A Profile of Michael C.Ruppert

I'm going to close off my political line of work for this year by talking about two things.  The first will be Michael C.Ruppert, a former narcotics detective turned investigative journalist.  The name of the documentary above comes from a lecture he gave to the University of Portland on November 28 2001. The lecture formed the basis for his book "Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil."  

In both his lecture (one of a number he gave around the world) and his book he argued that the events of September 11th were allowed to happen by the US government as a pretext for seizing the last reserves of the world's oil resources and also to maintain the drug trade in Afghanistan, which he argues supports Wall Street and the CIA.

His lecture gives excellent background to this argument, showing how the US Government or Government agencies are linked and are supported by major corporations.  He links this background to a timeline showing US complicity in the 9/11 attacks, their sheltering and protecting those suspected of being involved and their repeated ignorance of the many warnings they received before the attacks took place.

Much of Ruppert's ideas centre around Peak Oil, the idea that the world's supply of oil and gas has peaked and is in decline.  This formed the basis for the movie "Collapse" (2009) - trailer here .  In this movie which focusses entirely on Ruppert, he states that the military industrial complex which runs the world is in decline and is heading for an imminent breakdown.  His arguments are based around America, of which he is a native, but he describes Britain as being "a basket case".  His arguments in this movie are frightening but very compelling.

Ruppert himself is a fascinating individual.  His parents who were involved in the intelligence services, and he became a cop in the late 1970s working as, among other things, a narcotics detective for the Los Angeles Police Department in South-Central Los Angeles.  He was forced out of the LAPD after discovering evidence the CIA was trafficking drugs.  In 1996, he confronted CIA Director John Deutsch in Locke High School in Los Angeles.  Deutsch had travelled there to dispel rumours about the CIA's recently uncovered involvement in drugs, particularly with the Contras in Nicaragua.  When the floor was opened for discussion, Ruppert spoke into the microphone "I am a former Los Angeles narcotics detective and I can tell you, Director Deutsch, that the agency has been dealing drugs in this country for a long time."  The room erupted in a shower of cheering and applause as he went on to explain himself, explaining how he found out about the CIA's drug-related activities.  The video, now online, can be viewed here: .

Mike Ruppert now travels the US, continuing his lectures on Peak Oil and has appeared on television several times to discuss the subject.  He has founded his Collapse network and speaks to many communities across the US, who are preparing for the coming oil depletion. 

Now whether people agree with Ruppert is up to themselves but I believe he comes from an honest place and I think his voice should be heard.  Many in the United States and elsewhere are now listening to Mike Ruppert and the things he has to say.

I don't agree with everything he comes out with, and I know there are many who are working hard to ensure a transition from our current society to one that is less oil dependent.  Whether their work will be enough to prevent or mitigate the coming collapse, only time will tell.

Compelling, disturbing but always interesting to watch, Mike Ruppert tells it like it is and for that he should be commended.