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CrappyDom -> The problem with Iraq (9/1/2006 11:18:05 PM)
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PNAC and Bush were right to see the growing threat of China both militarily and economically. They know that the age of cheap oil is ending, regardless of peak oil, the increasing world demand will outstrip supply. While they told America something different, they knew that the American bases in Saudi Arabia were problematic and had to move.
So they invaded Iraq.
Herculean feat if planned well, utter fiasco if not planned well, unmitigated and expensive disaster if not planned at all. Unfortunately, they chose option "don't plan at all" and here we are.
Why does this matter?
Because they are right, the world's resources are running out, oil and metal prices are skyrocketing and China and India's demands will only grow faster and faster as their internal markets come on line.
So, seizing the oil fields first is brutal but one can at least see the strategic point it in. However, they have bungled it and bungled it badly. It doesn't really matter today but it will matter tomorrow.
They are gutting procurements of advanced weapons in order to fund the day to day operations in Iraq. We have alienated much of the world and allowed China to play the part of savior to many of the oil producers. So by overplaying out hand, we have blown it and ended up in a worse position than we were before. We can only stay in Iraq at the expense of billions of dollars a week and while Halliburton and Exxon don't mind the taxpayer footing the bill, at some point China is going to stop loaning us money and the shit is going to hit the fan.
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