Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil

Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil | Michael C. Ruppert | Superb Detailed Analysis of World Events + 9/11

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Crossing the Rubic...

	Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil Michael C. Ruppert New Society Publishers, 2004 - 696 pages average customer review:based on 184 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The magus of 9/11 literature

There are a vast multitude of books in the marketplace concerning the attacks of September 11, 2001. Some are worthwhile, offering up new sums of evidence and reasonable speculation worthy of inquiry. Still others are riddled with disinformation and misinformation, losing valuable facts in snowdrifts of paranoia that serve to distract readers from more important issues, whether or not by design (ie The Pentagon "missile" myth, controlled demolitions, etc). I was hesitant to fight my way through Ruppert's screed at first until I read a statement from him on his website that correlated my own belief: While the idea of demolitions or substitutes for aircraft are interesting, they will never be proved in the long run due to the destruction of physical evidence, much like the argument over the possible shootdown of Flight 93. Ruppert instead focuses on documents, news sources, eyewitness testimony, firsthand experience, and more to build his case.

Ruppert's hypothesis: The world is running out of hydrocarbon energy. Oil production is at or close to its maximum level of production; Once that level is crossed, you will never be able to pump that much oil again--ever. This theory is known as "peak oil," and there is an abundance of literature available on this topic as well. Ruppert shows that members of the Bush administration, well linked to the oil industry, are concerned about the effects of such a shortage. The one person he proves is knowledgable about peak oil is Dick Cheney through the text of a speech Cheney delivered in 1999.

Ruppert then moves on to show that the reason for concern isn't necessarily for the well being of the American populace or even the world at large, but for the survival of the corrupt American empire, a behemoth built on laundered drug money, black ops, CIA initiated coups d'etat and assassinations, rigged elections, and propaganda. Oil is what makes the system stay alive--and thus, it keeps the way of life for the elite powers alive.

Mike Ruppert continues further to show how this empire, frightened of the possibility of its demise, began planning to invade Eurasia as early as the late 1990s, as evidenced by neo-con motivated texts such as Brzezinski's "Grand Chessboard" and Rebuilding America's Defenses from the Plan For A New American Century. Their reason? To secure the last remaining oil reserves on Planet Earth, located in an area west of Iran that includes most of Iraq and the UAE. This happens to be the same area that Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force focused on when meeting just after coming into office in 2001--a fact that is pretty damning.

The writer goes on to show how the attacks were set up through Bin Laden, who the author believes was and still is a CIA/Wall Street asset, a mercenary for hire of sorts for the corporatocracy, which gives Nafeez Ahmed's findings of al-Qaeda being used in Western military campaigns a little more credence. Setting up the attacks through various fronts including al-Qaeda, the CIA, Pakistan's ISI, and others, the real question was ensuring the desired result. In other words: Shutting down defense and investigations through moles and republished directives on procedures.

Ruppert also makes one of the best cases for the influence of multiple war game exercises being responsible for the paralysis of air defense, and his research into the links between insider trading of affected stocks in the 9/11 tragedy with CIA Executive Director Buzzy Krongard, formerly of AB Brown, a bank linked to the insider profiteering.

All of this information is condensed by Ruppert to show a willful manipulation of both the defense and law enforcement sectors to ensure that 9/11 would transpire in order to provide a sufficient pretext for the War On Terror, which will likely become a decades-long crusade for energy and resources. He also makes a good case for the development of Homeland Security and the USA Patriot Act as a means to control dissent and populations once energy shortages become more apparent and civil disorder becomes likely.

What makes the book even better is the amount of sourcing and annotated footnotes he provides at the end to show that he's not just making this stuff up out of thin air.

Indeed, it is still a very circumstantial case. I don't think it would convict anyone where it stands. However, it's a great start. With sufficient inquiry and subpoeanas from uncompromised investigators and legislators, the blanks could be filled in.

Overall, Ruppert's presentation is well done. He is articulate, writes in a prose that is not overly academic, and shows he has a well-versed knowledge of covert operations and geopolitics.

Despite this, I fault some of his conclusions, such as his belief that remote control technology was used to pilot the 9/11 planes in their final moments. It's an interesting hypothesis, and he provides sufficient evidence for further investigation, but I personally find the ability to successfully implement it without obstruction or observation unlikely. This doesn't deter the book from being the most important book of the 21st century, however.

Taken in with other 9/11 activist books such as Sander Hicks' "The Big Wedding," Paul Thompson's "The Terror Timeline," and Nafeez Ahmed's "The War on Freedom" and "The War on Truth," this book shows that the 9/11 Commission didn't answer anything, but instead were merely put in place to whitewash and spin the public into thinking a real investigation took place.

Again, the most important book of the 21st Century, one that has been of the highest assistance with understanding continual developments in the world today. Want to know why tensions seem to be growing with Russia and China? Read this book. Want to understand why Venezuela and Cuba are in the picture again? Read this book.

Other reccomended titles similar to understanding the corporate empire: "Dark Alliance" by Gary Webb; "Drug War" by Dan Russell, "Cocaine Politics" by Peter Dale Scott; "Powderburns" by Celerino Castillo; "Deep Politics and the Death of JFK" by Peter Dale Scott; "Politics of Heroin" by Alfred McCoy, and "Barry and the Boys" by Daniel Hopsicker.

Essential!

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Superb Detailed Analysis of World Events + 9/11

Crossing the Rubicon was one of the first books I read in this subject area, but I've subsequently realised it is the best. Michael Ruppert was someone I found out about when, like many, I tried finding out about the realities of 9/11 and the politics and manoeuvring behind the scenes. I watched one of his lectures delivered at a University in which he covers, at a high level, all the major topics addressed in Crossing the Rubicon.

Rupert uses the massive interest in the attacks of 9/11 to get the reader interested, and then begins on his analysis. The core issues discussed in the book are:

- The role 'Peak Oil' plays in the geopolitical world
- US markets dependence on the 'liquid cash' of drug money
- Links between wall street and CIA - to the point where he concludes 'wallstreet is the CIA, CIA is wallstreet'.
- CIA drug trafficking and money laundering, including details of covert operations and how they were covered up.
- US tactics used to destabilise governments and support coups in strategic areas
- Mike Vreeland - who predicted the 9/11 attacks in details months prior and tried warning the government - something that is officially recorded.
- PROMIS software and the its role in the world of high tech crime.
- Blow-by-Blow analysis of the events of 9/11, and the best timeline I have read to date. Ruppert details the chain of command on the day, other events scheduled for that same day, the role of war games being played out on the day also.
- Biological warfare is looked at, exploring who was behind the 'anthrax' samples spread to people in the US via mail, and a look at the scary world of forced vaccinations and their results
- We end with another look at 'Peak Oil' and predictions about where the 'war on terror', which is really a 'war on oil and drugs', will go next.

This book has been a massive education for me. It is a disturbing book and its details will make readers very uncomfortable and at times just plain angry that such information is not being broadcast to the masses on TV. I cannot say that I checked all the hundreds of references in this book, but the ones I did check out were all credible. Reading this books gives you a much clearer picture of what is really going on in the world today and what are its driving forces
and who are the key players.

Many people are misdirecting their criticism of the 'war on terror' and as a Muslim I know many feel its a war on Islam. After reading this book I can know say confidently 'Its not a war on Islam, as the US need Saudi Arabia as a strong ally to get at Saudi oil, to have them as a key supporter of it Persian gulf area. They are key as approximately $700 billion of Saudi Money is invested in the US economy'. Before reading this book I could not have given, nor would have given that answer.

There are two small things that detract slightly from this book in my view and they are the following:

1. Using 9/11 to get people interested.
Ruppert talks about a lot more than 9/11, but he continually refers to it to keep the readers interest. The same can be seen in his lectures. This is a minor point, but at times it is a bit irritating for the readers who are prepared to wait and do not need to hear 'ok - we are going to get to the juicy part in a few pages!' constantly.

2. Self Importance + Promotion of From the Wilderness Magazine

Ruppert is constantly quoting from his magazine 'From the Wilderness' which is a subscription only publication, and many times he talks about how his predictions were right, how 'From the Wilderness' readers had this information in advance, and there is a lot of self promotion. This, again, is a minor criticism as he is selling products, like all of us he has to make a living etc. It does not detract from the material, but at times it can be frustrating.

Its interesting to note that in the US this book on Amazon has mixed reviews from readers, with some angrily opposed to its content. In the UK based Amazon reviews its has 100% 5-star record. The reason is simple - the book paints a very negative picture of the US government, and its foreign policy, and for some this is just too much to deal with. Denial is then the only path to avoid massive guilt for Americans who support - or have supported - the current administration.

To conclude this book is a must read for everyone. Its 600 pages, so that will immediately limit its appeal, but its the most rewarding political book I have read to date. Its analysis fits world events and it opens the readers eyes to the real issues in the world today.

I recommend anyone considering this book should buy it read it right till the end - as there are some special bits of information saved till the very last chapter.

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Scholarly, brilliant work

Michael Ruppert's book, "Crossing the Rubicon" rips veil after veil away from your eyes. It is well written and well edited, and flows along briskly. I couldn't put it down. His ideas are backed up by hundreds of footnotes, which serve as a springboard for your own research. If you are happy in a make-believe world, don't bother reading this book. If you want to take the "red pill" and see the matrix, buy this book. I am recommending it to every one I can. Entertaining and horrifying at the same time.

Scariest book I ever read

This book is not for those who are looking for a quick read. It takes awhile to get through if you want to absorb and digest all the information it contains. However, if you do make it through it you will look at our government, and how we live our lives and the use of petroleum based products in an entirely new way. Some may call it conspiracy theory, fear mongering, or downright treasonous, but the footnotes are there to check the authors work. After reading it I had many doubts about our government, and many unanswered questions.

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Disturbing, eye-opening, but not sold

Ruppert's book pulls a lot of stuff together -- maybe in the end, too much. I was weary of it after 590 pages, and his concluding argument "summation to the jury" was to me the weakest chapter in the book. Perhaps it is just not possible, yet, to boil down Peak Oil, Patriot Act shenanigans, govt complicity in 9-11, PROMIS software and the kitchen sink into a single Theory of Everything. However, the author deserves a high grade for trying and is certainly worth reading.
Conspiracy theories are always interesting, but ultimately become just a weird dream. The world as observed every day is just not that organized. It is very competitive, full of lots of motivations: selfishness, greed, altruism, power, weakness, lust, and lots of other adjectives in myriad languages and civilizations, which makes a difference. Could even Dick Cheney could rule this world? The author seems to view Cheney as an extraordinarily powerful, evil genius, heading up a strategic, technological and imperial marvel. Does the daily evidence prove this out?
The book might've actually been stronger had the author not tried to pull it all together!
However, it isn't fair to this book to derisively call it a "conspiracy tract." The book leaves the reader with much to think about, including an alternative view of the history of what happened with Afghanistan and the whole Central Asian region during the last 20 or 30 years. People who think this region disappeared from the U.S. strategic map after the Soviet Empire fell are very wrong.
I'd have to read a lot of other opinions about whether Peak Oil is what Ruppert says it is, but his view of how the govt and oil industry would react doesn't seem unlikely. Whether these "powers" would drive 9-11 to force the U.S. to "send in the cavalry"....not at all convinced. Ruppert doesn't seem to give much credence to the ambitions of those currently identified as the perpetrators. This seems like a huge blind spot: perhaps one caused by too rich a view of the West's power and endless hegemony.
However, the author does open eyes to the complexity of 9-11 in terms of what would motivate such an obscenity and how the event would, and has played out in the machinations of various interests around the world.

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