undefined | Better HN

0 pointsjacquesm13y ago0 comments

Bringing democracy to Iraq was never a stated goal of any US administration.

If Iraq had a true democracy they'd nationalize the oil fields and they'd renegotiate their terms with the Western oil companies from a position of strength rather than at gunpoint.

But we already know how that would end, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

And all the good that came of that.

0 comments

2 comments · 1 top-level

mpyne13y ago· 1 in thread

> Bringing democracy to Iraq was never a stated goal of any US administration.

From Bush's speech: "A campaign on harsh terrain in a vast country could be longer and more difficult than some have predicted. And helping Iraqis achieve a united, stable, and free country will require our sustained commitment. Yet, whatever is required of us, we will carry out all the duties we have accepted." (emphasis mine, http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/200...)

But either way, let's take it as true, the Bush White House was not exactly consistent with regarding to the reasoning for invading Iraq at any point.

However, bringing democracy to the countries affected by the Arab Spring wasn't always the stated goal either, no? At least for Libya, Syria, and Egypt the issue was the corruption of the then-current government. Although in all of those cases the end result appears to be on track for some kind of democratic state, it's not looking very promising in Egypt IMHO. And who knows where the ruins of Syria will end up?

> If Iraq had a true democracy they'd nationalize the oil fields

Well Big Oil was doing just fine before the U.S. invaded Iraq, and in general seem to do better when Islamists aren't blowing up their pipelines. So while I "rah rah bad corporations" too I'm not quite to the point where I'm willing to pin all geopolitical maneuvers on what's best for Exxon-Mobil.

You're exactly right that Iraq is potentially in a better position to force re-negotiation of oil contracts than Saddam's Iraq was; they could simply buy off the puppet. So maaaybe we should be careful about all the accusations "Blood for Oil" for Iraq in 2003, as the war made no sense at all from the perspective of Western oil companies.

Even now I have no clue as to why Bush actually invaded Iraq but I don't think it was oil. Even if it was somehow much easier for American companies to get access to Iraq's oil after a protracted occupation, it wouldn't be worth the capital (let alone human) cost overall even for all the oil in Iraq. Even if Bush didn't know that, all his oil friends that he was buddy-buddy with could easily tell him.

jacquesmOP13y ago

Egypt is a dime on its side.

Turkey is about the best example in the region that has managed to deal relatively well with internal strife and yet to maintain some sense of progress. Now if only my country and the Germans could let go of their fears and integrate Turkey into the EU then we can lay the spectre of Turkey going the total opposite way to bed. And with each day the EU dilly-dallies that chance increases.

Even though some would argue the Turkey of 15 years ago was ahead of the one that's there today, I'd hope the Egyptians might take a leaf or two out of Turkeys book. I hope the country will not fall apart or into further disarray. Not all change is for the better, I think that from the perspective of the Egyptians trading Mubarak for a solution like the Turks have would be a big plus, some of the other alternatives not so much...

Time will tell.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse