To the Saudis in the 1930's and the Iranians in the 1940's we were the logical option to counter British/French/Russian Imperialism.... We one says "it about oil" it is done in the backdrop of a set of critical unspoken assumptions
1) Current technology of transportation, energy and materials (plastics and drugs) rely on oil 2) Oil has provided the extension of a materially better life to billions 3) ensuring access to raw materials for all has allowed a peaceful rise of the Asian manufacturing and the re-emergence of Europe post WWII Unless you can find replacements for oil-based transportation technology, a reliable alternate energy source (more an issue for coal, but oil is critical), and a systemic replacement of plastic and oil based medicines the current life style for ALL the world is screwed,,, Now please tell the Chinese and Indians "Sorry, you can't have creature comforts because we don't fight over oil"... As a slogan, "Our presence in the Middle East has always been about oil" seeks to transmit the thought of greedy oil profits... The reality of "It is about oil" is far more fundamental -- it ALSO is about the RIGHT of an poor Indian farmer to get his crop to market for more money so he can educate his children... On Jun 4, 6:02 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > Then why build the Emerald City and 19 permanent bases? Why the > various contracts with the Iraqi government? Our presence in the > Middle East has always been about oil and the guilty support of Israel > for Europe's behavior towards the Jews plus our own. How safe do you > think citizens in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel will feel once > the USA departs the Middle East? Why do you think Obama's apologetic > speech in Cairo and his subserverience to his newly revealed Muslim > heritage will change anything on the ground. The Middle East is tribal > and possibly the worst weakness is to show weakness- that's why Saddam > continued to bluff. > > On Jun 4, 3:36 pm, jgg1000a <[email protected]> wrote: > > > And they point to Bush's going into Iraq in 2003 as why... Let me > > suggest that that is only rationalization to cover up that the major > > narrative concerning Bush and Iraq... To suggest Bush NEVER intend > > to remain permanently in Iraq would be rejected as a matter of faith > > by many... However I suggest, that an honest view of the events > > would say that IT WAS NEVER IN THE CARDS for a permanent > > presence... > > > But to accept this requires one to disabuse themselves of so many anti- > > Bush myths that would rival Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. > > So folks rationalize instead of looking for the real reason... Which > > is American actions over the last 5 years has shown American intent > > was not nor never was to be an long term occupying power... Given > > these action, done under Bush, is what gives the force behind Obama's > > restatement of Bush's position... It is NOT that Obama is more > > believable than Bush... > > > Obama is just the Good Cop playing off the Bad Cop Bush... Without > > Bush, Obama would have no credibility... > > >http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/davidcorn/2009/06/obamas-tough-tour-de-fo... > > > >>> It is not hard to imagine George W. Bush, as president, saying those > > >>> same words. Yet millions of people at home and abroad would not have > > >>> believed his claim to have no interest in sustaining a US military > > >>> presence in Afghanistan, Iraq or anywhere else. Why? Well, if you don't > > >>> know, you slept through the first eight years of this century. The fine > > >>> words that Bush did frequently speak about promoting democracy abroad > > >>> and protecting the world from tyrants and terrorists were undermined by > > >>> his misrepresentations of the actual threats (see WMDs in Iraq) and his > > >>> actions (see rushing to war in Iraq when the UN weapons inspections > > >>> process was under way and working). > > > Obama has no such baggage. More important, he is willing to > > acknowledge US errors: --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
