On a sunny day (Fri, 20 Oct 2006 18:01:47 -0400) it happened Peter Skelton
wrote in :

It is all about killing Iraq oil export to get the price up, so the Saudi
masters of Islam converted mole Bush get richer.
All they want is $$$ (and Iraq wanted Euro, that would be the end for the US).

This undoubtedly explains the enthusiasm of Canada, Mexico and
Venizuala, the countries the US buys most of it's oil from for
the idea. And the presence of all those Saudis, Norweigans and
Russians among the coalition batallions.

You're saying those nice ol' boys from Texas wanted to make us
rich so much they overode our objections to get the price up.

I've no patience for the had to get reid of Saddam crowd, their
logic is absurd and their evidence non-existant but there sure as
hell are conspirwakos on the other side too.

OK, in detail thing are a bit more complicated, but getting $$ is the issue here.
It was for the Russians (Putin) a matter of what would bring in mo
the higher oil price, or spare parts for the 4000 taxies he sold in Iraq.
As for the Norwegians, I think they have pants full of Russian fear, so it is
important for them to stay close to the US (same for Poland).
The Saudis = the Bush so they were there alright.

I think 'politics' is in a big way to 'mend the people' and truth or no truth
is largely irrelevant.
With strong press control (why do you see no coffins? Fox TV etc..) you can
get the voters to vote for anything, even if they know it is bad for them.
So you give them a 100$ tax rebate, and have them pay 10$ extra each time they
fill up.
But voters are not normally presented that math.... I want the 100$ now:-)
There is also the issue of US image detoriating all over the world, you are no
longer safe.
These threats (created by threatening Iran, provoking N Korea, awakening the Islamic
fanatics, etc) lead to big business, security systems, arms race, all payed by the taxpayer,
and money from the tax payer spend on those things is NOT used on education, welfare,
increased wages, better life for Americans.
It is true that the guys who have jobs doing this will have more to spend, but the whole
operation is at the cost of the rest of the world, 100000 Iraqi civilians, 3000 US mil,
it would perhaps be better if they had all contributed their knowledge and lived in peace,,,
But that is not the way it is (and human nature).
So it is sort of hard to argue 'I have the better solution', but if you go that way and
sort of see that we really have no free will, and are a result of all forces in the universe
working on us, then you are also free to think on the other side, and then why not grab Saudi
oil and have nice cheap oil and stop Islam?
Leaving aside any 'civilised' thinking, you grabbed the land from the natives,
dunno how many injuns have been killed, Israel grabbed Palestine, China grabbed Tibet, wtf
are the US waiting for to grab the oil in Saudi Arabia?
Chavez does in... Putin does it.... those Bushist are simply not hawkish enough :-)
Saudis think it is smart having US protection... but if your protector is all powerful,
as the US is with H nukes, he does not really need you... so why keep you.

Anyways....power may shift, the Roman empire is no more, after Caesar it started to decline.
Alliances fell apart.....
China is very powerful atm, although now friendly with the US, already owns large parts
of the US!
If power is moving there, then US will have to play second fiddle, or attach and destroy the
rest of the world.
I agree that if you have to pay second fiddle you better have your own oil...... resources.
Other leaders (countries) know this....
It is funny how ever much Bush screamed, N Korea announced more nuke tests, ONE meeting
with China and no more nuke tests.... talk about influence :-)
There you go.