Reply #7: maybe. but, I think our government's interest is in suppressing Iraq's output

[bigtree]

The payoff was already made to the oil companies who lined up to either obtain or hold on to a piece of the Iraqi market. That deal was made possible by Chalabi and Bremer even before the 'elected' regime assumed power when they opened up Iraq's entire economy to foreign investment; something which hadn't been done before in Iraq's modern history, and had the predictably devastating effect on average Iraqis' ability to gain any ground.

I've always felt that the 'deal' that the Bush regime was most interested in, after the oil industry deals, was the suppression of Iraq's output for the direct benefit of Saudi Arabia. Also, the current aggressive posturing toward Iran came immediately after Cheney visited the Saudi royals. It's all about suppressing, or controlling the output to lessen or eliminate any adverse impact on the Saudi oil sales; just like in the first 'war' on Iraq where there was the prospect of Saddam gaining access to the seaport and mucking up the Saudi oil market.

Then, there's the dynamic that no one will touch publicly: the Kurdish occupation of territory on top of the majority of the lucrative wells in Iraq, and the reluctance of the U.S. to engage in open opposition against the Kurds; the relationship with Turkey, and the U.S. need for the Kurdish to maintain their border defense against Iran. We really don't have any political or military wedge or influence with the Kurds except to ignore the complaints of Turkey and leave them alone.

So, suppression of Iraq's production seems the most attractive choice for the Bush cabal, even if it's just the most manipulative handle they have.