What leads people to think that the war in Iraq is about oil?

Question

Is such a point of view indicative of a very narrow and overly simplified mindset? What facts support this view? Feel free to elaborate.

Answer 1

while it is extremely narrow and over-simplified...there is a huge amount of war profiteering going on in Iraq as a result of the US invasion. when you take a look at who is profiting, its obviously a piece of the puzzle...or at the very least, highly suspicious.


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tbird, the 9/11 terrorists did not come from Iraq. Its people like you who make us "forget" 9/11 because we know it had nothing to do with the invasion of Iraq. Get a clue.

Answer 2

Oil is a major factor, though not in the way most understand it, as an easily dismissible contention allowed by the Administration and its media puppets. Saudi Arabia has openly stated that it doesn't want (and hasn't for some time) Iraqi oil on the market. Consider the following in that context.

Saudi Arabia (along with China) carries most of our foreign debt. At any time they could call that debt and, literally, destroy our economy. The damage caused by such an action would be immeasurable and would take years (if it would be possible at all) to recover from.

Estimates immediately after the Iraqi invasion were that oil production would meet or exceed pre-invasion levels within "2 - 3 months" and would be the main funding source for the occupation and rebuilding efforts in Iraq.

As of this time, 5 years later, Iraqi oil production is only a fraction of pre-invasion levels, even though no significant actions have been taken by the "evil doers" that would limit that level of production and equipment and personnel necessary to meet prior levels are (and have been) in place and/or readily available.

Connect the dots.

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Answer 3

First I'm going to tell you to study your history of the region begining with the Eisenhower Administration's overthrow of the Iranian government.
And Second, I'm going to tell you to forget most of what you've heard and read in the news media -- rarely ever do any of them tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Having said that, shall we begin?
Just from the 1980's forward:
Reagan backed Saddam Hussein because he was at war with Iran. We sold the Iraq's all kinds of weapons and technology (WMD). When the oil tankers passing through the region became targets, Reagan reflagged them and provided naval escort. This was to ensure and insure the world's economy based on oil.
Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait for their oil and their sea port. The U.N. turned a blind eye and did nothing. Bush (senior) gathered a coalition of military forces and pushed Saddam back across the border (Desert Shield/Storm). The U.N. was then asked to broker a cease fire agreement -- this should have been a wise move politically so that no one could accuse the U.S. of being motivated to "steal" the Iraqi oil. Having stopped at the border instead of chasing them back to Bagdad also was to define the U.S. as a liberator and not a conqueror.
Throughout the Clinton years, nothing was really done to uphold the cease fire agreement. Saddam thumbed his nose at the U.N. and the west and the U.N. accepted Saddam's bribe money in the "Food For Oil Program." In all, 17 sanctions of the C.F. agreement were violated and after months of failed diplomacy, the U.S. again amassed a coalition of forces to do the U.N.'s dirty work -- Operaton Iraq Freedom.
No sooner had the majority of hostilities ended and a new government about to be elected by the people and brought into power, a wave of violence swept the nation. Car bombings, shootings, death squads, etc., all backed by Iran and Syria in an attempt first to scare the people into not voting and later to simply destabilize the newly formed government and demoralize the American people. Motive?
According to World Economy Today magazine, Iran's oil industry is all state run. While the people are paying all of 38 cents a gallon at the pumps, the profits are not being used in R & D, but are instead being funnelled into social programs. Iran's policy towards foreign investment and drilling is less than friendly to the degree that only the Italians are willing to work with them and this is at a loss. Meanwhile, Iran, sitting atop of the world's third largest known oil deposit was unable to export even a single drop of oil last year. Their wells are now all over 50 years old and are declining in production at a rate of 13% per year. Last year, Iran had to actually import oil to meet its own supply and demand issues.
Should the U.S. lose faith and heart and decide to pull out of Iraq before their government has a chance to solidify and strengthen itself to a point of self survival in the face of foreign and domestic enemies, it will most surely fall. Iran stands to gain a great deal should we leave. This also explains Iran's motive for building a nuclear power program whose biproduct by the way, is weapons grade plutonium. Remember, Iran supports and exports terrorism. So, is it genuinely for electricity? Or are there alterior motives?
Does this make sense? Is this not a strong case to believe it IS about oil? And yes, the concern/fear about WMD was legitimate. Carter gutted the CIA, leaving us blind and dependent upon foreign intel.. And Reagan sold Saddam the technology, which he later used on his own people, having declared them enemies of the state.

Answer 4

If this war was about oil, we failed. Especially concerning the Fact that Iraq's oil production has dropped, and the war has increased world oil prices due to instability in Iraq. The insurgency frequently targets Iraqi oil pipelines, forcing oil supplies to be disrupted constantly.
Perhaps a conspiracy could be derived in that it has allowed domestic American companies to increase in profits from our oil wells. Anyways, the reasoning behind Iraq is not their, this was a stupid conflict, that's my justification for this engagement.

Answer 5

Other dictatorial regimes have been left alone by this administration. There are countries where people are captured and sold into slavery, where genocide is being carried out, and where women and children are raped and tortured everyday. Iraq is not the only place with an absence of democracy and an abundance of human suffering. There are places in this world that harbor threats much greater than Saddam Hussein (N. Korea for example), yet this administration has not invaded them. The only difference between Iraq and all of the other places listed above, is that Iraq is one of the largest oil-producing nations in the world. In fact, the only reason we are spreading our influence in the Middle East, and not in Africa, is because the Africans don't have the resources that we desire.

Answer 6

If it's not about oil then it's about nothing more than control. Who in this world gave the President the right to go and change a government and invade a country just because they don't think about the world as he does? Who put him in the place to work as a freedom guardian, defending all those who don't even know where the USA is in a map? all those who didn't even ask for help? because they think different? I say we should let them live the way they want to, if they want to kill each other that's their problem, not ours. Let's remember it all started about mass destruction weapons, and they never found them... what are they doing there? Liberty? they don't want it, they don't care... why do we get there, cause they don't live and think like us and we think we are right and they are wrong? If they thought so, they woould do something themselves. Take Japan, Germany, China... they all have worked and reconstructed themselves and have risen after total destruction (except china, which was miserable) War produces money.

Answer 7

The fact that the war is about OIL leads me to think the war in Iraq is about OIL.

Answer 8

Yes. Americans are ignorant, and American politicians are greedy. Instead of our elected representatives enlightening us, they capitalize off our ignorance, and say things like "this was a war concocted in Texas for political gain"- Ted Kennedy.

Answer 9

The US is obviously stealing Iraqi oil. That is why it is so cheap now.

Answer 10

the media and the rising oil prices