Opinion War is not for oil

Nobody likes war, particularly those of us who have engaged in it in a combat role and have witnessed first hand the demise of very talented, dedicated American soldiers and airmen. But, to allow our arm chair generals to simplistically declare that this war is about oil deserves comment.

Our armed forces do not go into war for sport. They want peace just as much as the "peace" demonstrators. They differ in the methodology of achieving that peace.

Iraq produced at its height of production about 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, or less than 3 percent of the world's supply. Oil goes on the free market and is bid upon by any nation that wants to buy it at that price. The easiest way for the United States to get Iraqi oil would be to write a contract for it, not go to war with them.

It is a priority to save the Iraqi oil infrastructure for the Iraqi people to be able to assist in the rebuilding of their country not only from the United States bombing, but also the economic destruction conducted by Saddam Hussein over the years and now, too, for the sabotage he has directed.

In fact, the Bush administration has gone out of its way to point out numerous times, especially Colin Powell, that the Iraqi oil is for the Iraqi people.

"The first task of a new regime would be to get production capacity, damaged by war and poor operating practices back into gear." (Daniel Yergin, chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates).

"That looks great in the media, to say 'No Blood for Oil,' but that's a reach -- to think that we're fighting Iraq to gain access to the oil.... Going to war with Iraq in order to control Iraq's oil supply makes little economic sense.

Iraq sits atop an enormous untouched oil reserve, second only to Saudi Arabia, but its productive oil wells supply only 3 percent of the world's market.

"Let's presume the morning after a quick and decisive victory -- if everything falls into place -- by the end of this decade we might see the volume of oil coming out of Iraq equal to about 3.5 percent of the world's oil supply." (Robert Ebel, director of energy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies).

Make no mistake about it, the immediate reason to go after Saddam Hussein is as scores of people in the administration have stated: the immediate cessation of the covert production of weapons of mass destruction that will be made available to extreme Muslim organizations bent on the destruction of the United States of America.

This period is the most dangerous to our country since the Second World War. It's complicated and convoluted. There is no obvious single brilliant path.

Our nation has already made a lot of mistakes in dealing with the Third World clear back to World War I. The British, French and Russians have been equally if not more instrumental. It's not going to get undone or fixed easily. But, let's give peace a chance... and it appears valid in this circumstance that the Iraq best chance needs to be enacted with military force. Witness, the inspections would not have even begun again were it not for the massing of troops and equipment by the United States.

Also, gloating is out. The impending military "victory" of our immense military force over the minor military force of Iraq must not be confused with VE day. This military force to remove the present regime in the sovereign country of Iraq is in many ways regrettable, and will be bittersweet, because the difficult part begins immediately afterwards.

Having said that however, the military command is to be commended for the monumental effort to spare civilian lives and civilian infrastructure. The cost of precision bombing is much higher than the use of dumb bombs. Such a magnanimous effort necessarily costs American service men and women lives and that's a very high price.

We have entered uncharted dangerous territory and we will need skill, determination and a certain measure of luck.

More nonpartisan support by Europe and our own citizens would certainly make it more palatable, and more importantly enhance the overall outcome.

Despots such as Saddam Hussein love dissent in their enemies, and it artificially encourages them, which costs American service men and women lives and limbs.