Maybe The Oscar Wyatt Case is Another Selective Prosecution?
In a surprise move, Texas wildcatter Oscar S. Wyatt arrived at a plea deal with the Department of Justice and plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 1.
The Houston gas and oil maverick magnate Oscar S. Wyatt was being tried for wire fraud and prohibited transactions. It is alleged that he paid kickbacks to the Iraqi government to obtain vouchers allowing him to purchase oil through the UN sanctioned “Oil for Food Program. Ben Berry, head of the FBI white-collar crime unit, said Wyatt was also guilty of “terrorist financing” because he violated a Bush order prohibiting these dealings with Iraq.
Wyatt, 83, explained his decision to accept a plea deal by saying that at his age he could “not …waste any more time fooling with this operation.” He will serve 18 to 24 months and pay a $11 million fine.
A few others have been indicted for paying kickbacks to Iraq, and there is no way of knowing if Wyatt is innocent or guilty. It seems that the US did not object to people buying oil under the Oil for Food program until 2002, when some went to Syria. It that year, Saddam started demanding kickbacks for vouchers in 2000. Some American firms refused to pay but others continued to do business with him. There is a 2004 CIA report on these operators that runs 918 pages, but the names of firms and individuals were redacted. It is estimated that Saddam may have garnered $10 in illegal profits and that Wyatt may have ponied up a little less than $4 million for $23 million in profits over 7 years.
Few Americans were indicted; although, various sources identified many persons and American firms being involved. Neo-Cons, anxious to discredit the UN, obtained a report by Paul Volcker that showed that many corporate interests were involved. Chevron, which had named a tanker for former employee Condi Rice, was named, along with Mobil Exxon. Marc Rich, whose pardon by Bill Clinton was denounced without end by conservatives, was also named but was not indicted.
What is interesting is the manner and intensity with which the Department of Justice went after Wyatt. The prosecution made Wyatt’s patriotism the issue. His lawyers are trying to exclude from the evidence the diary of an employee of Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization. It states that Wyatt bragged on January 27, 2003, while in Iraq, that he persuaded a US Senator to speak against the proposed invasion. Reuters claimed the senator was Edward Kennedy. The diary also stated that Wyatt warned of a US invasion and estimated the kinds of US forces the Iraqi were likely to face.
The government does not claim he told them anything that was classified. An intelligent reader would assume Wyatt wanted Saddam to back down so that oil would continue to flow. He was probably trying to prevent the war the Bushies were determined to launch.
The prosecution insists upon making him appear a traitor. His attorneys claim this information will prejudice the jury but they admit that Wyatt was no fan of George W. Bush. They add that he flew bombing missions in World War II. Reactionary columnist helped along the government’s case, writing that Wyatt is “lucky he isn’t charged with treason.”
Apparently Wyatt’s communications were being monitored since 2001. His former business partner David Chalmers, was also inducted. Chalmers has been described as a big Republican donor, but the fact is that he gave more to Democrats. Since 1989, he and his wife have given more than $500,000 to Democrats. Wyatt has angered the Bushes because he questioned the senior Bush’s claims to have risen in the oil industry from humble origins. In 1990, he and John Connally incurred the wrath of the Bushes again when they negotiated the release of 22 oil workers being held by Saddam Hussein as “human hostages.” Mrs. Bush signaled him out in her autobiography for placing “gain above honor.” He has frequently been a thorn in the side of the big Texas energy interests, most recently leading a stockholders revolt against El Paso Corp., which had acquired his Coastal Corp.
It has been said that the touch and free-wheeling Wyatt is not even afraid of the devil. He will need every ounce of courage to face up to two years in a federal prison at his advanced age.
Some may draw the conclusion that it is not prudent to make large donations to the Democratic Party. There is a growing body of evidence that the Justice Department could be engaging in selective prosecutions for political purposes. In Mississippi, Paul Minor was sent to prison for donating to the campaign of a state supreme court justice even though Mississippi law seems to open the door to contributions by lawyers and companies. In Wisconsin, Georgia Thompson went to jail for awarding a contract to the lowest bidder. Fortunately, an appeals court reversed her conviction. In Alabama, former Democratic Governor Don Siegelman was sent to prison for appointing a contributor to a state board. In this case, there is compelling evidence that that charges were brought for political purposes.
Offshore Oil Rig Jobs – No Experience – How Do I Get Started
The oil industry is booming right now, with many offshore oil rig jobs needed to crew the new drilling rigs. Top economists project the oil boom to last the next 14 to 20 years, which will likely lead to oil jobs outstripping financial and IT jobs. While many people are puzzled about how to get started, the truth is that if you are young, fit, hardworking and willing to get your hands dirty, you should have no trouble getting started.
If you do not have any experience, the best way to get started is to get a job on a land-based oil rig. You can get hired as a roustabout, basically a general laborer, work hard for 6 months and climb up the ladder to the position of roughneck. As a roughneck, you will still do a lot of manual labor, but you may also have a chance to supervise a few roustabouts and help out the more specialized positions like the derrickhands and drillers. Show the right attitude, work hard and you may find yourself promoted all the way up to driller (2nd highest rank on the oil rig) in 5 years.
A university degree is not very useful on board an oil rig. On the other hand, a useful technical certificate or diploma, for example as an electrician or mechanic, could land you a job in the motor room or electrical department. These are not the only useful trade skills on board an offshore oil rig. The rig crew need to eat, so a good cook is always welcome on board. A medic also plays a valuable part on the rig. Despite modern technology, an oil rig job is still a pretty hazardous place to work in. Accidents happen, and a medic always has work to do.
An important point to keep in mind is that an offshore oil rig is covered under maritime law. Hence, it is good if you take the trouble to get a basic working knowledge of how it will affect you. Besides this, there are vaccinations and skills certifications specific to where the oil rig is located. For example, in the UK you need to take an offshore survival and firefighting course. Different Canadian provinces have their own First Aid certifications. And different US states have their own requirements.
As you can see, there is no secret to getting started in offshore oil rig jobs. Just start small, on shore, from the bottom. Once you prove yourself, you can move to the more lucrative offshore drilling rigs.
The Great Molasses Flood
What if the terrorist had been successful last Friday in their attack on Abqaiq, the world’s largest oil processing facility? Abqaiq (some spell it Abiqaiq) is located at the southern end of the Abqaiq oil field about 25 miles west of the Arabian Gulf.
The immediate $2.00 price per barrel rise after the attack is an indicator. The price went up even though production was not interrupted. The world would have gone into panic mode if the attack were successful. The price of oil would have made last year’s oil price swindle look like the “good old days.”
Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the attack geared to drive the infidels out of Saudi Arabia. They will be back, possibly by air as with the WTC Towers. Mortar, rocket, or artillery fire could raise havoc.
Oil facility attacks by terrorist have been far more successful in Iraq. The Iraqi oil lines are long and exposed and easy to disrupt. Iraq oil production is continually hampered.
It’s good the Abqaiq attack failed. If it had succeeded, in light of that production has already been curtailed in Iraq by terrorist and Venezuelan Dictator Hugo Chavez has threatened to stop oil shipments to the U.S., a movement by greedy oil companies to put oil prices completely and permanently out of sight would be as unstoppable as the great molasses flood.
For those who don’t know about the Great Molasses Flood in which on January 1919, a wave of over 2 million gallons of molasses swept through Boston, killing 21 and injuring 150, see http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/molasses.htm.
I salute the Saudi guards that stopped the attack and offer condolences to the families of the two guards that died from wounds suffered during the fire fight.