Since the end of the Cold War a decade ago, the U.S. has gone to war in Iraq, Somalia, Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan. The interventions have been promoted as "humanitarian" deployments to stop aggression, to topple dictatorships, or to halt terrorism. After each U.S. intervention, the attention of supporters and critics alike has turned to speculate on which countries would be next. But largely ignored has been what the U.S. interventions left behind.Balad Airbase — also profiled at GlobalSecurity.org — and other large Iraq airbases are listed in the May 2006 Talking Proud article, Get Serious People, We're Staying In Iraq. It quotes an AP news report:
As the Cold War ended, the U.S. was confronted with competition from two emerging economic blocs in Europe and East Asia. Though it was considered the world’s last military superpower, the United States was facing a decline of its economic strength relative to the European Union, and the East Asian economic bloc of Japan, China and the Asian "Four Tigers." The U.S. faced the prospect of being economically left out in much of the Eurasian land mass. The major U.S. interventions since 1990 should be viewed not only reactions to "ethnic cleansing" or Islamist militancy, but to this new geopolitical picture.
Since 1990, each large-scale U.S. intervention has left behind a string of new U.S. military bases in a region where the U.S. had never before had a foothold. The U.S. military is inserting itself into strategic areas of the world, and anchoring U.S. geopolitical influence in these areas, at a very critical time in history. With the rise of the "euro bloc" and "yen bloc," U.S. economic power is perhaps on the wane. But in military affairs, the U.S. is still the unquestioned superpower. It has been projecting that military dominance into new strategic regions as a future counterweight to its economic competitors, to create a military-backed "dollar bloc" as a wedge geographically situated between its major competitors.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Allen G. Peck, the deputy commander of all U.S. Air Force aircraft in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in this April, 13, 2006 [sic].A full version of this AP Report is here.
AP reported, "The U.S. military is preparing for the day when air power from bases along the Persian Gulf will help ensure that friendly governments in Iraq and Afghanistan survive without American ground troops, according to Peck. 'We'll be in the region for the foreseeable future,' said Peck. 'Our intention would be to stay as long as the host nations will have us.'"
The Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" is an issue of critical importance, but has been seriously mischaracterized and I want to provide the House of Representatives the facts and evidence to support the concerns I have expressed.posted by hadjiboy at 12:04 AM on October 12, 2007
As you know, the Administration set several benchmarks for the Iraqi government, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament. The Administration has emphasized only a small part of this law, the "fair" distribution of oil revenues. Consider the fact that the Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" contains a mere three sentences that generally discusses the "fair" distribution of oil.
Except for three scant lines, the entire 33 page "Hydrocarbon Law," is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil. As such, it in imperative that all of us carefully read the Iraqi Parliament's bill because the Congress is on the record in promoting oil privatization.
This war is about oil.
We must not be party to the Administration's blatant attempt to set the stage for multinational oil companies to take over Iraq's oil resources.
The Administration set several benchmarks for the Iraqi government, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament.
And many inside the beltway are contemplating linking funding for the war in Iraq to the completion of these benchmarks, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament.
The Administration has once again misled Congress by mislabeling the draft law as an oil revenues distribution law, just as the Administration misled Congress about the Iraq war.
The war in Iraq is a stain on American history. Let us not further besmirch our nation by participating in the outrageous exploitation of a nation which is in shambles due to U.S. intervention.
The fact is that except for three scant lines, the entire 33 page "Hydrocarbon Law," is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil.
the 2000 election could be seen as a clash of philosophies as to how to deal with the upcoming oil shortage
If we're an arrogant nation, they'll resent us; if we're a humble nation, but strong, they'll welcome us. And our nation stands alone right now in the world in terms of power, and that's why we've got to be humble, and yet project strength in a way that promotes freedom...I'm worried about over committing our military around the world. I want to be judicious in its use...I'm not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world and say this is the way it's got to be...I just don't think it's the role of the United States to walk into a country and say, we do it this way, so should you.Dude lied in the job interview.
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So let me ask an odd, but honest question. Knowing this to be the case, and knowing that by and large all of the serious candidates for president from both parties are going to continue this kind of policy, even if the execution differs, why would we all just by oil stocks?
If the oil companies are going to profit off of this war, and our leaders and their friends and family are going to do the same, is it immoral or unethical for us to do the same? Our behavior is on too small a scale to have an effect, so would anyone consider it wrong if someone opposed to the war did this to profit anyway?
posted by Pastabagel at 9:58 AM on October 11, 2007