Tuesday, October 23, 2007

How's the genocide going, Warren? Another take on Buffett

David Weidner has another take on Warren Buffett. He is far more generous than the headline. And PS, I am exaggerating with the headlines.

"The Chinese government is the one that has a position in relation to the Sudan," Buffett said in an interview with Fox Business last week. "And they have it -- if you own any one of the 30 largest companies in publicly traded companies in China, you will have the Chinese government as your majority partner. And the question is, are you responsible for their actions?"

Human-rights groups said they were disappointed Darfur didn't figure into Buffett's decision.

Don't believe a word of it. Buffett is far too smart to believe his own lines. The state oil company, China National Petroleum, is the parent of PetroChina and a partner with Sudan for oil ventures there. Many top managers at PetroChina are executives of the state company, CNPC. Oil proceeds fund the Sudanese government's efforts there, along with the brutality, rape and torture.

If it were all about the profit, Buffett, by his own admission, left money on the table. "I still sold it way too soon," he said.

This doesn't sound like investing the Warren Buffett way.

Berkshire owned more than 11% of PetroChina when it bought its stake in 2006. So, with the stock rising, he sells all of it in a matter of months after an investor protest at the Berkshire annual meeting? Unlikely.

Warren Buffett was uncomfortable with this investment. And if he wasn't? Then he's as deluded as the sick people who are profiting from the suffering in Africa.

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