Why do so many liberals believe that we are in the middle east for oil?
152389
Look at the first answer. This is why you cannot take Liberal whockos seriously. The ASSUME they KNOW an answer, just because they have some stupid and ill advised preconceived notion. "The war is about oil" "We get most of our oil from the Middle East" etc. The combination of Canada and Mexico more than doubles our import totals from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait (the top 3 Middle Eastern countries from which we import Crude Oil, and the only 3 in the top 15 countries from which we import oil)\n\nIn actuality Canada IS the top country from which we import crude oil. The majority of our crude oil imports will continue to come from the Western Hemisphere for the forseeable future.\n\nCANADA 1,892 1,776 1,642 1,556 1,616\nMEXICO 1,707 1,658 1,550 1,552 1,598\nSAUDI ARABIA 1,438 1,267 1,438 1,449 1,495\nVENEZUELA 1,183 1,009 1,231 1,379 1,297\nNIGERIA 1,174 1,163 1,060 1,006 1,078\nANGOLA 425 641 450 306 306\nIRAQ 390 572 520 626 655\nECUADOR 340 264 276 261 232\nKUWAIT 268 273 215 205 241\nALGERIA 212 265 228 199 215\nBRAZIL 159 65 94 0 51\nGABON 139 66 127 233 142\nCOLOMBIA 135 281 156 135 142\nNORWAY 66 103 119 63 143\nTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 62 70 62 22 49\n\nWe are not in Iraq for oil, nor were we ever. We were first there because of the invasion of Kuwiat, and we helped answer the call of the Kuwaiti people for assistance. We are there now to finish the job because of the violations of the cease fire agreement that ended hostilities from the military action from Desert Storm.\n\nAs evidenced by the actual documentation...\n\nThe Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public law 107-243, 116 Stat. 1497-1502) was a law passed by the United States Congress authorizing what was soon to become the Iraq War. The authorization was sought by President George W. Bush. It passed the House on October 10 by a vote of 296-133, and by the Senate on October 11 by a vote of 77-23, obviously receiving a limited amount of support from Democrats, and must be considered an overall unsupportive vote when compared to the "war vote" for the Second World War and other more poplularly supported conflicts. It was signed into law by President Bush on October 16, 2002.\n\nThe Resolution cited several factors to justify a war:\n\n* Iraq's noncompliance with the conditions of the 1991 cease fire
1019925
Water as fuel is not reality. Neither is the belief we are fighting for oil.\n\nYou might as well believe in the tooth fairy and Easter bunny.
864630
Totally agree.  Ever since oil was discovered in the Middle East, the most powerful men and nations on the earth have lusted over the area.  They have bribed leaders, propped up dictators like Saddam, manipulated and cajoled the nations and the people endlessly.  The Saudi  Prince, spiritual leader of the Islamic World, seems to have his own agenda along with all the other players, and this  all  combines to make the mess in Iraq we see today.  That the people of Iraq could be free to chose their own destiny is almost a laughable concept, as they haven't ever been free, and it doesn't look like anyone will leave them alone long enough to figure it out for themselves, if indeed that is what we are really doing there.
892243
Maybe I am just being naive but it would seem to me that if it was about oil that we would have a lot more troops over there protecting the pipelines. I mean wouldn't that make sense?
51943
If gas was 12 dollars a gallon liberals would still complain about the oil companies making windfall profits and then STILL REFUSE to let them go after our own domestic oil off the coast or up in ANWR.  Instead of looking for solutions to the problem they would whine and caterwall and talk about how fragile the ecosystem is while 2000 acres or less than one half of one percent of the total land area of a frozen wasteland in Alaska remains untouched and the oil under the ground there remains out of reach. The funny thing is that liberal environmentalist p**sies know damn well that the oil could be drilled for with very little environmental impact - but their real agenda is a hatred of Capitalism - Isn't it time you guys moved to a cave somewhere and left the rest of us alone?
677081
The problems in the entire Middle east stem from the fact that these countries were held as possessions of the global empires for many years only to be cut loose when occupation was no longer profitable. We, the US, and our allies have exacerbated the situation with our invasion under false pretenses. The Iraqi people need to realize that the other Iraqis are not the enemies, big oil is.
486093
What are you talking about?\n\nGas prices are high because the world (specificly the USA) haven't been researching or building an alternative fuel source infrastructure. Our politicians, both Rep & Dems are bought and paid for by the oil companies, the wealthiest lobby there is.\n\nWhat has that got to do with partisan politics? Have you been asleep?
504017
Americans have the resources to rebuild Iraq but I guarantee we won't do it...\n\nAmericans can be very forgetful and uncaring. The news media will continue to cover "terrorism" in the middle east so that Americans will feel justified in ignoring that section of the world.\nOnly a handful of liberal democrats really care about what's going on over there... we are not strong enough in numbers to help as much as we would like.\n\nWe are not the benevolent healers of the world that the media makes us think we are... We are doing nothing for Darfur because they have no oil or resources that we want.\n\nThe point is - I don't want to be bombed because our presidential administration does not care about the happiness of the rest of the world.
273425
According to uninformed idiot liberals, it's oil - but to the rest of the adults in the country, it's one of the many fronts on the global war on terrorism.
901846
well you may be right. The problem with the minds of most in the USA is that they only believe what they want to believe. They will swear it is raining when there is not a drop of rain and the sun is out. They just don't like being made out as fools. They sometimes prefer to believe a lie rather than to face the truth. \nBut on with your question, the Iraqis will never allow the US to control their oil and neither will Iran. In fact, now that the entire Middle East knows and understands the modus operandi of the US, they have no use for us except that we continue to buy their oil. A few years back while the US was in the full throes of war with Iraq, I predicted that Iran as well as Saudi Arabia and Syria would one day join hands as a solidified conglomerate of Middle Eastern power. This is happening, slowly but surely. Soon enough we will also see even Lebanon joining as well as Kuwait and Jordan. Then will come Pakistan and Afghanistan.We had no viable plan for Iraq, and it is too late to stop this oncoming Middle Eastern power base.\nOh and yes, Iran has been chanting "death to America" for several years now...but what you don't seem to realize is that other middle eastern countries have been THINKING the same thought for several years also.\nWill the U.S. invade and wage war against Iran?\nIt remains to be seen, but we should hope not. Doing so at least now in this decade would mean a world war. And it would mean the end for Israel.\nSo no. Not a viable plan. Not now.  Now five years from now.
156573
First, your question is flawed by assuming the war is for oil.\n\nSecond, I have done two tours in Iraq. The vast majority of Iraqis love Americans. The kids love us and want to shake our hands. The adults love us and regularly invite us to dinner and special occasions. They love us when we build schools. They love us when we build roads. They love us when we rid villages of insurgents.\n\nDon't believe what the liberal media is spinning. They have an agenda just like you.
507692
Liberals don't think, they feel. As you point out, they think Bush is responsible for everything. That is because most attended a government sanctioned child abuse center, aka public school. Thus, you will get idiots replying that this was a "war for oil".  If so, then the price of gas would be around $1.00 a gallon.  Simple supply and demand.  \n\nLet's take a look at a few facts.  First, the cost of crude oil for each gallon of gas sold in this country has gone up from about 35 cents per gallon in 1999 to $1.59 per gallon in 2006.   So ... crude oil prices go up by 454% over a period of seven years.  How much did gas prices go up during the same period?  Try 162%.  Looks to me like things could be worse.\n\nSo ... did George Bush set those crude oil prices?  Did the oil companies go out there and set the prices that high?  Helllloooo!  Do you think the oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia might have had anything to do with it?  Is it possible that the ever-increasing worldwide demand for crude oil was a factor?  How about the fact that oil exploration slowed several years ago when crude was selling for under $20 a barrel?  Now that the price is so much higher many more companies are getting into the exploration business ... but it takes somewhere around 5 years from discovery of an oil deposit to actual production.  The price of oil didn't start its uphill swing until about 2004.  Do the math.  You also have the fact that oil is a commodity that is traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange.  Traders have much to do about setting prices.  Do you suppose that George Bush is calling these traders in to coach them on just what those prices should be?  That's what the Democrats want you to believe.\n\nBesides, can Big Oil set the price, even if it wanted to?  As The Motley Fool points out on their website, there are dozens of publicly traded oil companies.  Add to that mix the government-owned oil companies like Saudi Aramco, and the hundreds of small private companies (my brother used to be the president of one such company) that are drilling around the world ... and the Democrats want you to believe that they all got together to set these crude prices?  Not one of these companies wants to seek an advantage in the market place by lowering their prices?\n\nThis is all about playing on the ignorance of the American people for political advantage.  These Democrats and most in the media know the score.  They understand the difference between gross profits and profit margins ... and they know that most Americans do not.
1172267
Right at this time, the Middle Eastern Nations provide and control the majority of today's oil. Unfortunately, the next 20 years will probably be provided by the same source (for the western world that is unless alternative means are initiated). Other parts of the world do have ample resources to assist in providing oil for the rest of the world. Countries such as Venezuela, Mexico, Russia and even Canada and be self sustaining in this area and the United States is currently purchasing oil from these areas. Canada has a vast reserve underground in what is called "Oil Sands" where the oil is actually trapped in sand which makes it a grainy like tar. It is very costly (at this time) to extract the oil from the sand.
945479
The Middle East is about Oil!  Our allies are Israel, Turkey, and Egypt, and Kuwait.  Neutral are Jordan, Lebanon,Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, the Arab Emirates.  Hostile are Iraq?, Iran, Syria, and probably Afghanistan, though we have installed a government there now friendly to us,but it probably will not last.  Most of those friendly to us are on our payroll like Israel and Egypt.  Because we are so dependent on the oil, and are afraid of losing control of it, we are acting out of fear.  We  are trying bully the region into being our friends.  That never works.  As of now, most all the people on the street hate us for what we are doing.  I think the biggest threat is our own policy of force.  No one likes to be forced, and these are an ancient and proud people.  Our present government says the threats are Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan.    If you would like to know more, and I suggest you do as that part of the  world will continue to influence your daily life, I would read what you can, watch our news, and use the Internet.  One excellent source of the Arab view of the news is Al Jazeera - see  the link below.  I hope that helps
1129582
You are not going to get an answer out of the people who say that.  They can't explain the things they say, they just know how to say it.\n\nOn the flip side, one can make the argument that the reason some countries in the U.N. did not vote to invade Iraq was due to oil.  Places like France and Russia have/had oil contracts with Iraq, and if they sanctioned an invasion, it would cost them their contracts.\n\nThe simple fact is, the simple minded liberals who make the war for oil claims can't see past the slogans their hero leaders like michael moore spew out of their mouths.\n\n-----\n\nmelvin, that is not a documentary.  That title was removed because it was proven to be full of half truths, and things taken out of context to reach a particular point.  Don't be so naive.\n\n----\n\nberen, I suggest you look at this question, and see if the timeline of statements adds up.\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhuC2gSDmgjaTBRASaVYtdXsy6IX?qid=20060626222808AAHcTMM
448746
I believe it is all about jealousy. I mean, look how much the west has as compared to the Arab States. If it were not for their oil, those countries would not have much more to offer. However, like the guy above said, trap a rat in the corner and it will defend itself. However,the rat is going up against the king of the jungle, a den of lions. It does not take much to see that they too strive to have power. But they wouldnt know how to control their power so thats the reason they cannot have nuclear arms. As far as Russia, they are in it for the money...what else. For the same reason they did not authorize the US invading Iraq, they were purchasing lot of oil from Iraq and selling it to the US. Its all politics but for Iran, they are out of their league.
203735
Deep down they don't even want us to have a military. You see liberals live in a mental Utopia. They believe the world is inherently good and nothing bad will ever happen to America unless we provoke it. I wonder how much of the world they have seen besides maybe Europe or Asia.