Fred, I think I have made a better case for oil being the primary reason for coming invasion of Iraq than Bush has ever made for it not being the case. Hell, I'd say I can connect oil to this conflict better than Bush can connect 9/11 to it.
But since you ask, here is a recap:
(1) Self interest motivates international policies. Do you really think that Bush is planning to spend hundreds of billions of our money so that the people of Iraq are free and happy?
(2) When all other possibilities are excluded, you must accept whatever is left. I have done several detailed posts as to why Saddam is not a nuclear threat and what other cheaper and more humane ways exist for assuring he won't be a threat in future.
(3) As pointed out by Cho, countries that are against war with Iraq have lofty oil contract there and they find it very likely that their contracts will not be honored if US has its way. At the same time, US corporations are not allowed to make such deals with Iraq.
(4) I don't think Bush's buddies are happy about missing out on Iraqi oil. They want that damn oil and the easiest way they can get it is by pushing their o'l pal to abuse American lives and public funds to open the way for them.
Now last I checked Germany and Japan did not have oil to be exploited. In fact, every country you mentioned either doesn't have natural resources for America to exploit or the geopolitical landscape excludes it. So let me ask you this: show me a "friendly" developing nation in which the will of its people are respected more than the will of Washington. Can you bring any reason for our support of corrupt regimes except that their selling out their country to US? So (5) Rampant support of corrupt regimes around the world with the only common denominator being lucrative ties with US corporations goes a long way in convincing me we just want to have more of such regimes.
Unlike what you say, I do not have the slightest problem with foreign investment. I do however have a problem with putting a pupet regime in charge of a country to auction off its resources and calling that "liberation". Taking candy from a baby may be easy, but is not moral, especially when it involves mutilating the baby.
Aside from the moral issues, I don't see why public tax money and lives should be risked so that some fat pigs get even fatter. Make the case why it is in the American public's best interest to invade Iraq.
BTW, lest you are romanticizing American foreign policy, tell me how the will of the majority of Iraq's population will be met once we get rid of Saddam [hint: the Shia and the Kurds make 3/4 of the population].
Sun Tzu |
