We didn't invade Iraq for the oil, and the fact that we aren't pumping it out shouldn't bother war supporters. And shouldn't the "No blood for oil" outcome in Iraq make the anti-war side happy?
I don't get why people are upset that China is helping Iraq develop oil export capabilities. If it makes Iraq wealthier and stronger, they can resist internal strife and Iran better, even without us; and obviously if Iraq exports more oil, it makes oil cheaper for everyone. Heck, maybe China will keep the Iranians at bay in Iraq better than we can.
Seriously, maybe we should hope that China can help Iraqis resist the urge to restart sectarian killing. China apparently has a reason to preserve calm when we lack any reason or interest in doing so.
Well, that's not quite fair. We have sent the CIA back into Iraq to help go after al Qaeda again. I just wish we'd spent 2012 working to resolve problems in Iraq before they got to this point.
So in the short run and in the narrow issue of Iraq, I have no problem with China helping Iraq. Iraq needs help to succeed and we bizarrely aren't providing enough help.
In the long run, of course, I'd rather get China focused on overland energy supply routes so China won't invest so much in their navy.
About Me
- Brian J. Dunn
- I live and write in Ann Arbor, Michigan. University of Michigan AB and MA from Eastern Michigan University. One term in the Michigan Army National Guard. Former American history instructor and retired nonpartisan research analyst. I write on Blogger and Substack. Various military and private journals have published my occasional articles on military subjects. See "My Published Works" on the TDR web version or under the mobile version drop-down menu for citations and links.
