Quote:
|
AND make personal attacks on people that don't agree with them
|
I was not making personal attacks simply because he do not agree with me. I was making personal attacks at him because he was reiterating a misused statistic to make a specious argument. What is worse is that he did not even know that the statistic was misused.
I was not trying to be mean to UnderToad. I was just trying to get through. I apologize if I offended you, UT.
Quote:
|
ScottSolomon: Now that this has in fact happened, what would you do to rebuild Iraq
|
What, since the past is past, we should not worry about it? Look onward, 'cause there is nothing to see here in the present or the past. Well, those who are ignorant of history are bound to repeat it.
What I would do, is bring in the world. I would bring in U.N. peacekeeping troops and I would bring together a ministry of Iraqi leaders from within the country - not a bunch of outsiders. I would do my best to reestablish some sense of order - but acting too tough would backfire, so I have to be open aout everything. I would create shell corporations made up of Iraqi oil engineers and temporary managers - and I would establish a training system to bring up Iraqi management. I would replicate this throughout Iraq's nationalized industries. I would hire work crews in the thousands to do nothing but clean up and repair the damage. I would make sure the people had electricity, water, and security.
But I would make the whole thing an international effort. I would put together a citizen oversight commitee to look out for the interests of the Iraqis.
I will probably fail and I may have many major setbacks. I may have to suppress a revolution or sniff out a clandestine coup. I may be finally expelled as Iraq falls into chaos.
Quote:
|
Blair wants the oil held in a UN trust for the Iraqi people
|
Don't think of oil in such a pedestrian fashion. I don't know if this is just intellectual dishonesty or if this is what you actually think, but oil is much more than a simple commodity. This war had much more to do with oil as a weapon than oil as a product.
Oil drives western industry. It's cost is felt everywhere. Every product you buy has a small charge tacked on for the oil needed in the plastic or the fuel needed for transport, or the lubrication on the truck's axle. This is so much so - that every 1 dollar shift downward in the price of a barrel of oil has as much impact on the economy as a 100 billion dollar tax cut. Oil is essential for defense. Every military in the world must have an enormous supply of oil in order to wage war. Which is where our good Fuhrer comes in.
The United States is an empire. Like it or not, for the past 50 years we have military bases girding the world in a ring of steel. We force our version of capitalism onto developing nations in order for them to get support. In the process we secure valuable natural wealth at rock bottom prices. We have the largest defense budget in the world. We defy or uphold treaties without consequence. We act with impunity and we have made it known to the world that they can be cast aside when they are no longer politically expedient.
We have got a great thing going, now. However, the future is not certain. The European Union is emerging as an economic powerhouse. Iraq shifted it's currency for oil transactions to Euros, and it would be disasterous if OPEC also made the shift. It would create a worldwide shift away from the dollar as the international currency of choice. China is also a rising power. It's oil cunsumption and desire for growth are becoming voracious. In order to grow beyond it's current level, it must make drastic increases in its level of energy procurement. This is where we come in.
If we have our hand on the spigot of Iraq, and we keep a tight leash on the ruling class of Saudi Arabia - who need our support to maintain their fragile hold on their country - we have a very effective negotiations tool to keep our rich people at the poker table with their rich people. This is why wars are fought.
You can make arguments that this is a good situation and you can make arguments that this is bad. But make no mistake, this war was most certainly fought for oil.