"[The U.S.] must have free access to the [Persian] regions resources. As long as we are dependent on oil, we are dependent on this region."--General Anthony Zinni, Testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, April 13, 1999

"War is my last choice. But the risk of doing nothing is even a worse option as far as I am concerned."--President George Bush, White House, February, 18, 2003

The Bush administration wants to attack Iraq because of its Weapons of Mass Destruction and because of its links with Al Qaeda. This is pure and simple hogwash.

Wednesday morning I read the news from VHeadline.com that the US oil inventories are at the lowest level since 1975; few minutes later I received the news from this same Internet publisher that American On Line (AOL) is censoring any e-mail to the subscribers of the daily editions of Vheadline.com.

Also, wednesday morning, I received another e-mail documenting the fictitious arguments peddled by US Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for attacking Iraq.

Now, when we realize that the American media is supporting the lies of this Bush administration, it is no wonder that there is a different perception about the need of a war against Iraq between Americans and Europeans.

Crude oil prices are going up, Nigerian oil workers are on strike, Venezuelan oil has not resumed its normal level of output, Saudi Arabia doesn't want American troops on its territory anymore, US oil inventories are low, U.S. is running out of its proven oil reserves, the United States is bribing countries in the United Nations Security Council to support a war against Iraq, more than 100,000 American troops are in the Middle East ready to attack Iraq, and OIL is becoming the only reason why president Bush is forcing any excuse to use military force against Iraq as soon as possible.

But, Iraq is not the only American target, the real target is the taking over of Iraqi oil, the further destabilization of the Middle East and Persian region, and above all, the reinforcement of American hegemony on the rest of the world.

References

Pertinent articles published in Ensign

Leopold, Jason Rumsfeld & Bush's Iraq War Plan Was Formulated In 1998 February 19, 2003 http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00133.htm

Renner, Michael Post-Saddam Iraq: Linchpin of a New Oil Order January 2003 Foreign Policy in Focus, http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/papers/oil.html

Rangwala, Glen This page reviews the evidence presented by Hans Blix (UNMOVIC) and Mohamed ElBaradei (IAEA) to the Security Council on 14 February 2003, and contrasts it to the claims of Colin Powell to the Security Council on 5 February and Tony Blair in a dossier of 2 February http://middleeastreference.org.uk/un030214.html

Krugman, Paul Behind the Great Divide (pdf) February 18, 2003 The New York Times http://www.ftlcomm.com:16080/ensign/ensign2/pdfarchive/NYtimes/krugmanFeb18_03.pdf

AP Nigeria sends replacements to counter oil workers strike February 18, 2003 Petroleumworld.com http://www.petroleumworld.com/story0490.htm

CIIR CIIR concerned by US pressure on smaller Security Council members to vote for war February 14, 2003 Catholic Institute for International Relations http://www.ciir.org/ciir.asp?section=news&page=story&ID=574

Benn, Aluf and Sadeth, Sharon U.S. Undersec'y of State John Bolton: Syria and Iran are next February 18, 2003 Haaretz Daily, http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/263923.html

Klare, Michael The Coming War With Iraq: Deciphering the Bush Administration's Motives January 16, 2003 Foreign Policy in Focus http://www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org/commentary/2003/0301warreasons.html