Ghana is on the Threshold of Oil Devastation
“Into Africa and out of OPEC” – new thinking on oil as Said by: AOPIG (African Oil Policy Initiative Group) July 2002.
“Along with Latin America, West Africa is expected to be one of the fastest growing sources of oil and gas for the American market. African oil tends to be of high quality and low in sulfur, making it suitable for stringent refined product requirements, and giving it a growing market share for the refining Centers on the East Coast of the U.S.” “National Energy Policy Report” Office of the Vice President Richard Cheney May 16, 2001
African Oil: A priority for U.S National Security and African Development, said by IASPS (Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies) Research Papers in Strategy No. 14, May 2002
“Concentration of World Oil Production in any one region is a potential contributor to market instability, benefiting neither oil producers nor consumers…This remains a policy challenge, which we will meet over the longer term through a comprehensive energy policy that addresses both supply and demand…Greater diversity of world oil production remains important
“Along with Latin America, West Africa is expected to be one of the fastest growing sources of oil and gas for the American market. African oil tends to be of high quality and low in sulfur, making it suitable for stringent refined product requirements, and giving it a growing market share for the refining Centers on the East Coast of the U.S.”
“National Energy Policy Report”
Office of the Vice President Richard Cheney; May 16, 2001
The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies (IASPS) is an Israel-based think tank with an affiliated office in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1984 by its president, Professor Robert Loewenberg. According to the institute its mission is “to call attention to the Redirection of Western peoples by Science & the Open Society-History: Policy in the Era of the Convergence of Western Elites and Islam.”
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=African_Oil_Policy_Initiative_Group
http://www.israeleconomy.org/strategic/africawhitepaper.pdf
African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG) is a Washington, DC lobby group in close ties with IASPS.
African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG) members:
Courtney Alexander, Alexander Strategy Group
Malik Chaka, House Africa Subcommittee
Emmanuel Egbogoh, Emeraid Energy
Alyssa Jorgenson, House Africa Subcommittee
Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, USAF, Department of Defense Africa Policy
Don Norland, former Ambassador to Chad
Melvin Spense, Office of Congressman William Jefferson
Janice Van Dyke Walden, Vanco Energy
Ponzi Watson, Renaissance Management Group
Warren Weinstein, Africa Global
Mark Winter, Stewart Tide Guaranty Corporation
(The nationalities and qualifications of these members are really funny if not absurd)
Barry Schutz; AOPIG Cochairman; former analyst with CIA, DIA, Rand, State Dept. ; Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
Paul Michael Wihbey; AOPIG Cochairman; is the President of the Global Water & Energy Strategy Team (GWEST). He is also a “Strategic Fellow” at the Institute for Advanced Strategic & Political Studies (IASPS), a Jerusalem-based think tank. A profile described IASPS as “a think tank based in Israel that aims to shift America’s dependency on oil from the Gulf nations — hostile towards Israel — to other parts of the world.” Wihbey “specializes in US energy and security in the Persian Gulf and adjacent areas”.
According to a biographical note on the IASPS website, Wihbey is “former vice president of the Federal Liberal Party of Canada during the Trudeau Administration, he was a member of the Canadian parliamentary and diplomatic fact-finding missions to Lebanon in the early 1980s. … In Washington, Wihbey has served as a consultant on Middle East security, economics and political issues to US-based multinationals, Congress and the Department of Defense”.
A 1998 article written by Wihbey for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs states: “From 1985-1989, he served as consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense and several Congressional offices. From 1989-1995, he was a contributing editor of Security Intelligence Review.”
In a July 2002 article on Africa’s potential as an oil producer, National Review editor Richard Lowry described Wihbey as a “friend”. He also said that Wihbey “is a leading evangelist of West Africa’s potential, and has created an African Oil Policy Initiative Group to try to wake up policymakers to the region’s emerging importance.”
A January 2003 article in Le Monde Diplomatique says that Wihbey visited Lagos, Nigeria in July 2002. According to the article, “Officially the aim was to set up a Gulf of Guinea commission representing oil producing countries in the area. Unofficially there was talk of Nigeria leaving Opec, a rumour finally denied by the government.”
Robert E. Heiler ; AOPIG General Secretary; currently serves as Vice President for Communications and Board Member of GWEST, LLC (Global Water & Energy Strategy Team). Mr. Heiler is a co-founder of GWEST, whose principal business is providing energy security policy analysis and business development consulting services to energy companies, financial institutions, and foreign governments.
Mr. Heiler serves GWEST as the Executive Editor of FirstInsight, a quarterly publication produced in conjunction with FirstEnergy Capital Corp. of Calgary focused on the geopolitics of the world energy market. Prior to founding GWEST in 2002, Mr. Heiler was Executive Director of a Washington-based public policy institute focusing on U.S. energy security, geopolitics and missile defense. He organized the January, 2002 Washington symposium, African Oil: A Priority for U.S. National Security and African Development. Mr. Heiler also was Secretary General of the African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG), which produced a White Paper of the same title enthusiastically accepted by five Members of Congress and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy Vickie Bailey. He also headed the institute’s Strategic Fellows Program, placing research assistants in Congressional offices and overseeing their activities there. Before receiving that position, Mr. Heiler had been a fellow in that same program, working in the offices of Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Senator Robert Smith (R-NH), focused on issues relating to Africa and to the U.S. Air Force.
Mr. Heiler has also worked on speeches and policy documents for Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, a candidate for U.S. Senate, and Lynn Swann, a candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1994 from Arizona State University with a B.A. in English.
Courtney Alexander, Alexander Strategy Group was an American lobbying firm. In January 2006 the firm was shut down. It was fatally damaged by publicity about the ongoing federal investigation into the actions of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Malik Chaka, a staff member with the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa. Chaka previously lived in Tanzania for five years on the early 1970s as an aid worker, and is a fluent speaker of Swahili. “Tanzania holds a special place in my heart,” he says. He is Director of Threshold Programs of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Policy and International Relations.
Emmanuel Egbogoh, Emeraid Energy; mmanuel O. Egbogah a director in the project and planning department of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)and Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters.
“Dr Egbogah is founder and Executive Chairman of Emerald Energy Resources Limited, the operator of continental shelf block OPL 229, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
“He is currently serving as Special Adviser on Petroleum Matters to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He is also the Executive Vice President & Director, Training and Technology Transfer, VRMT International Inc, Houston, Chairman, Pipeline Integrity Nigeria Limited and O & G Technologies Limited, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
“Previously, he was Vice President, International Production for Niko Resources Limited, an international E&P company in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
“Previously, Dr Egbogah served for eight years as Technical Advisor and Techology custodian for PETRONAS, the national oil company of Malaysia where he was responsible for strategic planning and expansion program leading to the company’s E&P establishment in over 25 countries around the world.
“He served for five years as Enhanced Oil Recovery Advisor for the Libyan National Oil Corporation, Tripoli, where he was responsible for the Reservoir Management of 159 reservoirs containing about 40 billion barrels of oil reserves.
“He was responsible for the planning and supervision of EOR programs in 34 Libyan reservoirs.
Alyssa Jorgenson; He is from American University, and staffer for the House Africa Subcommittee.
Member, African Oil Policy Initiative Group
Associate Consultant (2003), Zimbabwe Democracy Trust
Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, USAF, Department of Defense Africa Policy. Karen Kwiatkowski, a specialist on the Middle East and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who “spent her final four and a half years in uniform working at the Pentagon,” worked “from May 2002 through February 2003 in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Near East/South Asia and Special Plans” at the Department of Defense. Since retiring, she has become a noted critic of the U.S. government’s involvement in Iraq.
Colonel Kwiatkowski has an MA in Government from Harvard University and a MS in Science Management from the University of Alaska. She is currently candidate for a PhD in World Politics at Catholic University; her thesis is on overt and covert war in Angola, titled A Case Study of the Implementation of the Reagan Doctrine.
She began her military career in 1978. As a second lieutenant, she served at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, providing logistical support to missions along the Chinese and Russian coasts. She served in Spain and Italy, and was then assigned to the National Security Agency, eventually becoming a speechwriter for the agency’s director. After leaving the NSA, she became an analyst on sub-Saharan Africa policy for the Pentagon. From May, 2002 to February 2003, she served in the Pentagon’s Near East and South Asia directorate (NESA). While at NESA, she wrote a series of anonymous articles, “Insider Notes from the Pentagon”, that appeared on the website of David Hackworth.
Kwiatkowski left NESA in February, 2003 and retired from the Air Force the following month. In April 2003, she began writing a series of articles for the libertarian website LewRockwell.com. In June of that year, she published an article in the Ohio Beacon Journal, “Career Officer Does Eye-Opening Stint inside Pentagon” which attracted additional notice. Since February, 2004, she has written a biweekly column, “Without Reservations”, for the website Military Week.
Colonel Kwiatkowski is primarily noted for openly and publicly denouncing what she sees as a corrupting political influence on the course of military intelligence leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Her most comprehensive writings on this subject appeared in a series of articles in The American Conservative magazine in December 2003 and in a March 2004 article on Salon.com. In the latter piece, titled “The New Pentagon Papers”, I witnessed neoconservative agenda bearers within OSP usurp measured and carefully considered assessments, and through suppression and distortion of intelligence analysis promulgate what were in fact falsehoods to both Congress and the executive office of the president.
Kwiatkowski exposed how a clique of officers led by retired Navy Captain Bill Luti, assistant secretary of defense for NESA, and former aid of Dick Cheney when the latter was Secretary of Defense, took control of the military intelligence, and how the Office of Special Plans (OSP) grew and eventually turned into a censorship and disinformation organism controlling the NESA.
Don Norland, former Ambassador to Chad Donald R. Norland (deceased) was “a career Foreign Service officer who served as ambassador to four African countries, died Dec. 30 [2007] at Sibley Memorial Hospital after a heart attack. He lived in Washington.
“From 1976 to 1979, Mr. Norland served simultaneously as the ambassador to the three southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Mr. Norland was accredited to all three nations but was based in Botswana.
“In 1979, he was appointed ambassador to Chad, which for generations had endured political turmoil because of civil wars and military coups.
“In the summer of 1980, a Libyan-backed coup in Chad led French military forces to evacuate Mr. Norland and other diplomats to Cameroon.
“Mr. Norland retired from the Foreign Service in 1981 but remained active in African affairs as a private consultant.
“He lent his expertise on energy and telecommunications projects in Sudan, Nigeria and Chad. He also worked with the Harvard Institute for International Development and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help devise private-sector-led economic development.
“From 1987 to 1989, Mr. Norland headed the training program on African area studies at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute.
“He served on the advisory board of a fellowship program at Georgetown University Law Center to bring African lawyers to study in the United States…
“Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Patricia Bamman Norland of Washington; two sons, Richard Norland, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and David Norland of Falls Church; a daughter, Patricia Norland of Arlington; two brothers; a sister; and five grandchildren.”
Melvin Spense, Office of Congressman William Jefferson. Melvin Spence was former aide to William J. Jefferson. “With the support of lawmakers like Jefferson, Africa has emerged as a major American oil supplier in the last decade. Jefferson and his staff strongly supported the African Oil Policy Initiative Group (AOPIG), an ad hoc panel of U.S. government and energy industry officials that described African energy as a “vital interest” of the United States. In an article in 2003, Alexander’s Gas & Oil wrote that Jefferson was calling for a “full-fledged makeover of the U.S. strategic relationship with Africa” to take advantage of its “petroleum potential.”..
“Another Louisiana firm with ties to Jefferson is Schaffer Global Group. Back in 2002, according to interviews and documents I have received, Schaffer Global was unsuccessfully chasing potential business deals in Equatorial Guinea in conjunction with several other firms, including a lobbying and business-development company called AfricaGlobal that worked for the Obiang regime (and which is now owned by Schaffer). In addition to trying to drum up American investment in Equatorial Guinea, AfricaGlobal also sought to improve ties between Obiang and the United States. At least three people from Schaffer or AfricaGlobal made modest campaign contributions to Jefferson; one of them, Warren Weinstein, served on the AOPIG with Melvin Spence, an aide to the congressman.”
Janice Van Dyke Walden, Vanco Energy, Janice Van Dyke Walden “is the founder and president of Van Dyke Walden & Associates, a public relations firm handling marketing, advertising and public relations for non-profits and corporations, especially in the areas of energy, health care, education and trade.
“From the time she was a teenager, Janice has been interested in shaping perceptions and influencing change. With a background in film and television, she became an award-winning documentary filmmaker at Houston Public Television before becoming a public relations professional.
“Having been involved in international business most of her career, Janice is deeply committed to contributing toward progress and understanding in developing countries, especially Africa, and sees public relations as a powerful tool in changing the way the world thinks and operates.
“In 1996 she started the office of public relations for the leading privately-held E&P company active offshore deepwater Africa, Vanco Energy Company, being named Vice President of Public Relations in 2001. In 2003 she formed Van Dyke Walden & Associates to focus on broader corporate public relations, collaborating with professionals in complimentary disciplines to achieve the multi-faceted project goals facing clients.
“As a commitment to her values, Janice founded and served as President of the U.S. Foundation for the United World College of the Atlantic from 2001-2005, and served as a Governor of the UK-based college for two years. From 2001 to 2002 she served on the Sub-Sahara Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank. She is an active supporter and volunteer with Living Water International.”
Ponzi Watson, Renaissance Management Group, Ponzi Watson, Chairman, RMG. “Mr. Watson has more than 40 years’ experience in various management positions including over 20 years in international projects in Africa. He sits on the board of several NGOs and development institutions and is affiliated with a number of international financial organizations.”
Warren Weinstein, Africa Global, Warren Weinstein, Legislative Director, Bipartisan Policy Center Advocacy Network. “Warren joined the BPC in September, 2008 after more than 5 years at Edison International covering energy, environmental and transportation issues. Prior to his time at Edison, from 1999-2003 Warren was a Legislative Assistant for Senator Feinstein where he advised the Senator on all energy, environmental and water issues. Before his time on the Hill, he served for 5 years as the Deputy Director of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable where he worked on international environmental issues. Warren received his B.A. from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.”
Mark Winter, Stewart Tide Guaranty Corporation, Stewart Title Guaranty Company (STG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corp. (NYSE-STC), announces the election of Mark Winter, executive vice president of public policy for Stewart Title, as president-elect of the American Land Title Association (ALTA). Winter was unanimously elected to the position by the association’s board of governors at its Feb. 28 meeting…
“Winter brings 25 years of industry and policy experience to the position. In addition, to being a long-time member of the board of governors of the ALTA, Winter is chairman of the association’s International Development Committee, immediate past Chairman of the Underwriters Section, a member of the Government Relations Committee and the Title Industry Political Action Committee Board of Trustees.
“Since 2005, Winter has served as executive vice president of public policy for Stewart’s Washington, D.C. office, and is responsible for the development and coordination of both commercial and residential real estate business and for the procurement of international land titling projects funded by independent federal agencies. Winter represents Stewart before Congress, various regulatory agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, Winter served on the boards of Stewart Information International, Stewart Title Guaranty Company Political Action Committee, the International Land Registration Association and the International Real Estate Roundtable. Prior to joining Stewart, Winter, a graduate of Georgetown University, was a special assistant to the U.S. ambassador to Jamaica and a member of the professional staff of U.S. Reps. Bill Bray (R-Ind.) and Frances Bolton (R-Ohio).”
“In 1995-96, Winter served on the advisory board of World Mae, a corporation organized to facilitate the development of a secondary market for home-mortgage loans originated in countries throughout the world. He is a charter member of the International Land Registration Association and the Fannie Mae International Real Estate Roundtable.
“Winter is a member of the board of Living Water International – a non-profit, interdenominational Christian ministry providing clean drinking water to people in developing countries, in particular Africa. He also is a member of the Millennium Water Alliance, a group of non-governmental organizations with experience and expertise in providing clean, safe water and sanitation services in developing countries.”
The violent illegitimate removal of Mr. Laurent Gbagbo in order to open the Ivorian oil fields – which are much more lucrative than the Ghanaian-, can be easily understood.
Huge cocoa loots will only pave the way to much more heinous targets.