Is Alan Greenspan right? Did we invade Iraq just for the oil?

Question

He was on 60 Minutes last night discussing that and other statements from his book. I know 60 Minutes is not on FOX,
but did you see it? What do you think? Is the Bush Administration low enough to use your sons and daughters for a hostile corporate takeover of a country?


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032542/site/newsweek/

Answer 1

I think it's obvious. After all, within 5 HOURS after the 9/11 attacks, Rumsfeld ordered his staff to gather as much "evidence" as possible linking the attacks to Iraq. Obviously, Bush & Co. wanted to go to Iraq all along and they saw the attacks as their golden opportunity to do so. Plus, if they really gave a damn about getting justice for the 3,000 who died in the attacks or about making the US safer, they would have focused on capturing bin Laden rather than invading a country that was in no way involved in the attacks. I think that the reason for the attacks is obvious. Simply put, it was oil and the desire of businesses like Halliburton to make a profit.

Answer 2

You people don't really get it. It's not about oil in the small term that you believe - that it's for corporations or Halliburton or whatnot.

For the past 4 decades or more, the Middle East has been strategically important because of the oil. Not just to the US, but to the entire world. A major disruption in the delivery of oil to Europe or Japan would have major economic and political repercussions world wide, creating havoc on all major economies.

So, it's not about oil in the small term, but in the macro-view. And that's what Greenspan was talking about.

That's why the "war for oil" crowd is wrong.

Answer 3

The usual interpretation of 'for the oil' is that we sought to seize control of the Iraqi oil fields.
Greenspan's meaning was that Saddam could and would destroy the oilfields and pipelines in the Mideast, as he did when he invaded Kuwait. So Greenspan meant that we invaded to protect our access to buying oil.

My own belief is that when the oilmen in the White House started thinking down these lines - they intended to create a situation in Iraq where the US contractors would rebuild Iraq infrastructure in exchange for privatizing and selling shares of the Iraqi oil reserves on the world market. (And US companies buying them)

This is what Cheney meant when he said Iraq would cost US taxpayers nothing, that Iraq would pay for it's own rebuilding.

Answer 4

Given the Bush administration's recent fixation on getting the Iraqi 'government' to pass a contraversial hydrocarbon law that will benefit multinational corporations and not *Iraq*, I'm not sure why we needed Greenspan to point this out for us..?

Answer 5

Greenspan, a lifelong Republican, has the courage to speak the truth because of his disappointment of what the Republican party has become. He also states in his book that the deficeit spending by this administration is going to cause serious problems to our economy in the near future.

The reality is our politicians, of all parties, are bought and sold by big business. Do you really think these corporations give big bucks wanting nothing in return?

Answer 6

Oil a big piece of it and remember Bush's "he tried to kill my dad" comment as well. Cheney is all about the oil Bush is playing Gi Joe with our kids

Btw Grespan was either a Bush I or Regean choice b4 they start calling him a communist which is coming next,

Answer 7

Oil is one of the main reasons the United States invaded Iraq, but far from the only reason. There is another very important reason you have overlooked: The creation of an enemy. Every government that wants to achieve fascist totalitarianism finds it very useful to create an enemy against which to rally its own people, so that they will see their government as heroes and their government's progressive removal of their freedoms as necessary in the war against the 'common enemy'. Remember, war is peace, and freedom is slavery.

Answer 8

Maybe you should go back and re-read what Greenspan said.
It might make better sense the second time around.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20817260/

Answer 9

I thought when we went to war...the price of oil would decrease....WRONG!!

Answer 10

Is Alan Greenspan and old washed up economist....yes....

Did Bush go to him before invading Iraq and consult his opinion...doubtful....so like the rest of American he is only stating his OPINION....and last i checked, opinions were not facts......