Can We Sue Germany for WWII?

[Minimalist]

Manipulate the price of oil.

They've been doing this for three years now trying to drive frackers out of business. It doesn't seem to be working.

Better news yet -- they're depleting their reserves ever more quickly in the attempt, meaning that in the foreseeable future they'll go back to being irrelevant assholes unable to finance madrasas and Al-Qaeda operations.

They're having an impact.

https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/232115/...production

Low Oil Prices 'Slams Brakes' on North Dakota Production

[The Grand Nudger]

Why pay more for your own when someone else will sell you his cheaper.

[Thumpalumpacus]

They've been doing this for three years now trying to drive frackers out of business. It doesn't seem to be working.

Better news yet -- they're depleting their reserves ever more quickly in the attempt, meaning that in the foreseeable future they'll go back to being irrelevant assholes unable to finance madrasas and Al-Qaeda operations.

They're having an impact.

https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/232115/...production

Low Oil Prices 'Slams Brakes' on North Dakota Production

They've certainly had an effect ... but only at the cost of broaching their own social compact:

The shift away from fossil fuel presents a formidable challenge to the ruling monarchy, which has long relied on oil revenue to provide its citizens with generous welfare benefits and cushy government jobs. Last year, oil revenue accounted for more than 70% of overall government revenue.

Two years of low oil prices have strained the kingdom’s finances, resulting in a record budget deficit of about $98 billion in 2015. It has also drawn down its foreign-exchange reserves, which fell to about $581 billion at the end of April from a peak of $746 billion in August 2014.

The government has taken some steps to address this, issuing domestic bonds, cutting spending and raising the domestic cost of fuel, water and electricity. It borrowed $10 billion from a consortium of global banks in April and could raise as much as $15 billion by selling bonds for the first time to international investors, some bankers said.

The kingdom’s debt is likely to grow further: The NTP document says the nation’s ratio of debt to gross domestic product is expected to widen to 30% by 2020, from 7% today.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabia...1465252667

I wonder how those changes will go over domestically there? Easy Street is in the rear-view mirror, and we all know what happens to autocracies once the money stops flowing. They're in a pickle, and good, I say.

[RobertE]

Also, there would be kind of a queue in suing Germany. The USA would be pretty much at the end of the line as far as damages go. Maybe second to last to Brazil.

Ireland would be lower down the list. We'd have a case for the mistaken bombing of Dublin, but that's it.

If the Brits ever sued the fenians for the IRA bombings on mainland Great Britain, you won't have anything left. Off-topic, I have always found the subject of the USA and Saudi Arabia interesting. I mean, what is it about Saudi Arabia that they can do anything they want with regards to disrespecting human rights under, even to present day, yet criticise China in the next breath? Does Saudi Arabia have anything over the USA?

[The Grand Nudger]

I don;t think that SA needs to have anything over the US to act like a bunch of twats.  They can handle that all on their on.

[Pat Mustard]

What are they going to do, come move the buildings they own here over to SA? Perhaps seize Chase by force of arms?

I don't think you're thinking this through. The interconnection of the world's economy means that every country worth mentioning has hooks on every other country worth mentioning -- especially America, a favorite investment destination. We don't need Saudi cooperation to impound funds generated in America by Saudi investments.

But then the Saudis could decide to stop selling us oil, and then we'd have a real problem on our hands.  What you've described is more of a cold war, not a lawsuit.  And I really don't think that pissing off Saudi Arabia is a good idea.

The US is virtually energy independent these days, and the majority of its imports come from Canada. KSA doesn't have much of an oil leverage currently.

[abaris]

I mean, what is it about Saudi Arabia that they can do anything they want with regards to disrespecting human rights under, even to present day, yet criticise China in the next breath? Does Saudi Arabia have anything over the USA?

It's rather obvious, isn't it? Largest known oil reserves in the world and a first class strategic position, as far as geography is concerned. Apart from the fact that the Saudis have invested heavily in American copmpanies as well as politicians.

[Alex K]

Also, there would be kind of a queue in suing Germany. The USA would be pretty much at the end of the line as far as damages go. Maybe second to last to Brazil.

Yeah, sorry, the US abdicated all further claims against Germany when they made Wernher v.B. a national hero

[abaris]

Yeah, sorry, the US abdicated all further claims against Germany when they made Wernher v.B. a national hero

He's not even the worst one. Assistants of Sigmund Rascher were shipped there too. And Rascher was quite a special puppy. Even compared to Braun.

[Faith No More]

What I want to know is how they got a 99-1 vote against the veto. The only time you normally see that kind of consensus is when they're giving themselves a raise.