A Carolyn Baker Exclusive - Geologist Dale Allen Pfeiffer, a foremost authority on Peak Oil,
assesses the Bush administration's bleed-out policy in the light of
America's energy consumption. Visit Dale's website, MOUNTAIN SENTINEL HOME
The idea is that, although Bush was wrong to get us into this war, we are there and we cannot simply pull our troops out. If we do so, then Iraq will collapse into civil war and Iran could very well take over the whole country, including its oilfields.
This seems plausible. But when you look closely at this argument, you will see that there is nothing to support it other than the delusion that the US is fighting the good fight. There were no terrorists in Iraq before we invaded the country. The so-called insurgency is in reality a resistance. This has been a war of conquest from the start. The US troops there must terrorize the Iraqis in order to maintain any sort of ascendancy. In so doing, they demoralize the Iraqis and themselves.
The country is in chaos. Analysts say the situation will only worsen if the US remains there. While sectarian fighting is featured in news reports, most of the actual violence is directed against US troops, along with Iraqi troops, police and civilians perceived as connected to the US. Last month, the Pentagon warned Bush that his troop surge could result in over 10,000 US casualties by the end of 2008.
What is there to lead anyone to believe that a bleed-out of US troops
would resolve this mess in a more peaceful manner? The idea is a
fallacy based on hubris. Any continued US presence in Iraq will only
prolong the anguish. So long as the US insists on keeping its hand in
the Iraqi pie, this invasion is guaranteed to end in disaster. The
Iraqi civil war is already underway. Its acceleration is inevitable.
The only thing assured by continued US involvement is that more US
soldiers will be killed, maimed and psychologically injured along the
way.
Political leaders cling to this idea of bleed-out simply because they
do not want US interests to lose their grip on Iraq's oil wealth. This
is what the invasion was about all along: oil. And now they are afraid
to let go of the country for fear of losing this oil bounty. Should
that happen, they can envisage this oil being used against us, perhaps
leading to a realignment of the entire Middle East with all of its
energy riches poised against the US.
They fear the collapse of US hegemony, the destruction of the US
economy, the failure of consumer capitalism and the end of the US way
of life. But wait a moment, the US contains 5% of the world population
but consumes somewhere between 35 and 50% of its resources (depending
on if you are viewing resources as a total or looking at only energy
resources). US hegemony is directly or indirectly responsible for the
impoverishment and exploitation of people the world over. Consumer
capitalism and the US way of life are the leading causes of
environmental destruction and global climate change. And the US economy
is already being destroyed by decades of misguided economic policy and
the Bush deficit.
On the other hand, we know that to solve all of these various problems,
we need to decentralize, rel-ocalize and turn to a more sustainable
socioeconomic system. It would seem that those who cling to the Iraq
invasion and other designs for imperialistic conquest are resisting the
necessity of this change. They want to be the last man standing, while
the majority of the US public and the rest of the world are left in a
tangled, tormented heap.
In the long run, the majority of US citizens — and the world at large —
would be better served if we simply admitted that this invasion was
wrong from start to finish. We should allow those who led us into this
immoral madness — be they Republican, Democrat or war profiteer — to
stand trial for war crimes. As a country, we should make reparations
for our conquest of Iraq; surely such reparations would not cost as
much as the continued cost of war, and would save the lives of many US
soldiers. And we should allow the UN, and in particular the Arab
nations, to hammer out peace and lead the country out of chaos and
bloodshed.
In so doing, we would have to give up the mantle of world imperialism.
Yet, it is only after we relinquish that false and bloody mantle that
we can begin the life-reaffirming act of reaching for sustainability.
Then, perhaps, the US can help lead the world into a true age of
prosperity.
"They want to be the last man standing while the majority of the US public and the rest of the world are left in a tangled, tormented heap."
And thanks to the repeal of the estate tax (should it pass), their heirs will live happily ever after in gated communities and chauffeured and protected by private contractors.
What a legacy.
1
February 23, 2007
a guest: International "Justice" System http://none
What is needed in this world more than anything else is an international justice system that treats all nations equally and fairly, and has the power to enforce it's decisions regardless of which nation (or nations) is the transgressor of international law. The current system (the UN) is corrupt and ineffectual--it is obviously injust and obviously does not work well (why else would US troops be in Iraq?). Two examples are the UN veto power of some nations (all nations are equal, but some are more equal than others), and the rights of some nations to possess nuclear weapons, but not others (either: 1. All nations should have the right to possess nuclear weapons; 2. All nations except those that historically have used nuclear weapons to kill people should have the right; or 3. No nations should have the right to possess nuclear weapons (probably the only sane option).
Scrape the UN--what we need is an international agency that can prevent idiotic and unjust situations like the Iraq from happening!
Yep, The Poster boy said it. Poster boy represents the imposters. It be preposterous if citizens' to allow the Poster boy's to continue this. "That about sums it up." Your right. Thanks. "That about sums it up. What do we do now? Now what? What a predicament!.. "That about sums it up." Right.
You said it!
3
February 24, 2007
a guest: International "Jusitice" System http://none
"What is needed in this world more than anything else is an international justice system that treats all nations equally and fairly, and has the power to enforce it's decisions regardless of which nation (or nations) is the transgressor of international law."
How would an international justice system take into account "Sharia"? Just wondering
4
February 24, 2007
Write comment
Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:
Writings 
The idea is that, although Bush was wrong to get us into this war, we are there and we cannot simply pull our troops out. If we do so, then Iraq will collapse into civil war and Iran could very well take over the whole country, including its oilfields.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
