Dont underestimate Saudi's power to influence oil prices over the next few years. If they want to increase their revenues all they need to do is to reduce supply 5% more.
Which leads us to the ultimate moment of truth with regard to the overthrow of Saddam..
We have to ask ourselves something.. If Saudi Arabia is the root of the militant Islamic terrorist problem with its militant Wahhabist sect in control over Islamic holy sites...
And the Saudi royal family has been paying "protection" money to the militants in order to prevent their own ouster, which has effectively financed the spread of Islamic militantcy throughout the world....
And Saudi Arabia holds that much control over the economy of the West (not just the US), due to their role as primary energy supplier...
Then, would it not have been strategic suicide for the US to confront Saudi Arabia immediately after this 9/11 related evidence presented itself? To overthrow the Saudis when they could immediately disrupt global energy supplies, resulting in a global recession (inflation?)
Did it not make sense to overthrow Saddam and set the stage for Iraq to replace Saudi Arabia as the primary energy supplier to the west, thereby permitting the US to pressure the Saudis to crack down on the militant clerics...
And would it not make sense for Bush to delay igniting the debate within the US against the Saudis until they had been provided the opportunity to take concrete actions against their militants, as well as to increase Iraqi oil production??
Put in this strategic perspective, the invasion of Iraq CERTAINLY fits within the definition of a "War on Terror", since just as we invade Vichy French North Africa in order to surround Rommel, we're using Iraq to give us a base for potentially dealing with an intransigent Saudi Royal family, should they be unwilling (unable) to deal with their terrorist clerics...
And if forced to overthrow them, the Hashemites, including a very westernized King Abdullah of Jordan, stand ready to once again assert their claim to the Hijaz, where the Islamic holy sites are located.
So those who continue to oppose the invasion of Iraq as not being part of the war on terror need to reassess the analysis, IMO... Regardless of whether WMDs are found in Iraq, rebuilding the oil industry of that country and creating some stability there is KEY to fighting terrorism at its heart, Saudi Arabia.
Hawk |
