A case of humanitarian imperialism?

It’s just amazing that the Iraq invasion and occupation were about Oil. The Independent now reports that:

Plans to exploit Iraq’s oil reserves were discussed by government ministers and the world’s largest oil companies the year before Britain took a leading role in invading Iraq, government documents show.

As Patrick Cockburn points out:

The supposed disinterest expressed by international oil companies in the outcome of the invasion of Iraq in the year before it was launched never quite made sense. Iraqis used to ask ironically if the rest of the world would have been quite so interested in the fate of their country if its main export had been cabbages.

Nevertheless, Cockburn believes:

It has never seemed likely that the US and Britain invaded Iraq primarily for its oil. Reasserting US self-confidence as a super-power after 9/11 was surely a greater motive. The UK went along with this in order to remain America’s chief ally. Both President Bush and Tony Blair thought the war would be easy.

But would they have gone to war if Iraq had been producing cabbages? Probably not.

Cockburn is right about the role of oil in the push for war. After all, the United States can invade and decimate nearly any country it wants to destroy. But Iraq and its oil had strategic value for the faltering superpower, and Iraq could serve to announce to the world that the United States could defend its interests when pushed. Fortunately, the Iraqis also had designs on their country! The Iraq invasion and occupation have thus produced a political nightmare for the United States and Great Britain. It can be said that the United States prevailed in Iraq. But it is clear that it weakened America as a whole and as a military power.

Related Articles

• The Independent: Secret Memos Show Iraq Invasion Linked To Big Oil Companies (alan.com)
• Britain, oil firms held talks before Iraq invasion, paper says (theglobeandmail.com)
• UK Consulted Big Oil Before Iraq Invasion (newser.com)
• Documents reveal talks between Government and oil giants before Iraq invasion (dailymail.co.uk)
• Iraq war documents reveal talks between Government and oil giants BP before invasion (dailymail.co.uk)
• “British Government Memos Tie Iraq Invasion to Big Oil” and related posts (thehollywoodliberal.com)
• Like supporting Gaddafi with arms Iraq was about OIL – Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq – UK Politics, UK – The Independent (rajcairnsreport.wordpress.com)
• Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq (redantliberationarmy.wordpress.com)
• Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq (independent.co.uk)
• Patrick Cockburn: Libya’s parallels with Iraq under Saddam are truly ominous (independent.co.uk)