Not for oil?

"As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the republic is destroyed." -- President Abraham Lincoln

...The Iraq War was launched on March, 2003.

The following stock quotes are from January 2, 2003 (therefore, two months before the Iraq War!), January 2, 2004, January 3, 2005, and August 12, 2005.

1. Houston, Texas-based Halliburton Company (HAL)

    1/2/03: $19.18
    1/2/04: $26.03
    1/3/05: $38.02
    8/12/05: $58.82 (volume: 4,885,100)

    In roughly 2 1/2 years, Halliburton's stock increased 307%, i.e., it more than tripled in value.

2. Houston, Texas-based Marathon Oil Corp (MRO)

    1/2/03: $21/73
    1/2/04: $33.25
    1/3/05: $36.58
    8/12/05: $63.41 (volume: 2,322,100)

    In roughly 2 1/2 years, Marathon's stock increased 292%


3. San Antonio, Texas-based Tesoro Petroleum Corporation (TSO)

    1/2/03: $4.35
    1/2/04: $14.81
    1/3/05: $29/85
    8/12/05: $54.98 (volume: 1,611,200)

    In roughly 2 1/2 years, Tesoro's stock increased over 12 fold. (Multiply your present income by 12 to get a sense of this!).

4. San Antonio, Texas-based Valero Energy Corporation (VLO)

    1/2/03: $19.06 (adjusted for split)
    1/2/04: $23.01 (adjusted for split)
    1/3/05: $43.06
    8/12/05: $93.80 (volume: 4,931,400)

   In roughly 2 1/2 years, Valero's stock increased 479%

5. Houston, Texas-based Conocophillips, formerly known as Phillips Petroleum co. (COP)

    1/2/03: $24.67 (adjusted for split)
    1/2/04: $32.74 (adjusted for split)
    1/3/05: $42.06 (adjusted for split)
    8/12/05: $66.05 (volume: 5,356,200)

    In roughly 2 1/2 years, Conocophillips' stock increased 268%

6. Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobile Corp (X OM)

    1/2/03: $35.47
    1/2/04: $40.63
    1/3/05: $50.09
    8/12/05: $61.05 (volume: 16,207,300)
 
    ...Certainly proof positive that Texas-based energy companies are getting astronomically rich during (because of?) the Iraq War.   

 Indeed, the wider the wealth gap gets, the more the rest of us seem to be losing quite literally everything. Case in point? A July 1, 2005 article in the New York Times has the title: The Nontaxpaying Affluent Grew by 15% in One Year.

In case you can remember, gas prices in 2000 averaged around $1.62. Gas prices now are $2.50 plus. Ouch! William O'Rouke from the Chicago Sun-Times (8/14/05) writes, "Most everyone connected to Big Oil is raking in the dough. President Bush signed the oil-rich energy bill at the Sandia National Laboratories, flanked again by smiling white guys."

Speaking of whom, one wonders how much Dick Cheney's ultra secret Energy Task Force factors into all of this...

W. Christopher Epler (8/23)