Iraq

I have never wished or intended for this blog to be 'political' in the doctrinaire sense so it is with some caution that I blog on the subject of Iraq.

Let us be absolutely clear about this:-

1. The invasion of Iraq had nothing whatsoever to do with human rights in Iraq or the dreadful Saddam.
2. The invasion of Iraq had nothing whatsoever to do with any security threat to the west or 'WMD'.

Iraq was simply the best available place to get US and British troops on the ground to protect our oil interests in the Middle East. Those troops will stay there in appropriate bases with appropriate logistical support and supplies until 'we' no longer need them.

Why have troops on the ground in the Middle East? Because, as the first Gulf War showed, without troops you cannot move forward to secure territory. If you don't have your own bases you are under the political control of host nations (Saudi was the biggest host in the first Gulf war and supporting the USA caused immense harm in Saudi's relations with the rest of the Arab world). Iraq has ceased to be a sovereign nation in any meaningful sense -- it is an an occupied territory under the control of the USA.

If you wanted to go round the world rooting out evil tyrants you would not have started with Saddam and you certainly wouldn't end your crusade there.....how about the mad, murderous Mr Mugabe?

The oil price crash is causing social and political upheaval in an already unsettled region. Never has the west needed troops on the ground more than now. Without access to affordable Middle East oil you can forget 'recovery'. Period.