPEARS THAT THE YEAR 2007 WILL BE IMPORTANT. A NEW STUDY

PUBLISHED IN PETROLEUM REVIEW SUGGESTS THAT PRODUCTION
MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND BY 2007. THE STUDY IS
A SURVEY OF MEGA PROJECTS (THOSE WITH RESERVES OF OVER 500
MILLION BARRELS) AND THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE OVER 100,000
BARRELS PER DAY OF OIL). MEGA PROJECTS ARE IMPORTANT NOT
ONLY BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE THE BULK OF WORLD OIL PRODUCTION,
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BETTER NET ENERGY PROFILE THAN
SMALLER PROJECTS, AND THEY PROVIDE A MORE SUBSTANTIAL PROFIT
THAN SMALLER PROJECTS.

BEAR IN MIND THAT THE PLANET CONSUMES A BILLION BARRELS OF OIL

(OR TWO MEGA FIELDS) EVERY ELEVEN AND ONE HALF DAYS.

THE DISCOVERY RATE FOR MEGA PROJECTS HAS DWINDLED TO

ALMOST NOTHING. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THE DATA FOR THE LAST FEW
YEARS. IN 2000, THERE WERE 16 DISCOVERIES OF OVER 500 MB; IN
2001 THERE WERE ONLY 8 NEW DISCOVERIES, AND IN 2002 THERE
WERE ONLY 3 SUCH DISCOVERIES. FROM FIRST DISCOVERY TO FIRST
PRODUCTION GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT 6 YEARS. IF THE NEW
PROJECT CAN MAKE USE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN THE
START UP TIME MIGHT BE CUT TO 4 YEARS.

IN 2003 SEVEN NEW MEGA PROJECTS WERE BROUGHT ON STREAM.

2004 EXPECTS TO SEE ANOTHER 11 PROJECTS START PRODUCING.
2005 WILL BE THE PEAK YEAR FOR BRINGING NEW PROJECTS ON

41
STREAM, WITH 18 NEW PROJECTS EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT ON
STREAM IN THAT YEAR. IN 2006, THE PACE DROPS BACK TO 11 NEW
PROJECTS. BUT IN 2007 THERE ARE ONLY 3 NEW PROJECTS
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN PRODUCTION, FOLLOWED BY 3 MORE IN 2008.
THERE ARE NO NEW PROJECTS ON TRACK FOR 2009 OR 2010. AND ANY
NEW MEGA PROJECT SANCTIONED NOW COULD NOT POSSIBLY COME
ON STREAM ANY SOONER THAN 2008.

THE STUDY POINTS OUT THAT CURRENTLY ABOUT A THIRD OF THE

WORLD'S OIL PRODUCTION COMES FROM DECLINING FIELDS, WITH A
LIKELY OVERALL DECLINE RATE OF ABOUT 4%. AS A RESULT, GLOBAL
PRODUCTION CAPACITY IS CONTRACTING BY OVER 1 MILLION BARRELS
PER DAY EVERY YEAR. NEW PRODUCTION IS THE ONLY THING
OFFSETTING THIS DECLINE.

OF COURSE RECENT EVENTS HAVE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED THE

FRAGILITY OF A GLOBAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM THAT IS OPERATING AT
FULL TILT. SABOTAGE AN IRAQI PIPELINE ONE DAY THE PRICE GOES
UP. ANNOUNCE THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN IS EASING UP ON RUSSIAN OIL
GIANT YUKOS AND THE PRICE DROPS. ANNOUNCE THAT PUTIN IS
MOVING TO SELL OF ITS ASSETS AND CONFISCATE ITS CASH, THE
PRICE SOARS. WORRY THAT HUGO CHAVEZ OF VENEZUELA MIGHT BE
OUSTED IN A VIOLENT COUP AND THE PRICE JUMPS. WATCH CHAVEZ –
WHO IS DESPISED BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION – WIN HIS SEVENTH
ELECTION IN AS MANY YEARS AND THE PRICE DROPS.

BY THE WAY, THAT IS SEVEN MORE ELECTIONS THAN GEORGE BUSH

HAS WON.

IN SPITE OF REPEATED ASSURANCES FROM THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT

THAT THEY CAN AND ARE INCREASING PRODUCTION THE EVIDENCE IS
GROWING THAT THEY CANNOT. FTW WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT, A

42
YEAR BEFORE THE NEW YORK TIMES DID, THAT SAUDI ARABIA MAY
HAVE ACTUALLY PEAKED. NEW STUDIES ARE REPORTING THAT SAUDI
WELLS IN THE MOTHER OF ALL OIL FIELDS GHAWAR ARE SHOWING 55%
WATER CUT. THAT MEANS THAT 55% OF WHAT IS PUMPED OUT EVERY
DAY IS THE SAME SEAWATER THAT WAS PUMPED IN TO PUSH THE OIL
UP. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN THE WATER CUT GETS TO
BETWEEN 70 AND 80% THE FIELD COLLAPSES.

THE RUSH TO PRODUCE MORE OIL IS HASTENING THE DESTRUCTION

OF FIELDS THAT COULD LAST LONGER OTHERWISE.

EVENTS THEN SEEM TO CONFIRM THESE WORRIES ABOUT SAUDI

ARABIA. SAUDI REASSURANCES ARE NOW BEING CHUCKLED AT BY
MAJOR FINANCIAL COMMENTATORS, AND SAUDI PLEDGES TO INCREASE
PRODUCTION ARE HAVING LESS AND LESS EFFECT ON THE MARKETS.

GHAWAR, THE SUPER GIANT OF ALL FIELDS WAS DISCOVERED MORE

THAN 60 YEARS AGO. IT HAD ESTIMATED RESERVES OF ALMOST 100
BILLION BARRELS OF OIL. PROFESSOR MICHAEL KLARE HAS TOLD US
THAT, IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE WITH ACCELERATING OIL DEMAND, THE
WORLD WILL HAVE TO DISCOVER THREE NEW GHAWARS IN THE NEXT
10 TO 15 YEARS JUST TO MEET DEMAND. THERE WAS ONLY ONE
GHAWAR. THERE HASN’T BEEN ANOTHER ONE SINCE.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PALTRY AND RAPIDLY DIMINISHING RATE OF

DISCOVERY FOR THE SO-CALLED MEGA FIELDS, THE PROSPECTS
BECOME JUST A BIT MORE CHILLING. IN THE YEAR 2003, FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE THE 1920s ACCORDING TO A LEADING PETROLEUM
CONSULTING FIRM, NOT A SINGLE SO-CALLED MEGA FIELD – 500
MILLION BARRELS OR MORE – WAS DISCOVERED.

BY 2007, PRODUCTION CAPACITY WILL HAVE DECLINED BY 3-4MN B/D.

YET THIS DECLINE WILL BE OFFSET BY 8MN B/D OF NEW CAPACITY

43
DRAWN FROM THE MANY NEW PROJECTS EXPECTED TO COME ON
STREAM OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THIS LEAVES A SURPLUS OF 4MN
B/D IN SPARE CAPACITY. YET GLOBAL DEMAND IS GROWING BY OVER 1
MBPD EACH YEAR. SO 3 YEARS OF DEMAND GROWTH WILL REDUCE
OUR SPARE CAPACITY TO 1MN B/D BY THE START OF 2007. AS VERY
LITTLE NEW CAPACITY IS SET TO COME ON STREAM IN 2007, THAT
REMAINING 1 MBPD SPARE CAPACITY WILL LIKELY DISAPPEAR BEFORE
2008.

IN THE SHORT TERM OIL PRICES ARE GOVERNED BY MARKET FORCES

RATHER THAN GEOLOGY WHICH WILL TELL US, AS OPPOSED TO
INVESTMENT AND ECONOMICS, HOW MUCH OIL WE CAN ULTIMATELY
EXTRACT. THE IRONY IS THAT WHEN THREE NEW MEGA FIELDS COME
ONLINE ALL AT ONCE THE PRICES MAY ACTUALLY DROP. THAT WILL
NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME. SPECULATION AT PRESENT IS NOT A BIG
A FACTOR AS IT COULD BE. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH
INVESTMENT BANKER MATTHEW SIMMONS THAT A MARGIN
REQUIREMENT OF 50% SHOULD BE PLACED ON ALL OIL FUTURES
TRADING WORLDWIDE.

THE UPSHOT OF ALL THIS IS THAT THE OIL SUPPLY APPEARS

SUSTAINABLE, BARRING MAJOR WARS OR DESTRUCTION ON
INFRASTRUCTURE UNTIL 2007. WITH SO MUCH NEW PRODUCTION
COMING ON STREAM, THERE MAY EVEN BE PERIODS OF PRICE
WEAKNESS. HOWEVER, IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL BEGIN SUFFERING
OIL SHORTAGES AFTER 2007, ESPECIALLY IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO
DISRUPT A PORTION OF THE PRODUCTION. IF NEW PROJECTS ARE NOT
FOUND, AND ONLINE BY 2008, THEN BY THE END OF THAT YEAR WE ARE
CERTAIN TO SEE SEVERE SHORTAGES WITHOUT ANY CAUSE OTHER
THAN RISING DEMAND.

44
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER FACTOR TO THIS OIL CALCULUS. SO MANY
COMPLAINTS ARE BEING VOICED THAT A MAJOR PART OF THE
PROBLEM WITH CURRENT OIL PRICES HAS TO DO WITH A LACK OF
REFINERIES. PEOPLE POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE 18 DIFFERENT
GRADES OF GASOLINE IN THIS COUNTRY MATCHING VARIOUS STATE
LAWS. WHY, THEY DEMAND, ARE NO MORE REFINERIES BEING BUILT.

THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE AND IT IS A DIRECT AND IRREFUTABLE

CONFIRMATION OF PEAK OIL. THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT – AS
MATTHEW SIMMONS SAYS – IS UNCERTAIN. ACCORDING TO SIMMONS
IT TAKES 5-7 YEARS AND ABOUT $150 MILLION TO BRING A COMPLEX
REFINERY ONLINE. THE COST OF THE REFINERY IS PAID FOR BY THE
SALE OF THE OIL.

THE REFINERIES ARE NOT BEING BUILT AND MASSIVE EXPENSIVE

EXPLORATION PROJECTS ARE NOT BEING UNDERTAKEN BECAUSE THE
OIL COMPANIES UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE OIL LEFT TO
FIND.

FINDING 10 NEW NORTH SEA FIELDS… SOMEWHERE

BY 2015, GLOBAL OIL DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY OVER

TWO-THIRDS, THAT IS 60 MBPD BEYOND CURRENT GLOBAL
CONSUMPTION OF BETWEEN 75 AND 80 MBPD. TO MEET THAT DEMAND
WE WILL HAVE TO FIND THE EQUIVALENT OF 10 NEW NORTH SEA OIL
FIELDS WITHIN A DECADE. IN THE MEANTIME BRITAIN’S NORTH SEA,
JUST LIKE ALASKA’S NORTH SLOPE DID A DECADE AGO, IS RUNNING
DRY. RIGS ARE SHUTTING DOWN AND EMPLOYEES ARE BEING LAID
OFF. YET WE ARE HARD PRESSED NOW TO DISCOVER EVEN ANOTHER
MEGA-SIZED FIELD.

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TO QUOTE FORMER BRITISH ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER MICHAEL
MEACHER, WE ARE FACING, "THE SHARPEST AND PERHAPS THE MOST
VIOLENT DISLOCATION (OF SOCIETY) IN RECENT HISTORY."

I SHOULD ADD THE MEACHER, ALONG WITH FORMER GERMAN CABINET

MINISTER AND FORMER PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY ANDREAS VON
BUELOW HAS STATED PUBLICLY AND IN WRITING THAT THE ATTACKS
OF SEPTEMBER 11TH WERE PERPETRATED BY THE US GOVERNMENT.

THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE WHO JUST REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT OIL
AND NATURAL GAS ARE RUNNING OUT. SOME INSIST THAT OIL IS
CREATED AUTOMATICALLY AND INFINITELY BY THE EARTH’S CORE,
DISPUTING ALL KNOWN SCIENCE SHOWING OTHERWISE. THERE ARE
THOSE WHO INSIST THAT ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES CAN BE SNAPPED
INTO PLACE IMMEDIATELY TO ALLOW FOR INFINITE ECONOMIC AND
POPULATION GROWTH.

ASIDE FROM LOOKING AT THE EVENTS SINCE 9/11 AND SEEING THAT
THEY MATCH A WORLD OF DIMINISHING ENERGY LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT
SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE WORLD AND SEE WHAT
THEY TELL US.

BRITAIN’S LARGEST ELECTRICITY PROVIDER HAS ANNOUNCED THAT

PRICES WILL SOAR AS MUCH AS 40% NEXT YEAR. WHOLESALE ENERGY
PRICES HAVE DOUBLED IN THE LAST YEAR AS BLOOMBERG HAS
ANNOUNCED THAT THE DECLINE IN NORTH SEA PRODUCTION IS
CREATING A TRADE GAP WHICH IS NOW THREATENING TO CAUSE
WIDESPREAD UNEMPLOYMENT.

IN MARCH REUTERS REPORTED THAT ARGENTINA, FACING ITS WORST

ENERGY CRISIS IN15 YEARS, IS BECOMING UNSTABLE TO THE POINT OF
THREATENING THE SECURITY OF THE ENTIRE REGION. IT HAS CUT ITS

46
NATURAL GAS EXPORTS TO CHILE BY 15%, WHICH IS THREATENING
CHILEAN POWER GENERATION. ARGENTINA IS NOW MOVING INTO THE
WORLD OIL MARKET IN SEARCH OF OIL FOR POWER GENERATION AND
TRANSPORTATION AS ITS OWN DOMESTIC SUPPLIES HAVE DWINDLED.

THE BBC REPORTED RECENTLY THAT HIGH OIL PRICES ARE

THREATENING MANY ASIAN ECONOMIES.

JUST TWO WEEKS AGO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ORDERED AN

EMERGENCY FUEL REVIEW IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE CRISES. IN
JUNE IT CONDUCTED A TEST TO SEE HOW THE GOVERNMENT AND
COUNTRY WOULD RESPOND TO A “DISRUPTION” IN OIL SUPPLIES.

ON AUGUST 25TH IT WAS REPORTED THE BRAZIL WAS OPENING

NEGOTIATIONS WITH ECUADOR TO REPLACE DIMINISHING OIL
SUPPLIES.

CHINA, IN THE MIDST OF RAPIDLY DIMINISHING HARVESTS, A GROWING

ECONOMY AND EXPANDING POPULATION IS FEARING A MAJOR FOOD
CRISIS. THIS, EVEN AS HONG KONG, HANGZHOU, AND SHANGHAI ARE
FACING MANDATORY BLACKOUTS WHICH ARE DISRUPTING
MANUFACTURING, TRADE AND RETAIL ACTIVITY. CHINESE OIL IMPORTS
HAVE INCREASED BY 15% IN JUST THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2004 ALONE.

GERMANY HAS MOVED TO INSTITUTE HOME ENERGY PASSPORTS, AND

UNDERTAKEN SERIOUS AND WELL PLANNED EFFORTS TO REDUCE
ENERGY CONSUMPTION. CHANCELLOR SCHROEDER, IN THE WAKE OF
RECENT REVELATIONS THAT SHELL – WHICH DOWNWARDLY REVISED
ITS RESERVE ESTIMATES FOUR TIMES IN ONE YEAR – CALLED UPON
THE G8 NATIONS TO MOVE TO MANDATE TOTAL AND VERIFIABLE
TRANSPARENCY IN ALL OIL RESERVE FIGURES.

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INDIA, WHOSE OIL IMPORTS JUMPED 23% IN ONE MONTH, HAS MOVED
TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE.

INDONESIA, A MEMBER OF OPEC HAS ANNOUNCED THAT ITS OIL

PRODUCTION WILL DROP SIGNIFICANTLY BY 2008.

JAPAN, IGNORING STIFF OPPOSITION FROM WASHINGTON, HAS SIGNED

A MAJOR OIL CONTRACT WITH IRAN, AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT IS
FEUDING WITH CHINA, VIETNAM AND THE PHILIPPINES OVER
RELATIVELY SMALL OIL AND GAS DEPOSITS IN THE SPRATLY ISLANDS
OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. IN ANTICIPATION OF PENDING MILITARY
CONFLICT IN THE REGION CHINA HAS DECIDED TO BUILD A PIPELINE
THROUGH BURMA TO THE INDIAN OCEAN SO THAT TANKERS
SUPPLYING CHINA’S GROWING THIRST WILL NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL
THROUGH A REGION THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS.
THREE BILLS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE JAPANESE PARLIAMENT
THAT WOULD SUSPEND ITS NON-VIOLENT CONSTITUTION AND PERMIT A
FULL SCALE REARMAMENT.

RUSSIA, HAVING RECENTLY ADMITTED THAT ITS OIL RESERVES WERE

FINITE AND THAT PRODUCTION MIGHT START TO DECLINE SHARPLY
WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BUILD A
PIPELINE FROM ITS SIBERIAN FIELDS TO THE PACIFIC PORTS OF
VLADIVOSTOK AND SAKHALIN THUS AGREEING TO SELL ITS OIL TO
JAPAN, KOREA AND THE PHILIPPINES. RUSSIA’S OTHER CHOICE WAS
TO HAVE THE PIPELINE TERMINATE IN CENTRAL CHINA.

THIS WEEK IN PETROLEUM, AN INDUSTRY JOURNAL HAS REPORTED

THAT NON OECD COUNTRIES HAVE BEGUN TO HOARD PETROLEUM AND

48
ARE BUYING ALL THEY CAN EVEN AT WHAT SOME ANALYSTS CALL
“INFLATED” PRICES.

IN THAILAND, MANDATORY EVENING CURFEWS HAVE BEEN IMPOSED

TWO NIGHTS A WEEK REQUIRING ALL BUSINESSES TO SHUT DOWN IN
ORDER TO CONSERVE ENERGY.

ON AUGUST 24TH BRITAIN’S OIL DEPLETION ANALYSIS CENTER

CONFIRMED, CITING DATA FROM PETROLEUM REVIEW THAT DAILY OIL
DEPLETION IS NOW EXCEEDING ONE MILLION BARRELS PER DAY. IN
OTHER WORDS, EVERY DAY, THE WORLD IS PRODUCING 1.14 MILLION
BARRELS PER DAY LESS THAN IT DID THE DAY BEFORE. BY ANALYZING
DATA FROM THE 18 LARGEST OIL PRODUCING NATIONS PETROLEUM
REVIEW CALCULATED THAT PRODUCTION FROM THESE COUNTRIES
PEAKED IN 1997 AT 24.7 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY AND THAT BY 2003
IT HAD FALLEN TO 22.1 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY.

ON AUGUST 21 THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE POSED A GREAT QUESTION.

IF OIL PRICES ARE SOARING AND THERE’S INSATIABLE DEMAND, WHY
ISN’T THERE A BOOM IN HIRING AND CORPORATE EXPANSION? THE
CHRONICLE, PAYING DUE HEED TO THE FINANCIAL MARKETS, OFFERED
THE DUBIOUS EXPLANATION THAT THE OIL COMPANIES JUST DIDN’T
WANT TO OVERDO THINGS AND LOOK GREEDY. IN FACT, ALL OVER THE
WORLD OIL COMPANIES ARE DOWNSIZING, SELLING OFF ASSETS,
LAYING OFF EMPLOYEES AND MERGING. JUST LAST WEEK IT WAS
ANNOUNCED THAT FRENCH GIANT TOTAL WAS CONSIDERING A TENDER
OFFER TO PURCHASE ROYAL DUTCH SHELL.

AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, RISING OIL PRICES HAVE FORCED
MAJOR AIRLINES LIKE UNITED TO CONSIDER RAIDING CORPORATE

49
PENSION FUNDS IN ORDER TO OFFSET RISING OIL COSTS AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO BANKRUPTCY.

IN THE MEANTIME, IN THE WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY OF LIBERIA, THERE

ARE REPORTS OF 10 YEAR-OLD MERCENARIES BEING RECRUITED TO
FIGHT IN GUERILLA CONFLICTS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES AND
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF RECRUITS. I WONDER IF SENATOR CHUCK
HAGEL OF NEBRASKA WILL SEE ANY OF THEM. HE JUST LEFT ON AN
ENERGY “SAFARI” TO SCOUT WEST AFRICAN PROSPECTS, JUST ABOUT
A YEAR AFTER NATO ANNOUNCED IT WAS SHIFTING ITS FOCUS TO
WEST AFRICA AND THE US DELIVERED SIX OBSOLETE WARSHIPS TO
THE NIGERIAN NAVY.

THIS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS JUST THE BEGINNING. AND NEITHER

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS EVEN REMOTELY ADDRESSED THE
REAL ISSUES OR DARED TO TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE WORST.
THE ONE OVERRIDING CONCERN I HAVE SEEN EXPRESSED
EVERYWHERE IS “OH, NO. WE CAN’T DO THAT. IT WILL CRASH THE
MARKETS.”

IS THAT THE SUM TOTAL OF HUMAN EXPRESSION AND ACHIEVEMENT?

THE MARKETS?

TO CLOSE THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU

QUOTES FROM TWO DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN WHOSE NAMES
MIGHT CARRY A BIT MORE WEIGHT IN THIS ROOM THAN MICHAEL
RUPPERT.

THE FIRST IS FROM SIR CHARLES GALTON DARWIN WHO IN 1952, JUST
ONE YEAR AFTER I WAS BORN, WROTE:

50
 “THE FIFTH REVOLUTION WILL COME WHEN WE HAVE SPENT
THE STORES OF COAL AND OIL THAT HAVE BEEN
ACCUMULATING IN THE EARTH DURING HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF YEARS. . . . IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT BEFORE
THEN OTHER SOURCES OF ENERGY WILL HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED . . . BUT WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE DETAIL
[HERE] IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WILL BE A VERY GREAT
DIFFERENCE IN WAYS OF LIFE. . . . WHETHER A CONVENIENT
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PRESENT FUELS IS FOUND OR NOT,
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT THERE WILL HAVE TO BE A
GREAT CHANGE IN WAYS OF LIFE. THIS CHANGE MAY JUSTLY
BE CALLED A REVOLUTION, BUT IT DIFFERS FROM ALL THE
PRECEDING ONES IN THAT THERE IS NO LIKELIHOOD OF ITS
LEADING TO INCREASES OF POPULATION, BUT EVEN PERHAPS
TO THE REVERSE.”

I HAVE INSISTED FOR MANY YEARS NOW THAT ANY FUNDAMENTAL

CHANGE IN THE CURRENT HUMAN PARADIGM, A CHANGE THAT WILL
REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL WE, COLLECTIVELY
AND AS A SPECIES, CHANGE THE WAY MONEY WORKS.

IN “CROSSING THE RUBICON” I WILL EXPLAIN JUST HOW AND WHY THE
WORLD’S CURRENT ECONOMIC SYSTEM IS HASTENING AND
WORSENING A CALAMITY OF UNIMAGINED PROPORTIONS. THIS ALL
BEGAN FOR ME SOME 27 YEARS AGO WHEN, AS A YOUNG POLICEMAN, I
DISCOVERED THAT THE CIA WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE DRUG
TRADE. THE PURPOSE OF THAT INVOLVEMENT LED ME TO DISCOVER,
AND PROVE USING US SENATE HEARING RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS
FROM THE CIA ITSELF THAT AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT – PERHAPS THE
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT – IN US ECONOMIC SUPREMACY WAS THE

51
MAINTENANCE OF A FLOW OF AS MUCH AS $600 BILLION A YEAR IN
DRUG PROFITS THROUGH US FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INSTITUTIONS.

WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING NOW IS A COLLISION: A COLLISION OF A

FINANCIAL SYSTEM RELYING ON FRACTIONAL RESERVE BANKING,
DEBT-FINANCED GROWTH, AND A FIAT CURRENCY SYSTEM WITH A
PLANET AND ENERGY RESOURCES THAT ARE FINITE, LIMITED, AND
RUNNING OUT. INFINITE GROWTH IS BATTLING WITH FINITE ENERGY.
ONE IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE OTHER AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY
NO DOUBT AS TO WHICH SIDE WILL WIN.

IN NOVEMBER 2002 JAMES KENNETH GALBRAITH WROTE AN ARTICLE

TITLED “THE UNBEARABLE COSTS OF EMPIRE”

NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS WILL BE CURED SO LONG AS WAR

REMAINS OUR DOMINANT POLITICAL THEME. BUT SERIOUS
THOUGH THEY ARE, THEY PALE IN COMPARISON WITH THE
LARGER PROBLEM OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE-AND-
FINANCIAL ORDER UNDER CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT WAR.
IT IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD FACT THAT IF GLOBAL OIL
PRODUCTION STARTS TO DECLINE BUT U.S. CONSUMPTION
DOES NOT, EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE REQUIRED TO CUT
PURCHASES AND USES OF OIL. BUT HOW CAN OIL PRICES BE
HELD STABLE FOR AMERICANS YET BE MADE TO RISE FOR
EVERYONE ELSE? ONLY BY A POLICY OF CONTINUING
DEPRECIATION IN EVERYONE ELSE'S CURRENCY. SUCH A
POLICY OF DOLLAR HEGEMONY AMID WORLDWIDE FINANCIAL
INSTABILITY, OF CRUSHING DEBT BURDENS AND DEFLATION
THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPING WORLD, IS PERVERSE. IT
WILL MAKE OUR TRADING PARTNERS' EXPORTS CHEAP,
RENDER THEIR IMPORTS DEAR AND KEEP THEIR REAL WAGES

52
LOW. IT WILL PRICE AMERICAN GOODS OUT OF WORLD
MARKETS AND LEAD TO UNSUSTAINABLE DEPENDENCE ON
FOREIGN CAPITAL. IT WILL BE A POLICY, IN SHORT, OF
BEGGAR-ALL-OF-OUR-NEIGHBORS WHILE WE LIVE ALONE, IN
INCREASING IDLENESS AND INSIDE THE DOLLAR BUBBLE.

THIS IS THE POLICY THAT BUSH AND CHENEY ARE ACTUALLY

IMPOSING ON THE REST OF THE WORLD. BUT THEY CANNOT
MAKE IT LAST. IT WILL MAKE LIVES MISERABLE ELSEWHERE,
GENERATING EVER MORE RESISTANCE, TERRORISM AND
MILITARY ENGAGEMENT. MEANWHILE, WE WILL NOT
EXPERIENCE EVEN GRADUAL EXPOSURE TO THE CHANGING
ENERGY BALANCE; WE WILL THEREFORE NEVER MAKE THE
INVESTMENTS REQUIRED TO ADJUST, EVEN EVENTUALLY, TO A
WORLD OF SCARCE AND EXPENSIVE OIL. IN THE END,
THEREFORE, THAT WORLD WILL ARRIVE MUCH MORE
ABRUPTLY THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD, SHAKING THE
FRAGILE EDIFICE OF OUR OIL ECONOMY TO ITS FOUNDATIONS.
AND WE WILL SOMEDAY FACE A DOUBLE EXPLOSION: OF
ANGER AGAINST OUR ARROGANCE AND OF ACTUAL
SHORTAGE AND COLLAPSING LIVING STANDARDS, WHEN THE
CONFIDENCE OF INVESTORS IN THE DOLLAR FINALLY GIVES
WAY.

COMPARED WITH THIS FUTURE, A NEW COMMITMENT TO

COLLECTIVE SECURITY, TO A NEW WORLD FINANCIAL
STRUCTURE, TO A RATIONAL ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION
POLICY, AND TO SPENDING TO MEET OUR ACTUAL DOMESTIC
NEEDS WOULD BE A BARGAIN. AT THE END OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS
ASKED WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENT THE FRAMERS HAD

53
 GIVEN OUR NEW COUNTRY. HE FAMOUSLY REPLIED, "A
REPUBLIC, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT."

IN 49 BC JULIUS CAESAR, FRESH FROM A BATTLEFIELD VICTORY IN

CENTRAL ITALY ORDERED HIS LEGIONS TO CROSS A SMALL CREEK
CALLED THE RUBICON. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC,
THE ARMY WAS NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE CAPITAL CITY.

AS JULIUS CAESAR CROSSED THE RUBICON, THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

DIED AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS BORN.

OUR TASK, IF WE AND MUCH OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION ARE TO SURVIVE,

IS NOT TO KEEP OUR REPUBLIC, BUT TO TAKE IT BACK.

THANK YOU,

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