Have we been wasting our time in Iraq? Now that the Iraqis are going to keep their oil, was it all worth it?

Question

The Iraqis are looking at a Draft OIl Bill,"for the investment of the most important national resource for all Iraqis."

'Passage of the oil law, which seeks a fair distribution of revenues among all Iraq's sectarian and ethnic groups, has become a major issue for the United States, which had initially counted on financing Iraq's post-invasion construction with oil revenues.'

Oh dear, the Iraqis want to keep all their oil for the Iraqi people. So tell me, why did we (Britain and America) spend so much money and so many heroic lives if there was no profit in it? And don't give me the old chestnut of 'regime change' because that just doesn't wash. If we were really concerned, why have we done nothing in Darfur, or started stamping all over Mugabe's despotic regime, etc.,etc.?

So, let them pass their oil bill and get out of there! With their own oil and their own money they can sort themselves out, and our boys won't be targets for terrorists.

If Saddam was such a bad man, why did the Americans put him in power in the first place? In fact, why have they frequently sought to tear down democratic governments and put despots in their place?

Companies that invested 1.5 billion in the war effort have contracts for 'reconstruction' worth 4 billion now. With the constant sabotage of insurgent bombings they are seeing less profit. If the oil revenues go to the Iraqi's, those margins are even tighter. And the Iraqis are probably aware of the very bad deals other countries have been offered in the past that meant less than $3 per barrel of oil went to the country of origin, so they won't get caught out with that.
We've had four years to find them, where are the WMDs?
All the oil-producing nations are facing a peak in production (even Saudi Arabia), so shouldn't we be investing in alternatives now, instead of getting involved in resource wars?

Answer 1

Keeping their Oil?
that's not what i've heard.
c link below.

AND no matter what
it still won't change the fact that the Iraq war was & IS ILLEGAL.

Answer 2

The Iraqi government would have of project at uniting Iraq in the event that they'd undertake a honest oil revenues distribution plan—no longer the present oil grab proposed by ability of Bush and the super oil companies. people will attempt to act of their very very own financial ultimate hobbies if the words are honest. i think of it incredibly is in all risk the only desire for the mess that at present exists in Iraq.

Answer 3

It never was worth it unless there was a signed sealed and delivered percentage of oil guaranteed to UK or any one for that matter, before any action of help to them when some other "know what's right leader" decides to take peoples lives.

The taking of lives is a bad move on any ones part. The offer of aid to help keep the peace is a far more intelligent plan.

If oil is withheld the leaders don't even have the intelligence to think about an alternative should there be a shortage.

An intelligent person knows we should be focusing on renewable energy and making it work for the planet now and not spending time and money on killing each other off.

Answer 4

Personally I was never of the opinion that the Iraq war was solely about oil. I tend to think a very significant reason for the invasion of Iraq was to rescue the arms industry which was on the decline after the end of the cold war. So in that respect the Iraq war has been a roaring success and the longer the killing goes on the greater that success will be. I reckon the Iraqi oil was just a bonus for the US in particular, and they won't be all that bothered about the oil law.

In my view Iraq has been arguably the most immoral war in history. A war costing countless lives to help prop up an industry who's purpose is to manufacture the means of taking lives.

Answer 5

Iraq was never anything to do with oil. Bush Jr just wanted to finish what his dad started. Personally, I'm getting a bit tired of hearing oil being used as an excuse for everything.

Answer 6

Surely we went there because Saddam Hussein wouldn't allow proper inspections to determine whether or not he had some serious weapons? He brought it on himself. Having said that, it's gone completely out of control, and I don't see the situation improving once coalition troops have left. I also can't imagine that the US and British governments won't want SOMETHING as a reward for the havoc they've brought to Iraq.

Answer 7

This proof positive that we did not go into Iraq for OIL as the liberal left would have you believe. The bill you refer to has NOTHING to do with the oil being available for sale to the US. They are simply going to redistribute the wealth generated by its sale amongst all of the people. I cannot believe how gullable some people are. The United States and Brittian and our 67 other allied countries did NOT go into Iraq for profit. Jesus I'm so sick and tired of hearing this liberal bull its maddening. We went into Iraq because Saddam was a direct threat to our allies in the region. This threatened our strategic military abilities, it threatened the oil supplies in the ENTIRE region, not just Iraq. He was a known tyrant who had already proven he would attack neighboring countries, even those of like peoples. It was known and proven he was harboring, financing, and supporting terrorisim and allowing them to train. With that fact in mind, he was also known to have weapons of mass destruction or at least the means of creating same. He had already proved that he had no issues with using those weapons and/or selling them to any terrorist entity. The United States, Brittian and all of our allies knew that if he attacked our friends, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc etc etc that it would be a direct threat to our countries ability to protect itself and to its economy. There is MUCH more to it still, but this is enough common sense reasoning to convince any normal person with a working brain that going into Iraq was the right move then and it still is now.

Answer 8

Oh well at least Dubya got to impress his daddy by killing Saddam.

Why the hell did you yanks vote for that moron?

Answer 9

Apparently, we ain't in there for the oil. Basically, we're finishing Old Bush's vendetta against Saddam. Well, he's all dead n everything so we should be getting out of there asap. Although, it is quite sad that we've mucked up their country just because some pathetic idiot wants to finsh what his daddy started. Sad, sad, sad.

Answer 10

I'd like to know where in the Constitution nation-building is permitted.