It WAS all about the Oil! Could it get any more obvious?

[flamingpie2500]

"By 2010 we will need 50 million barrels a day. The Middle East, with two-thirds of the oil and the lowest cost, is still where the prize lies." - US Vice President Dick Cheney, then Halliburton chief executive officer, London, autumn 1999

(snip)
On Monday, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's cabinet in Baghdad approved the draft of the new Iraqi oil law. The government regards it as "a major national project". The key point of the law is that Iraq's immense oil wealth (115 billion barrels of proven reserves, third in the world after Saudi Arabia and Iran) will be under the iron rule of a fuzzy "Federal Oil and Gas Council" boasting "a panel of oil experts from inside and outside Iraq". That is, nothing less than predominantly US Big Oil executives.



http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IB28Ak01.html

[yellerpup]

1. Never any doubt.

Google Smedley Butler.

[aztc]

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[Arkansas Granny]

3. There was never any doubt in my mind either. Especially after

hearing things like this:

Bush himself issued this warning during his speech of March 17, 2003, when he addressed the Iraqi people directly:

"And all Iraqi military and civilian personnel should listen carefully to this warning. In any conflict, your fate will depend on your action. Do not destroy oil wells, a source of wealth that belongs to the Iraqi people."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030317-7.html

And then hearing one month later:

Since US forces rolled into central Baghdad a week ago, one of the sole public buildings untouched by looters has been Iraq's massive oil ministry, which is under round-the-clock surveillance by troops.

<snip>

But while museums, banks, hotels and libraries have been ransacked, the oil ministry remains secure.

<snip>

Residents noted that the irrigation ministry, just next door, was torched.

<snip>

Coalition forces also say they control all of Iraq's oilfields.

Amnesty International has criticised the attention on controlling oilfields, which it said must have taken "much planning and resources."

"However, there is scarce evidence of similar levels of planning and allocation of resources for securing public and other institutions essential for the survival and well-being of the population," the London-based rights group said.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/16/1050172643895.html

[raccoon]

4. K&R nt