Originally Posted by Scoutgal
I didn't say that the Bush Administration was the sharpest knife in the drawer about the Iraq oil. I just said that control of it was what they intended to achieve. I think that was just going to be a bonus. Their main intentions were to enrich the pockets of their defense contractor cronies. That they did very well. wink

This discussion illustrates the futility of such discussions.

Why exactly did the bush administration do what it did? It is very hard to say... different members of the group had differnt thoughts and motivations.

Just my opinion, but I think GW bush was very pissed that Saddam tried to assaintate his dad... Texans take that sort of thing very seriously. I also think he really thought that he was protecting the interests of the USA. And I think he thought Saddam was a loose cannon that would have to be dealt with sooner or later... and this was the moment to deal with it. And, I also think that he was fool enough to believe that if he just took our Saddam, and gave freedom a chance in the region, that this could be a catalyst that would entirely re-make the whole middle east.

And, of course their free market ideology convinced them that the best way to solve most problems is to let the market find a solution.... so they had an abiding faith that if they simply destroyed the bad, then good would emerge.

But at this point, I don't think many of them would agree on what happened and why... even if they were talking off the record to friends.

"It's not a lie if you believe it." -- George Costanza
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. --Bertrand Russel