Consider that in 2001 the average price per barrel of oil was around $20, and it is now 5 times that.
Consider that we entered the Iraq war with at least some idea that it would be hard to rebuild the country.
OK, and now it is getting too late, but just take this hypothesis and run with it:
The price of oil has risen significantly, and this rise was anticipated by those in charge of orchestrating the Iraq war. The idea is that it would be much easier to pay for the reconstruction if Iraq's oil had a higher purchasing power.
3 comments:
The only problem with your theory is that I do not know anybody who ever anticipated such a rise in the price of oil. I exclude from this statement the various pundits and cassandras who have been predicting the collapse of the carbon economy on and off for about 20 years. I mean serious analysts and industry folk -- I follow the commodities market and have invested heavily in energy, and nobody, I mean nobody ever mentioned even $100/barrel oil except as a "worst nightmare" scenario. Up until 2007 Exxon was still internally budgeting oil at $35-40/barrel.
So if W and Rummy figured this into the plan in 2003, it was remarkably prescient -- and foresight does not appear to have been their strong suit. Also, I think Iraq still isn't pumping a hell of a lot of oil, so that too is a weak point, cause you've got to get the oil out of the ground to get the money.
Also, aren't we letting iraq keep their oil revenues anyway?
I would have tagged Cheney as the mastermind, not W (ha! brains. ha!) or Rummy.
Your question is the same one I had: what is happening with Iraq's oil revenues and infrastructure?
Anyone have any links?
OK, I have at least one lead now:
http://www.iraqoilreport.com/
It appears to be a major clusterfuck over there.
/speculation
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