America's lust for oil - unquenchable
Colin Leicht
Issue date: 1/20/05 Section: Op-Ed
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We have been at war for almost two years. In fact, since 9/11 we have invaded Afghanistan, in what many think was a platform operation, set up so that we might jump from the trouble in Kabul to an attack on Iraq. In all this time, our government ignored UN recommendations, and abandoned UN policy, resulting in a lack of credibility in respect to our peace-keeping efforts throughout the world. Not only that, but even the countries supporting us at that time have decided either to maintain a low commitment, or to back out.
As the war drags on, and more people die, and the Iraqis stay oppressed, some Americans fear the creation of a new Vietnam, while some Iraqis fear the creation of a new Hitler. One Iraqi, Ghazi al-Yawer, Iraq's interim president, told the London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on December 13, that "This could in the long term create an environment in which an Iraqi Hitler could emerge like the one created by the defeat of Germany and the humiliation of Germans in World War I." Kind of a scary thought, but not impossible, if one draws the parallels between the historical occupation of Germany and the present occupation of Iraq.
And so is this war worth it? And why Iraq? There are millions of terrorist acts occurring all around the world, some of which have a solution so simple that America appears evil just because we have not yet stepped in. Many Americans, mainly those agreeing with the latest Michael Moore documentary, believe that Iraq's importance is exaggerated because of oil. Of course, since President Bush comes from a clan of oil-industry businessmen, these people consider his history to be evidence that this is true.
Some have even gone so far as to suggest that Bush was part of a secret group that conspired to bring down the World Trade Center; after all, it is possible that 9/11 was the catalyst that led to Iraq.
Of course, America may be getting a little far-fetched in its speculation.
Then again, the idea that we are at war with Iraq because of oil does have some truth; the Energy Information Administration reported in 2003 that the United States tops the world in oil consumption at 25%. The same study shows that the Middle East tops the world in oil production at 56%! The biggest producers of the Middle East include Saudi Arabia (ally), Kuwait (ally), and Iraq.
As the war drags on, and more people die, and the Iraqis stay oppressed, some Americans fear the creation of a new Vietnam, while some Iraqis fear the creation of a new Hitler. One Iraqi, Ghazi al-Yawer, Iraq's interim president, told the London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on December 13, that "This could in the long term create an environment in which an Iraqi Hitler could emerge like the one created by the defeat of Germany and the humiliation of Germans in World War I." Kind of a scary thought, but not impossible, if one draws the parallels between the historical occupation of Germany and the present occupation of Iraq.
And so is this war worth it? And why Iraq? There are millions of terrorist acts occurring all around the world, some of which have a solution so simple that America appears evil just because we have not yet stepped in. Many Americans, mainly those agreeing with the latest Michael Moore documentary, believe that Iraq's importance is exaggerated because of oil. Of course, since President Bush comes from a clan of oil-industry businessmen, these people consider his history to be evidence that this is true.
Some have even gone so far as to suggest that Bush was part of a secret group that conspired to bring down the World Trade Center; after all, it is possible that 9/11 was the catalyst that led to Iraq.
Of course, America may be getting a little far-fetched in its speculation.
Then again, the idea that we are at war with Iraq because of oil does have some truth; the Energy Information Administration reported in 2003 that the United States tops the world in oil consumption at 25%. The same study shows that the Middle East tops the world in oil production at 56%! The biggest producers of the Middle East include Saudi Arabia (ally), Kuwait (ally), and Iraq.