It's The Oil

Our presence in the Middle East, our occupation of Iraq, and our bases in places like Saudi Arabia, is widely acknowledged to be the primary irritant that drives militant Islamic hatred of the U.S. So, why are we there? Because we have "strategic security interests in the region." Translated: we need the oil. We've had almost 40 years to wean ourselves off of foreign oil since the first round of gas shortages and price hikes back in the early 1970s, yet we've done virtually nothing to become energy independent in all that time. This is a national disgrace and a wholesale failure of leadership on a grand scale. We're in for a big fall. It's just a matter of when. That's why Bush refuses to change course in Iraq. He knows that if we pull out of Iraq, the Shite government that will emerge after the civil war ends will be hostile to U.S. interests and would probably align itself with Iran. Both countries could then use their oil as a weapon against the U.S. We've created this mess with decades of disastrous foreign and domestic policies. Whatever happens with Iraq, we're in big trouble. That's the real reason why most of the major candidates for president on both sides of the aisle talk of a long term American presence in Iraq and in the region. It's the oil.

Photo: one of our favorite Pines beachfront houses

Jim