Thank you as always for being a voice of reason.

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it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? She always cuts thru the caca and nails it.

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I believe the Bush war with Iraq has always been about oil. On March 19, 2003, (a day before the invasion) The Wall Street Journal carried an OPINION article entitled "A War for France's Oil" where it declares [using modern technology] "...Iraq today would likely be sitting on proven oil reserves of 300 billion barrels or more, according to various estimates, including those of the U.S. government." At that time Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves was estimated at 250 million barrels.

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In researching the hawks promoting the invasion of Iraq, we found a policy paper written
by Richard Perle et al for the state of Israel in 1996:

A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm
http://www.israeleconomy.org/strat1.htm

"This effort can focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq — an important Israeli strategic objective in its own right — as a means of foiling Syria’s regional ambitions."

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Oil from Iraq : An Israeli pipedream?
16 April 2003
http://www.janes.com/security/international_
security/news/fr/fr030416_1_n.shtml

"Israel stands to benefit greatly from the US led war on Iraq, primarily by getting rid of an implacable foe in President Saddam Hussein and the threat from the weapons of mass destruction he was alleged to possess. But it seems the Israelis have other things in mind."

"An intriguing pointer to one potentially significant benefit was a report by Haaretz on 31 March that minister for national infrastructures Joseph Paritzky was considering the possibility of reopening the long-defunct oil pipeline from Mosul to the Mediterranean port of Haifa. With Israel lacking energy resources of its own and depending on highly expensive oil from Russia, reopening the pipeline would transform its economy."

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Bill Moyers wrote about censorship and the media in 2004, when he was the host of the flagship News Show of PBS, NOW.

He wrote a commentary on freedom of the press: The Media, Politics, and Censorship." This was an indictment of Rupert Murdock and media concentration, written 2004 May 10.

Nowadays, these mega-media conglomerates relieve government of the need for censorship by doing it themselves. So we're reminded once again that journalism's best moments have come not when journalists make common cause with the state but stand fearlessly independent of it. A free press remains everything to a free society.

Two and a half years ago Moyers retired after a 30-year career where he became one of the most recognizable faces on public television. Moyers joins us to play excerpts of “Buying the War” and talk about the media, the late journalist David Halberstam, corporate consolidation of the airwaves, and the hope he sees from the grassroots. [includes rush transcript]

Legendary broadcaster Bill Moyers is returning to the airwaves of PBS tonight to launch his new series Bill Moyers Journal. The debut episode is titled “Buying the War.” Moyers makes the case that the press has yet to come to terms with its role in enabling the Bush Administration to go to war on false pretenses.

He has returned, THANKFULLY with his own show titled, Bill Moyers Journal Bill Moyers podcasts, schedule, etc."


It Was About Oil All Along by Bill Moyers, Saturday 2008 June 28.

Watching Bill Moyers smack-down the Bill O'Reilly producer from Faux Gnus Gnatwerk, made my summer. There still exists journalists, who report the story, not make it.

AND as demonstrated when Moyers' took on O'Reilly's Gnat, he asked "Where is the $20/barrel oil, Murdoch and you asserted? WHERE IS IT?! The guy squirmed and tried to get away. A thing of beauty. . .

See it here:Moyers Smacks down O'Reilly Producer, Porter Barry.

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"A crazy explanation from the far left."

I'm pretty right wing (gun toting military vet and all) and I've been saying the Iraq war is about oil since before we went in.

It's so obvious to anyone with a few brain cells to rub together and produce a little critical thinking.

It's PHENOMENAL to me that 5 years later we're still arguing this point.

I've lost all faith in humanity. You're all tools and imbeciles and you will always, always be at the mercy of people like me.

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If anyone can jump-start the discussions that are needed, its Rachel.

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Now we just have to deal with the average American who thinks that dominating Iraq and stealing its oil is the right thing to do for our own survival. Appeals to human compassion and equality don't seem to be cutting it for a lot of people.

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