What was that again about oil having nothing to do with why we invaded Iraq? And this bit about “a free Iraq that will fight terrorists instead of giving them aid and sanctuary” – what aid,* what sanctuary did Saddam offer Al Qaeda? How many roving bands of terrorists were wandering the Iraqi landscape before the war?
Oh, wait – this is a new reason, not why we went in in the first place, you say? Because there was no danger of terrorists getting control of all that lovely oil until after Saddam’s regime was toppled, and the terrorists flooded in? Wow, what a master stroke in The War Against Terror – invading a country with oil fields that weren’t in danger of falling under Those Bastards’ control and unleashing an insurgency that’s sabotaging the infrastructure and could take over the resources if we stop protecting them with blood and money? Way to go, guys!
*Yeh, yeh, yeh, payments to families of Palestinian suicide bombers – can we give that one a rest?
Sadly, as usual it’s a well-timed talking point. Now that gas prices are rocketing up, my guess is the average American response is “Hell yeah let’s get that oil!” Whatever stigma the oil reason might have had at the beginning of this entire mess is going to be overlooked in the name of cheaper prices.
I hate to piss on your parade, but it sez Fearless Leader said protecting oil was a reason to stay in Iraq, not a reason to go in (though I still suspect it was - well, not so much protecting their oil supply as making it “safe” for American oil companies to get their greasy mitts on it).
'Twill be interesting to see how the administration handles the “oil crisis” produced by Katrina.
Isn’t that kinda like pissing in the swimming pool and then talking about how you have to remain the lifeguard because there’s so damn much pee in the swimming pool now?
And color me confused as to why we need a specificaly US presence to safeguard the Iraqi people’s oil. Last time I checked we’re still giving the UN a bunch o’ downtown Manhattan real estate. But, um, stay the course! Freedom! Freedom and stay the course! Our enemies hate freedom! Freedom! Whee!
Okay, fair cop, though I remain convinced (as do you, I take it) that the desire to place greasy American oil company mitts on Iraq’s oil was an unadmitted part of what got us into this damn fool war to begin with.
What’s even more ironic in all of this is that Iraq’s oil production has collapsed against even 2001 levels, from ~2.2 barrels per day to ~1.3 million barrels per day. Even if we did go in for the oil, we’ve actually getting less now.
But The Leader has made perfectly clear this isn’t about seizing the oil fields for nefarioius purposes but as a policy of national defense, to keep them from falling into the wrong hands!
Lets make an analogy: suppose a country named, oh, I don’t know…Slutty Elbonia. Lets suppose Slutty Elbonia has vast amounts of oil, and a policy of appeasing Islamic religious fanatics with large donations of cash and other forms of support. (I could carry this analogy further by suggesting that maybe a majority of the 9/11 bombers were from Slutty Elbonia, but I don’t want to be ridiculous…)
We would be entirely within our rights to invade Slutty Elbonia in order to sever this line of support! Even more so if Slutty Elbonia had more oil than Iraq, or was offering more substantial support to terror than Saddam’s policy of building lavish, pro-terrorist palaces.
Since no such place as Slutty Elbonia exists, our policy of seizing Iraqi oil makes perfect sense, especially if we can insure that the proceeds from those oil fields will find their way into the hands of men of stern moral fiber, Christian men with demonstrably correct political affiliations, men who have shown their probity and wisdom by donations to the most patriotic and wise political party and their unstinting support for the policies of The Leader.
