Cambodia's offshore oil deposits may exceed expectations. Liberation of Cambodia to begin in 3... 2... 1

Tara said the Cambodian government was taking a long-term view to oil investment regarding its potential to boost the national economy but lacked the finances to develop its oil and gas reserves without foreign investment.

"Cambodia is poor. Finding oil provides huge potential for the national economy. We intend to use this revenue for the purposes of our national interest," he said.

I'm sure the U.S. can help Cambodia with some of those 'essential' purchases.

It would have to be Vietnam to help them eh?I mean,they have already Liberated them when others would not...

Cambodia's offshore oil deposits may exceed expectations. Liberation of Cambodia to begin in 3... 2... 1

A noble thought but let's look at the math and the choices. The article estimates the reserves could double the GDP which is roughly $27B as measured in 2004. So a 2B barrels that's roughly $13 per barrel of net profit, which in theory belongs to the Cambodian people, not the Cambodian government.

If the Cambodian government keeps it all (likely), then the best that could and will ever happen is a doubling of the GDP as the article suggests.

But let's look at it from another standpoint. Let's say the government keeps half of the expected windfall from sale of these oil development rights. Then let's say that the government divides the other half among the 6M or so adults in the population, who in theory own the rights anyway.

This would put approximately $2000 into the pocket of every adult in the country, which roughly the average equivalent of 6 years of wages.

If the government would then take a hands off policy in the economic market and let the free market develop, then potentially this would be enough investment to do much more than double the GDP. Maybe it would even triple or quadruple it over the next 5-10 years.

That't what the Cambodian people really need. Let the government invest in the people with resources that the people own and let the free market develop. All they need to do is look at Hong Kong and Singapore as examples. Would anything like this really happen? I doubt it, maybe 1 chance in 10. But I guess there is hope.

(Compare that with a socialist state like Venezuela where the government controls the oil, doesn't invest in the people and although being one of the world's top oil producers still has per capita income only nearly the same as all of the other countries in the nearby latin american and south american regions. The government controls the oil and controls the money, instead of letting the people of the country enjoy its riches.)

(Compare that with a socialist state like Venezuela where the government controls the oil, doesn't invest in the people and although being one of the world's top oil producers still has per capita income only nearly the same as all of the other countries in the nearby latin american and south american regions. The government controls the oil and controls the money, instead of letting the people of the country enjoy its riches.)

Venezuala has taken control of it's own oil reserves, 70% of them are as yet untapped, it's government is distributing it's income much more equally than previous U.S. backed administrations which caused such disparity of wealth and polarisation in the first place. It will take a long time to reverse 50 years of oppression, but you can't lay the blame of it's problems at the feet of the current administration.

South American people have had enough of U.S. backed corruption and genocide and are voting for self determination.

Well obviously you aren't going to like that, the writing is on the wall for the U.S.

Putting two grand in the pocket of every Cambodian to develop a free market is not what this very poor country needs.

They will simply run out and buy cellphones, TVs and crap they don't need; all profits to big corps. and money from a non-renewable resource gone forever.

Yes, the GDP numbers will rise and that will make a bunch of tenured academics happy and they can write lots of papers about it in their splendiferous aircon offices on leafy campuses.

Cambodia desperately needs infrastructure: paved roads, sanitation, schools, rural electricity and hospitals.

BTW, Venezuela's oil riches are now flowing far more to those who need help rather than to those with condos in Miami. And hidden offshore money doesn't show up in the GDP figures.

BTW2, HK and Singapore are cities,not countries with rural poverty. And nr one had the <deleted> bombed out of it by Herr Kissinger nor the ensuing civil war.

Putting two grand in the pocket of every Cambodian to develop a free market is not what this very poor country needs.

They will simply run out and buy cellphones, TVs and crap they don't need; all profits to big corps. and money from a non-renewable resource gone forever.

What a jaded patronistic opinion! How about they could also buy homes, vehicles, food, etc.? Regardless, even if they would choose to buy a phone or a TV, it would be their choice, their freedom to choose how to spend their money. Oh and by the way, they have to buy those things somewhere, such as stores owned by other Cambodians.

Cambodia desperately needs infrastructure: paved roads, sanitation, schools, rural electricity and hospitals.

I believe that I suggested a 50/50 split, precisely so that the government would have an opportunity to invest in civil projects like roads, clean water, etc. But you probably didn't bother to interpret it that way.

Regardless, my real point was that there is no place in history where it has been proven that if the government retains and controls all of a country's wealth, that the citizens of that country benefit and prosper.

BTW, Venezuela's oil riches are now flowing far more to those who need help rather than to those with condos in Miami. And hidden offshore money doesn't show up in the GDP figures.

BTW2, HK and Singapore are cities,not countries with rural poverty. And nr one had the <deleted> bombed out of it by Herr Kissinger nor the ensuing civil war.

More nonsense. Venezuela is one of the top 5 or 6 oil producers in the world yet most of its people live in poverty with no opportunity to share in the natural wealth. The country's oil reserves belong to the citizens of Venezuela, yet are controlled by a communist central government with little distribution to the citizens.

HK and Singapore are city-states and have tons of poverty. But they also have free market capitalism and their citizens more or less have freedom to choose their own work, destiny, etc. Neither Camdodia or Venezuela can claim the latter.

As for your ridiculous attempt to slam past US action in SEA, it was the limp noodle pacifist retreat that allowed Pol Pot to come to power and decimate the middle and upper middle class of the country. I love how you chumps can take a topic like Cambodian oil and spin into an anti-US rant by the end of your post. Obviously a preconceived agenda!

It will take a long time to reverse 50 years of oppression, but you can't lay the blame of it's problems at the feet of the current administration.

South American people have had enough of U.S. backed corruption and genocide and are voting for self determination.

You make it sound as if the current Venezuelan people are not oppressed by the current communist regime. I'm sorry but communist governments are oppressive by their very nature. Venezuela, Cuba, Soviet Union, East Germany, China, etc. How are/were those regimes not repressive?

As for your last statement, I can't deny that parts of the US government and economy are corrupt. But it's the exception not the rule, contrary to many other countries. As for your allegations of genocide, well I'm sorry but that statement is just too banana-brained to justify a response. What nonsense!

Forever and in answer to all your posts, I shall refer to this as post #8.

You are in denial of objective reality.

That't what the Cambodian people really need. Let the government invest in the people with resources that the people own and let the free market develop. All they need to do is look at Hong Kong and Singapore as examples. Would anything like this really happen? I doubt it, maybe 1 chance in 10. But I guess there is hope.

(Compare that with a socialist state like Venezuela where the government controls the oil, doesn't invest in the people and although being one of the world's top oil producers still has per capita income only nearly the same as all of the other countries in the nearby latin american and south american regions. The government controls the oil and controls the money, instead of letting the people of the country enjoy its riches.)

As for your ridiculous attempt to slam past US action in SEA, it was the limp noodle pacifist retreat that allowed Pol Pot to come to power and decimate the middle and upper middle class of the country. I love how you chumps can take a topic like Cambodian oil and spin into an anti-US rant by the end of your post. Obviously a preconceived agenda!

Why don't you go and pen your immature drivel to someone who gives a shit. Your view is unreallistic and your arguements are full of holes.

I know it's a case of anything goes in Bedlam but you are a really offensive little turd.

Forever and in answer to all your posts, I shall refer to this as post #8.

You are in denial of objective reality.

Spoken like one who accepts doctrine in the church of political correctness

Leftoid, this stuff is precisely why we sarcastically label you the "reality based" community...

Vietnam will help Cambodia. They are used to it.

Vietnam will help Cambodia. They are used to it.

They were the only ones who rescued

Cambodia from it's unimaginable nightmare.

And were immediately condemned for it.

Spoken like one who accepts doctrine in the church of political correctness

Leftoid, this stuff is precisely why we sarcastically label you the "reality based" community...

why we sarcastically label you the "reality based" community...

Thing about you Boon I feel that there is a modicum of integrity in your personality and a large dose of humour in what you say.

But Spee... he's just a farkin eeedjit.

Ahhhh, the good old days. The war of Good vs Evil, Light vs Dark, Ying vs Yang, Boon Mee/Spee and Ulysses G against Butterfly and the rest of the world !

Certain topics seem to get people's panties in a twist in a hurry. Politics and Religion (Hi Suegha ! ) especially.

When discussing/debating these matters, try to remember a couple of things.

Most people have the right to their own opinion (globe-trotting, drink dispensing wabbits being the exception). You may not agree with their views, and that is your right. Feel free to dispute their ideas, but try to do so in a reasoned, thought-out manner.

Many good discussions have died sudden deaths here when they degenerated into name-calling flame fests.

Step back, take a breather, make some notes, do a little research and then respond. I have literally spent hours formulating replies to some posts. Searching for relevant information, trying to seperate fact from fiction, writing and editing my replies.

Done properly, you can slice opponents to pieces and get the Last Laugh as you watch them flounder. Let the other guy be the one to have to resort to flaming. That shows who knows what they are talking about, and who is just talking out of their arse.

He's still a farkin' eedjit.

Why don't you go and pen your immature drivel to someone who gives a shit. Your view is unreallistic and your arguements are full of holes.

I know it's a case of anything goes in Bedlam but you are a really offensive little turd.

I rarely agree with Spee, but if his arguement is full of holes, show them by debating and giving counterpoints. Resorting to name calling is the sign of an amature.

Maybe try debating in the pets forum until you're ready for Bedlam?

Maybe try debating in the pets forum until you're ready for Bedlam?

Or better yet, go hang out in the Jokes section for that is what your posts consist of... (ski)

I think the best thing really is that I don't bother with any of these gung ho threads.

I don't doubt that I can find plenty of evidence to counter his opinion, but it's not a debate that Boon Mee or Spee want only a diatribe.

They're better preaching to the already converted.

I'm far from unintelligent and if I want to say somebody is a farkin eedjit or full of gung ho BS then I'll say it because I mean it.

If you say that means I've lost the argument then who cares? There's a saying along the lines that there's no point arguing with an idiot.

The definition of intelligence is the ability to accept new ideas, I can do that, but I can't accept these bias incitments to hatred.

So ok I'm out of here, call it a victory if you want, one of the goals of this 'new world order' is to stifle opinion. You win.

Have fun.

There's a saying along the lines that there's no point arguing with an idiot.

Fortunately they usually give up and go away on their own accord.

So ok I'm out of here, call it a victory if you want, one of the goals of this 'new world order' is to stifle opinion. You win

So ok I'm out of here,

I'm not as charitable or diplomatic as cdnvic so I'll just say..."don't let the door hit you in the ass!"

Vietnam will help Cambodia. They are used to it.

They were the only ones who rescued

Cambodia from it's unimaginable nightmare.

And were immediately condemned for it.

I wonder why??