I already posted this on my boards, a year ago. Maybe this will illuminate the question.
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What could inspire the united states to wage war with another nation that did not formally declar war or directly attack its military or citizens or territories?
John Chapman of the Guardian has an
interesting take:
It is about the oil, but not what most people assume. For ideological reasons are but a mask of ulterior motives, usually economical.
President Bush had to gain control over Iraq oil, not because of the superficial rhetoric (that the oil supply had to be protected) but because that was the only way to protect the United States' interests - its money.
Oil prices are figured in dollars, due to the OPEC-US agreement in the '70's. Therefore the US purchases are protected against currency fluctuations.
Yet in 1999 Iran switched to Euro, and in late 2000 Saddam had Iraq do the same. This trend was terrifying for the Americans because if the rest of the world dumps the dollar for the newer Euro, coupled with the escalating deficit, the dollar will
plummet and the market will likely nosedive, and other
"dramatic upheavals." Since the president could ill afford to allow that, nor could Tony Blair, who demanded the brits to support the United States because of the UK's dependence on foreign oil, and its independence from the Euro, their actions indicate that they had their nations' interest at heart.
A year after Saddam switched, Bush declared Iraq one of the Axis of Evil and a year after that Saddam is desposed.
