[Vision2020] Re: Why Invading Iraq Makes "Oil" Sense

[Tbertruss at aol.com]

Phil et. al.

Thanks for your reply.

You misquote the article on the oil sands production of oil in Canada.  I 
noted that technological improvements could change the oil sands production rate, 
but the article you quoted did not say, as you claimed:

"You might want to note the following, http://www.energy.gov.ab.ca/89.asp , 
which shows 
that oil sands in 2005 will account for half of all Canadian production and 
10% of the oil production in North America."

But rather:

"It is anticipated that in 2005, Alberta's oil sands production may account 
for one-half of Canada's total crude output and 10 per cent of North American 
production. It is also predicted that the oil sands will create a total of 
102,000 new jobs across Canada by 2012."

Note the words "may account for" not "will account for."  This may seem a 
trivial issue, but saying something "may" happen is very different from saying it 
"will" happen.

Even if this production rate does happen, it still does not negate the 
critical importance of the oil reserves in the middle east, which combined (Saudi 
Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran and other oil rich areas in this part of the world) 
are much, much larger than all known oil reserves in North America.  Where we 
are getting our oil now is not the main issue in regard to the need to protect 
the oil reserves in the middle east.  The issue is 20, 30, 40, 50 years down 
the road when things really get critical with oil supplies and international 
competition for these resources.  We know we have access to Canada's oil.  
But the oil in the Middle East is not secure, with or without Saddam.

Protecting our allies access to Middle East oil is also critical for the 
economic well being of the US.  The US economy is more critically linked to the 
global economic system than ever, so if Japan or China, for example, has 
problems with its oil supply, this creates problems for our economy also.

You call bombing raids on Iraq, enforcing a no fly zone for the Kurds, 
economic sanctions, and the devastation of Iraq's military during Gulf War One, 
"sucking up to Saddam?"  All these actions were before we invaded Iraq in Gulf War 
Two, and no wonder we marched to Baghdad with such ease.  Saddam's military 
was a joke, with his country under economic sanctions, common bombing raids on 
military infrastructure, and the devastation from Gulf War One.

A good case could be made that in fact now the oil reserves in the Middle 
East are less stable than they were before we invaded Iraq in Gulf War Two, 
creating a religious, ethnic and political mess that is increasing terrorism and 
giving Islamic fundamentalists a rallying call world wide.

I never said I supported invading Serbia.  Excuse me?

Phil wrote:

"In the mean time, allowing mad men to hold 
huge economic power and use it willy nilly both to terrorize their own 
populations and threaten global war and terrorism is simply silly."  

So that's why we back the Saudi government with the Islamic Wahhabism in that 
nation using Saudi wealth to support Islamic terrorism? 

Why not invade Saudi Arabia to take down that oppressive dictatorship that 
terrorizes its citizens and allows a fundamentalist religious group like 
Wahhabism fund Islamic terrorism?  It couldn't be that the US has a cozy economic 
deal with access to Saudi oil with the Saudi ruling family, could it?  Get a clue 
here, Phil, I do not think it was a random accident that 15 of the 19 9/11 
terrorists in those airplanes were Saudi nationals.  

Odd how the US will support dictatorships like the one in Saudi Arabia if 
they suit our needs, but when the US wants to remove a dictator suddenly the US 
becomes angels wishing to save the masses from oppression.

Ted Moffett
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