http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/19004Exit Strategy
Tue, 2007-02-27 17:25.
By David Podvin, Make Them Accountable
When George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13303 that effectively transferred Iraqi oil into American custody it constituted history’s greatest acquisition of wealth. Iraq contains proven oil reserves of 115 billion barrels, and geological surveys indicate that a similar amount of unconfirmed petroleum deposits exist. At current prices, the oil that lies beneath the Iraqi sand is worth approximately fourteen trillion dollars.
If America were to leave Iraq it would constitute history’s greatest forfeiture of wealth, so America will not leave. Although the Democrats are saying the United States must withdraw sooner and the Republicans are saying the United States must withdraw later, it is performance art worthy of Oscar consideration. The American military isn’t going anywhere. Not sooner. Not later. Not ever. America’s exit strategy is to stay, which explains why hugely expensive military bases are being constructed throughout Iraq. The world’s only superpower did not build its financial juggernaut by being the type of impetuous nation that repudiates fourteen trillion dollars.
American soldiers are permanently stationed in more than a hundred countries, so Iraq will be just one more. At some point America will bring the troops home from the Iraqi War in the same way that the troops were recalled from World War II, meaning some of the soldiers will be repatriated while others remain positioned to protect business interests. This scenario will occur because when big money is involved democracy goes on sabbatical. It has been said that had Al Gore won the 2000 election America would not have invaded Iraq, but Al Gore did win the 2000 election and America did invade Iraq. No matter who wins the next election the United States military will grace the Iraqi landscape until the Apocalypse arrives or petroleum becomes worthless.
For the corporatists who run America, the immediate challenge is to craft a plausible narrative that justifies remaining in the Iraqi quagmire. “We stole their oil and fully intend to keep it!” is a substandard patriotic rallying cry. “Their invisible weapons of mass destruction imperil our little children!” has already been tried and found lacking. “It is all about democracy!” now elicits cringes even from the few deceivers still sufficiently brazen to utter the words. “If we don’t fight them over there we will have to fight them over here!” is an unsettling declaration since it focuses attention on the ominous fact that they are outfighting us over there. And so, the strategy is to find another exigent situation requiring military action.
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