format_quote Originally Posted by
Fishman
:sl:
Niether. I think that Bush did it to get a better position in the Middle East by removing a regime he didn't like. None of the Iraqi oil has gone to America so far.
:w:
Quite true. No Iraqi oil is going to the US. In fact the war has cost many Americans Jobs. Lots of the Oil field workings in Iraq were American and other nationalities. The tours in Iraq were very lucrative jobs for American Oil Field workers. Most of them Worked 3 months on, 3 months off. With a one year contract they usually worked 6 months out of the year and got paid for a full year, plus housing and transportation.
Oil prices in the US are actually dropping now with less coming from the mideast. It is expensive to transport it from the mid east to the US. To keep the price competative with Domestic oil costs, the Mid east oil has to be close to free to offset the shipping price.
Even if the US owned Iraq, it would still be more cost effective for the US to tap into the non producing reserves. The reserves in Colorodo alone are many times more then what is available in Iraq.
The simple reality of why we got involved in Iraq is because of out right stupidity. George was convinced that Iraq was planning to launch an all out offensive against the West. The threat was not there, but unreliable sources really convinced the American public that it was true.
Now the problem is we are there and how do we get out without it costing more innocent Iraqi lives. The country is in Chaos, there is no central government. The ugly picture is as soon as the US is gone, anarchy will rule. The future is very bleak the Kurds will probably be exterminated. The ongoing Civil war is going to weaken the country suffieciently that an Iran invasion is going to be a walk in met with no opposistion.
The other problem as any military person will tell you, a withdrawal is very hazardous and very slow. Any rapid withdrawal is going to result in many more deaths and even more chaos in the country. As soon as the US begins a noticiable withdrawal, the civil war will become a war of each man for himself and there will be many more widespread bloodbaths throughout the country as each internal group fights for control.
Now the reason we are in Iraq is neither, Oil, nor any desire to wage war on Islam. We got in there out of stupidity and lack of knowledge about Iraq.
Yes, Bush did have a vindetta against Iraq, but he does not have suficient power to wage war unless many people had the same thoughts. Fear and stupidity overcame too many people.