It's difficult for any revelation to startle about the multifaceted debacle now called the war in Iraq (which includes a civil war, anti-terrorism raids, battles for Kurdish independence, attempts by Iran to undermine Iraqi sovereignty, and who knows how many other conflicts). But Alan Greenspan's new memoir turns the trick - in it, he claims that it's a shame the it was "politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil”.
Or more specifically, Saddam Hussein posed a threat to the security of oil supplies in the Middle East - and Bush wants those secured (for his friends in Big Oil) more than anything. As long as the terrorists pose an ongoing danger to Iraqi refineries and their US-compliant officials, it seems Bush's main purpose for the war remains in danger, and hence our troops will not withdraw. We may be there to provide security, all right - but not for ordinary Iraqis, of whom we are now responsible for killing more than 1 million since 2003. Instead, it's their oil wells that must be secured...
And the Iranian oil wells may have to be secured next. Get ready for more bombs!
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Yes, Greenspan wins the prize for Shocker of the Week. (Britney's torpid waddling at the Video Music Awards comes in a close second . . .)
I have a feeling the True Believers in the GOP fold will find this revelation particularly hard to stomach. Keeping the world safe for corrupt crony capitalism is not particularly high on the agenda for the Bubba Brigade. But I guess if it were re-packaged as 'keeping the world safe for cheap oil to fuel your obscenely large SUV' it might assuage the ensuing wrath somewhat. ;-)
The irony, of course, is that rumors of attacks on Iran have already sent oil prices skyrocketing again, though with no tangible reason to up price - it is merely an expectation of a future shortage. Hmmm, high prices with no real delivery problems - maybe Bush actually is bluffing in Iran, to keep oil high but problem-free! On the other hand... nah. I'll be shocked if we don't attack Iran before next summer.
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