World War III more likely from oil grabs than radical Islam

[boise1]

Erik Curren

Recently, with midterm elections just two months off and the war in Iraq more unpopular than ever, President Bush has begun to reframe the war on terror as a "war on Islamic fascism." But clever rebranding aside, and with all respect due to our brave troops, by now everybody knows that invading Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism and everything to do with oil.

Of course, ongoing civil unrest has kept America from getting much oil out of Iraq even after Bush announced "Mission Accomplished" in 2003. But whatever Iraq's problems, its location provides a base for U.S. operations near the largest remaining oil reserves on earth at a time when instability in the Middle East has reached an all-time high.

If there's a palace coup in Saudi Arabia, or if Al-Qaeda blows up pipelines and refineries there or in any of the other Gulf states, American boots on the ground in Iraq will help the U.S. respond quickly. Washington must also hope that its presence in Iraq will deter Iran from blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most crucial waterway for oil tankers.

Given the administration's role in Iraq, as well as efforts to bolster oil regimes around the world who are their friends (Nigeria and the Central Asian republics) and to topple those who aren't (Iran and Venezuela), it is clear that the Bush White House has chosen to deal with fears over oil supply using the blunt instrument of military force and coercion.

http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$40474

[CollegeDUer]

1. Well of course; "Radical Islam" is a reaction to the Western hegemony

And they don't have the strength to take over countries or anything like that. Bush and his ilk on the other hand, have the power of occupation and mass bombings AND the power to rejuvenate the desert anarchists and their ilk.