Dragaera

Defender always wins? (Was: Re: on contradictions and s

Gomi no Sensei gomi at speakeasy.net
Thu Feb 10 11:43:02 PST 2005

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005, Philip Hart wrote:

> acknowledge that we would have been much less likely to have gone
> into Iraq if it weren't for its oil and its proximity to a lot more oil,
> I don't think oil was high on the list of reasons we went in.  That list
> would be to establish permanent bases there (since OBL forced us to
> abandon our positions in SA) with an eye towards Iran etc, to show our
> willingness to use force post-9/11, to get the illusory WMDs, to establish
> a friendly govt in a critical region, to establish a friendly democracy
> in a critical region as a way of spreading democracy, to stop the
> less-than-ideal permanent state of siege and quash a horrible dictator,
> and to support our democratic ally Israel. Insuring access to oil was
> probably somewhere towards the end of the list. The whole mess wouldn't
> have arisen without the oil though.

Oh, by all means. I don't consider securing vital resources an inappropriate
US priority. As you say, it's pretty far down the list, but it's on it.

pe