Was the war on Iraq a preventive measure to avoid the kind of

[CoffeeAnnan]

disruption that occurred in 1973 when OPEC organized a boycott of the U.S. in protest against its support of Israel?I was wondering why we always reach for the gun when we can just easily get all the oil we need by a simple commercial transaction.

After some thought, it seems that we want to impose our will that all oil transactions including those of other nations be conducted in US Dollars and do not want any Arab nation to challenge our support of Israel. I guess those reasons make it necessary for us to take the route of the gun.

[chicagojoe]

1. BINGO

[peacetalksforall]

2. All America is suffering from the earth resources-Israel agenda.

Israel could be settled with diplomacy and peaceful intentions. War may be more profitable than oil. Protecting Israel and collecting riches for a few seems to be the course.

We know that Rumsfeld and Cheney have thanked the families of the dead and wounded in Iraq and the U.S. and coalition countries for their assistance in their plan? Has Sharon?

Should I be feeling bitter and betrayed again - or - should we admire the risks that the war cabal has taken for themselves? In spite of trying to cheat the citizens in every way to improve their profits?

This is not OUR war - it is the war cabal's WAR.

[Strelnikov_]

3. Somewhat, For Two Reasons. Peak Oil And Peak Deficit

Peak Oil -

The Middle East contains 2/3 of the world’s remaining oil reserves. More importantly, most of the world’s oil will be coming from the ME in 10 years. Powers with land routes to the ME (China, Russia) have an advantage when time comes to seize the remaining supply. The Neo-Cons intent is to build a cold-war military infrastructure in the region, similar to what we had in Europe, to pre-empt any attack through MAD. That is, the cost to seize the resources will far outweigh the gain.

Peak Deficit -

The current accounts deficit is running 6%+ of GDP, with no sign of abating. Due to the 'miracle' of compound interest working both ways, at a 6%+ GDP yearly current accounts deficit, pretty soon we will have so much accumulated debt the only way out will be default. At that point, so much for the dollar. In other words, the US will not be able to afford foreign oil (60%+ of current consumption) much longer.

In addition, one of our major rivals for these resources, the Communist Chinese, are using the dollars gained from the massive trade imbalance to buy US Federal debt (the money has to flow back somehow), and purchase oil reserves, most recently from Iran, Venezuela and currently negotiating with Canada. The GOP and outsourcing CEO’s have therefore provided our rivals the tools to wage economic warfare against us.

The petro-dollar issue is just one more weapon they can use against us. If we were still a vibrant, producing economy, the switch from petro-dollars would not be nearly as severe a blow to the US economy as it will now be due to the GOP selling the US down the river for short-term stock gains by the rich.


So, the only conclusion that I can draw is that the GOP has given up on market economics, and have decided to seize the ME reserves before our military power wanes as a result of economic collapse.

[CoffeeAnnan]

4. I agree with the part about the GOP giving up on market economics.

That has been evident long before the Iraq War.Most GOP'ers while professing faith in the power of markets, like nothing better than a sure thing, a backroom deal and a preferred status.One needs to look no farther than Bush's VP to see what this risk averse man has done,going through the revolving door from government to industry to government back again enriching himself at the public trough while professing his faith in free enterprise with all its attendant risks.