Comments on: The war in Iraq http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/ Radioactive Toy Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:35:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Jeff http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442787 Jeff Fri, 14 Sep 2007 23:50:36 +0000 http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442787 I still think the ideologue explanation is better. Even if they are thinking rather long term and we can outlast the insurgency, actually planning for the aftermath would have made this monumentally easier and simpler for them. There's simply no reason for this kind of disdain for non-rosy scenarios from a realist perspective. I still think the ideologue explanation is better. Even if they are thinking rather long term and we can outlast the insurgency, actually planning for the aftermath would have made this monumentally easier and simpler for them. There’s simply no reason for this kind of disdain for non-rosy scenarios from a realist perspective.

]]> By: Mark Tokarski http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442771 Mark Tokarski Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:36:10 +0000 http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442771 Just one small example of what control of oil means - a pipeline from Iraq to Israel via Jordan - not just a pipe dream, but in the planning stages. I assume we have bases in place to protect it. Here's the juicy part - a double-whammy. Our control of Iraq's oil allows us to supply an ally with oil, and two, Israel currently gets its oil from Russia, and this would affect their balance of payments. Control of oil for the long term (along with military bases) is what this is about. We have the means to outlast any insurgency and will, no matter how long it takes. The violence will subside eventutally - even if it takes ten years, our state planners don't think short-term. Just one small example of what control of oil means - a pipeline from Iraq to Israel via Jordan - not just a pipe dream, but in the planning stages. I assume we have bases in place to protect it. Here’s the juicy part - a double-whammy. Our control of Iraq’s oil allows us to supply an ally with oil, and two, Israel currently gets its oil from Russia, and this would affect their balance of payments.

Control of oil for the long term (along with military bases) is what this is about. We have the means to outlast any insurgency and will, no matter how long it takes. The violence will subside eventutally - even if it takes ten years, our state planners don’t think short-term.

]]> By: Rook's Rant http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442751 Rook's Rant Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:57:31 +0000 http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442751 <strong>Slow Friday...</strong> Just waiting for the usual late Friday news dump from BushCo™.... Slow Friday…

Just waiting for the usual late Friday news dump from BushCo™….

]]> By: Jeff http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442721 Jeff Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:52:57 +0000 http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442721 I should have been more clear about the control of oil. I meant control and the ability to send it where we want in a stable manner. Regional chaos is not good for that and to completely ignore the possibility of it is unimaginable. Like I said, if these guys are realists, they're mind-boggling stupid realists. Thinking of them as ideologues explains what we've seen better. I should have been more clear about the control of oil. I meant control and the ability to send it where we want in a stable manner. Regional chaos is not good for that and to completely ignore the possibility of it is unimaginable. Like I said, if these guys are realists, they’re mind-boggling stupid realists. Thinking of them as ideologues explains what we’ve seen better.

]]> By: Mark Tokarski http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442695 Mark Tokarski Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:55:16 +0000 http://www.speedkill.org/2007/09/12/1850/#comment-442695 "I tend to take people at their word unless I have a reason not to." One reason not to take them at their word - you don't reason with children, and our government is not about to enter into a large foreign policy venture by sanely and rationally reasoning with us. It's just not done. They use propaganda and symbols and fear. Period. I think you confuse flow of oil with control of oil. We don't need Iraq's oil for ourselves for the foreseeable future, but others do - think of Japan and China and Western Europe and India as potential enemies. China is especially troubling. It helps to have leg up on them, and control of not just Iraq's, but all of Middle East oil is a good way to do it. It's not just Iraq - it's why we're so deeply involved with Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, have bases on Diego Garcia - oil, oil, oil. It's not just Iraq - it's central Asia and Sudan and Venezuela - anyone that has oil is in our sights. And finally, the U.S. does not care about democracy. Hasn't since the end of World War II - that's never been more than window dressing, once again, a way for our leaders to get us to follow - to appeal to our idealism. If Iraq were truly democratic, they'd tell us to take a hike, and that is not going to happen. “I tend to take people at their word unless I have a reason not to.” One reason not to take them at their word - you don’t reason with children, and our government is not about to enter into a large foreign policy venture by sanely and rationally reasoning with us. It’s just not done. They use propaganda and symbols and fear. Period.

I think you confuse flow of oil with control of oil. We don’t need Iraq’s oil for ourselves for the foreseeable future, but others do - think of Japan and China and Western Europe and India as potential enemies. China is especially troubling. It helps to have leg up on them, and control of not just Iraq’s, but all of Middle East oil is a good way to do it. It’s not just Iraq - it’s why we’re so deeply involved with Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, have bases on Diego Garcia - oil, oil, oil.

It’s not just Iraq - it’s central Asia and Sudan and Venezuela - anyone that has oil is in our sights.

And finally, the U.S. does not care about democracy. Hasn’t since the end of World War II - that’s never been more than window dressing, once again, a way for our leaders to get us to follow - to appeal to our idealism. If Iraq were truly democratic, they’d tell us to take a hike, and that is not going to happen.

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