U. S. GOVT. HELPS OPEC SKYROCKET GASOLINE PRICES TO $4 PER GALLON

OCCUPATION OF IRAQ UTILIZED TO EXPLOIT MEMBERSHIP IN OPEC

$4 per gallon gasoline is being promoted by the U. S. government through its active support of the cartel OPEC, it was charged by Carl Olson, Chairman of State Department Watch, a nonpartisan foreign policy watchdog group. The U. S. government is using the occupation of Iraq to work directly against the interests of the American public.

The occupation of Iraq in March 2003 resulted in the U. S. government taking over all the functions of the Iraq government, including the membership in OPEC. The U.S./Iraqi delegate to OPEC has always voted for the price-raising oil production cutbacks.

Within Iraq the U. S. government has contributed to these cutbacks by reducing the oil production below what Saddam Hussein produced.

Olson urged the following remedies:

1. The antitrust laws need to be amended to prevent the U. S. government from helping any cartel anywhere in the world, including OPEC and its allies.

2. Congress needs to investigate. Hearings should be conducted. The Bush Administration should testify on what it has been doing for the past five years to support OPEC.

3. Presidential candidates should speak up. John McCain, Barack Obama, Bob Barr, Ralph Nader, Alan Keyes, Chuck Baldwin, and others should reassure the public that they are on the side of the American public.

"Without this cartel enforcement by the U. S. government, the price of oil will fall precipitously, perhaps to the $1 per gallon level of 2002", Olson concluded.

END

State Department Watch

http://www.statedepartmentwatch.org

P. O. Box 65398

Washington, D. C. 20035

703-241-3700

West Coast Office

P. O. Box 6102

Woodland Hills, California 91365

818-223-8080