Complex reasons behind US
attack on Iraq
Editors, Asheville Global Report,
The lies of the Bush administration about the bombing,
invasion, and occupation of Iraq have now been exposed, even in the
corporate-owned media. As many of us concluded, “it was all about
oil.” But the reasons for the attack on Iraq are more complex than
that. Here are some of the most important ones:
1. Globally, the demand for oil will exceed supply in 3-13 years according
to many experts. Since oil is the lifeblood of our industrial society,
this will cause major economic problems that will ripple throughout
other sectors of our society and the world economy. Iraq has the second
largest reserves of oil in the world.
2. The European Union’s new currency, the euro, now provides an
alternative to the US dollar for global capital investment. Iraq demanded
and received its oil-forfood money in euros. Iran, Indonesia, and
other countries are considering or have switched to euros. The US economy
has a huge trade imbalance and massive debt; it is dependent on foreign
investment to prop up the dollar. If enough countries and investors
switch to the euro, it will bankrupt the US economy.
3. The US economy is largely based on building weapons for the military-industrial
complex. Wars are necessary for testing, promotion, and sales of weaponry.
They are also necessary in order to justify the use of hundreds of billons
of our tax dollars for corporate welfare, which is then funneled into
the military-industrial complex under the banner of the “war on
terror.”
4. Control of Iraq gives US big business and their governing cohorts
another forward base to insure Russia and China remain subordinate to
US business interests. An Iraqi forward base also constrains the Saudi
Arabian people from rebelling against their puppet monarchy thus insuring
Saudi Arabian oil is traded in US dollars and at a price amenable to
the big oil corporations.
Readers can check out www.rupe-india.org or read “The Party’s
Over: Oil, War, and the Fate of Industrial Societies,” by Richard
Heinberg for more information.
Dave Ross
Arcata, California
