Did Bush invade Iraq to control oil? Did they plan this to have advantage over competing powers like China?

Answer 1

If that was the purpose, we've been awfully slow getting it done.

It was not the purpose. In fact, the purpose was to ensure that oil supplies would be available for China and India and the emerging economies.

The US will be making the, albeit slow, transition to more efficient and alternate fuel systems. The emerging economic systems will have to pass through at lest ofr a while, a phase where their fossil fuel needs will increase.

You may think this sounds counter-intuitive, but it's not. If you want to ensure that China or one of these emerging states becomes expansionist, the sure way to do that would be to restrict free access to required resources. If instead you want to ensure the best chance for peaceful coexistance and concomitant opportuinites for expaniding trade for everyone, you keep access as unrestricted as possible.

Want a concrete indication--look no farther than current oil deals being negotiated with Iraq--they aren't with us. They are with China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam.... And this month marks the first time Iraqi oil production will exceed prewar levels.

None of it is coming to this country though.

Let's see anyone of the "war was for Oil" crowd expalin that.

Answer 2

I will answer you with numbers.
The 65 % of oil that US expends is imported, and China consumes today the 8% of the mundial oil when its population represent more of the del 20% of mundial population.
On 9-11-2001 in Nueva York and Washington, the barril prices oscilatet between 20 and 25 dólares. Today the price is three times more.
During the last 15 years there have not been oil discovering in any region of the world.
Oil companies of US and UK and banks related with them need to put in their markets enourmeous cuantity of oil and in a quik way. In other words, they need to control the quantity of oil barrils that are in the market.
The Herald Tribune have said that, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and BP oil companies have the explotation control of Iraqi oil during the next 25 years according to a law approved by present Iraq government. According with this law , those company do not have to invest in Iraq the profit or to employ Iraqi population.
Halliburton owned by Cheney increased six times the bussiness contracts with the Penatgon between 2001 and 2004.
It is sad, but US government has not interest in US as their own nation.
The mass media, CNN and the locally and foreign monopolies, transmit Washington's propaganda and provide the image of private, independent news agencies. The centralization and concentration of the mass media and their increasing links to the imperial centers, facilitates the linkages between imperial policymakers and national media monopolies.
About the French, here is their opinion expressed in the newspaper "Le Monde", "Some do not hesitate to think that the occupation of Iraq is merely the first stage of a vast plan of dismemberment of the large countries in the area. Saudi Arabia and even Iran, reduced to little countries, would be easier to control. This "conspiracy theory'' may be contested, but one may not completely exclude the idea that the United States hope to reduce the chances of keeping regional powers capable of imposing themselves as independent partners."

Answer 3

No. If it was just for the oil, the whole thing would be over and we would own it. No questions asked. There is a lot more involved in why the US invaded Iraq. If you remember back about a year ago, all of the major news stations reported that the Head UN Inspector was hiding evidence of Iraq's Possesion of chemical weapons in his office in the UN building. Since then, you don't hear much of him or the investigation that was to take place, or him.

Answer 4

85% of Iraqi oil production is under contract to a French firm, Compagnie Petrol De Francais. The reasons for our military offensive against Iraq are contained in the first link listed below. They mirror those contained in the Iraq Liberation Act f 1998. The link to that law is the second one listed below.

Answer 5

No. Iraq does not have that much oil, and even if it did, wouldn't it be much easier to just do another "Oil for Food" scam?

The US already has a competitive advantage over China. The US is trying to get off of (foreign) oil. Don't forget that Bush--and the rest of the Republicans--want to drill in ANWR, so that we can leave the Middle East. The Middle East is a highly unstable region, and they basically control us. We get a large amount of oil from there, and they set the price.

Answer 6

It's hard to say for sure.
But after looking into the matters a bit, I came to my own conclusion it was done out of imperialism. Otherwise, we went over to set up an Iraqi government that will help us meet our middle eastern agendas.

Answer 7

Errr... yeah dude. That's totally it.

If you're so convinced of these things, you really ought not bother asking.

Answer 8

what -- you think the chineese would have been dumb enough to invade iraq if we hadn't?

Answer 9

Well he'll never admit to it so why bother asking the question?