War Through 2008!
So sez Bush during his press conference today:
REPORTER: Will there come a day, and I’m not asking you when — I’m not asking for a timetable — will there come a day when there will be no more American forces in Iraq?
BUSH: That, of course, is an objective, and that will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq.
Of course, any surprise at this is only indication of the utter failure of our political discourse to truly address what Iraq is about. The point is permanent bases, and the ability for the United States to project its military power in the region.
Of course he's not leaving. The point of the whole war was to never leave.
This getting worse Bush Pl
This getting worse
It Was Always About The Oil
Matthew was exactly right about the permanent bases. Are they there to support freedom for the Iraqi people? Of course not, they are about U.S. influence over who gets oil from Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Demand for oil in China is growing rapidly, but the global supply of oil (in millions of gallons per day) has leveled off, and is not likely to go much beyond current levels. That is why China is busy developing sources of supply in Africa, Central Asia and in their (disputed)coastal areas. Soon though, that will not be enough. They will need significant quantities from the Persian Gulf region. That is why they are building an alliance with Iran.
That is also why we are in Iraq. It is a pre-emptive move to establish a forward military force to deter Iranian/Chinese control of Iraq's oil reserves (second largest in the world), and to protect the flanks of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The Iraq war is part of the modern version of the Great Game, and the Prizes are the oil reserves of the Persian Gulf.
Consider where Bush's core core core support comes from. Texas oil money. They have a profound understanding of the value of oil, and have made it the top priority of the Bush administration.
The Bush people get away with not admitting that we are there for the oil because the military and their families, who sacrifice so much for our country, cannot accept the idea that their sacrifices were being made for a less than noble cause, and consequently they desperately need to believe that they are there because they are protecting America from future attacks and bringing freedom to an oppressed people.
The rest of us go along because we can't imagine paying $5, $6 per gallon for gasoline, or worse yet, rationing.
The problem though, is that because our presence in Iraq is based on lies, the dissonance between what our leaders say and what they do grows over time. And as that dissonance grows, our leaders undermine the confidence of the public. And if a time comes that that confidence is really needed, it may not be forthcoming. And that is the great national tragedy of Iraq.
Cha cha cha changing.... W
Cha cha cha changing....
Believe Bush
Exactly, no one in the administration is planning to leave Iraq and the permanent bases are already being built. So what is all the talk about U.S. and Iraqi military standing up and standing down now and then or tomorrow or the day after. The occupation is an open-ended deal and the perpetrators are perfectly happy that politicians, media and public distract themselves from the real issue for as long as possible by chattering about withdrawal. By the time we all wake up the bases will already be up and functioning. Wouldn't it be shame to leave all those high-priced accommodations to pulverize in the desert?