It's the Crude, Dude
Greed, Gas, War, and the American Way
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
George W. Bush says he invaded Iraq to bring democracy to the Middle East. Some people believe that. But if you have nagging doubts, you'll be intrigued by the story unraveled in It's the Crude, Dude.
With all the drama of a thriller, Canadian bestselling author Linda McQuaig probes the mystery of what really lay behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She points to Washington's desire to gain control of the most spectacular untapped oil bonanza on Earth--even as rapidly dwindling worldwide oil reserserves threaten to turn competition for crude into the major international battleground of the future.
That battle has actually been raging for decades. Once tightly controlled by Big Oil, most of the world's oil reserves have been taken over by nationalistic regimes in the Middle East. Ever since those regimes imposed an oil embargo on the United States in the mid-1970s, Washington has been determined to regain control over oil--by force if necessary. With China's recent emergence as a voracious oil consumer, there soon won't be enough oil left to fuel two superpowers.
Against this backdrop--and the equally urgent problem of global warming--It's the Crude, Dude reminds us of the enormous consequences of our failure to curb our addiction to oil.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Proudly touted on the cover as "Canada's Michael Moore," Toronto Star columnist McQuaig displays strengths and weaknesses similar to the controversial filmmaker in this expose of the U.S. government's collusion with Big Oil. Detailing oil-dependency-promoting legislation, McQuaig is by equal measures convincing and condescending, taking well-researched arguments and dulling their impact with unnecessary punchlines: as part of the White House's 2003 tax-cut package, an SUV up to $100,000 can be written off "on the grounds that it was a work-related vehicle ... useful for toting around-who knows?-heavy equipment, dental tools, golf clubs or perhaps just bags of money." Potshots aside, there's enough solid information here to merit a read, even if McQuaig's target audience may find some of it familiar. Though it lacks the restraint and nuance of Al Gore's similarly-themed An Inconvenient Truth, this book's strengths lie in its historical consideration, tracing the current moment back to the nineteenth-century origins of the oil industry. Though it might shout too loudly in places, McQuaig's book makes plenty of sound points.
