Big Picture Thinking

[tufchic]

Hi,

i don't think we would even be entertaining the idea of war in Iraq if the number one export was say oranges.

That notion has been destroyed so many times, it's past the glue stage.

i never said that oil was the entire motivation but it is a motivation. however, you believe what you want. just be aware of the propaganda machine.

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i have heard many folks around message boards and in the media woefully ignorant of their middle east history. Great Britain found themselves colonial conqueror of Iraq after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and broke their many promises for autonomy for you guessed, the oil. they even decided to throw some chemicals on an uprising in 1921 for again, the oil.

that oil temptation is hanging out there. GWB and Cheney certainly have oil connections and while the facts are not entirely in, it's there hanging. (i base my suspicion on the fact that the GWB admin. tends to favor their rich friends.)

the other alleged motivations (democracy, weapons of mass destruction, supporting terrorists, the evil actions of Saddam) are thin at best without solid proof. if there is an Iraqi 9-11 terrorists, please say his/her name. i happened to look at the FBI's most wanted for 9-11 terrorist activities and not one Iraqi citizen. the financing of the 9-11 operation was also mostly from Bin Laden because, well, he can. i think i've already touched on the bring democracy issue. as for the evil Saddam, I'll agree he be a bad dude. but i don't agree that we are the ones that should bring him down short of him invading another country. if so, then we have a long road to haul getting rid of all the evil dictators by applying that logic. we might even have to get rid of those dictators that are supposedly our friends.

many times, me thinks that GWB is going after Iraq because he can't find Bin Laden and thus this guilt by association is played out. they are both Arabs right? so why not? this reasoning is working for most of the country. so you see, i'm not entirely stuck on the oil motivation.

but the notion of the oil motivation is not past the "glue stage" for me. there remains outstanding issues re the many promises made. unless there are actual free elections in Iraq and we live with who the Iraqis choose as their leader, re-build the place, let them reap their own oil profits, then I'll believe that oil was not the strong motivator. in the meantime, i remain a skeptic.

i respectfully submit this post in the fairness of open debate and intend no personal hurt, harm or criticism. everyone is certainly entitled to believe what they wish on this subject as am i.