Why I Support (with reservations) the War in Iraq

I have heard many arguments, pro and con, regarding the war in Iraq. These arguments, unfortunately, tend to be long on emotion and hyperbole but astoundingly short on reason. The opposition relies on anti-Bush rhetoric while never actually addressing the geopolitical realities that made this war, in my opinion, a question not of if, but of when. On the other side of the debate, I often hear supporters of the war declare with absolute sincerity that “We’re over there helping the people of Iraq; we’ve saved these broken people from Saddam Hussein's dictatorial meglomania” or something along those lines. I'm not convinced.

To respond to the anti-war camp, I would suggest that this war in Iraq was going to happen sooner or later, no matter which party happened to be in power. Saying that George Bush lied to get us into this war or that the war is being fought ineptly, misses the point, and does nothing to change this fact. Casualties suffered in its prosecution also change nothing.

As to the pro-war factions who insist that this war is being waged for national security or human rights considerations in Iraq, my response to them would be, where’s the evidence? If we were so worried about ensuring human rights around the world, we’d have 138,000 troops in Sudan, not Iraq. If our national security was really at issue, why are our borders wide open to illegal immigration?

No, most of the talk I hear and words I've read have nothing at all in common with my understanding of this war. The reason we’re in Iraq , at least to me, is rather basic: allowing a renegade dictator to threaten the world oil market is an incomprehensible policy for a rational, self-interested nation to prescribe to. Let me explain.

Currently, the world consumes 85 million barrels of oil per day. Of that total, the U.S. alone consumes 25% or 21.2 million barrels per day. Global oil demand leaves only 2 million reserve barrels a day; this is a dangerous margin. If even one of the major oil-producing nations were to withdraw their oil from the world market, for whatever reason, prices would immediately jump to levels not seen in human history, even after being adjusted for inflation. This thin margin of error necessitates, until demand can be lowered somehow, that the oil supply remain stable. This need for stability in the world oil market has clearly manifested itself in American foreign policy throughout the world; the best example being the war in Iraq, but it's also quite apparent in American dealings with Iran, Saudi Arabia and Mexico. Oil, for better or worse, is America’s lifeblood, whose importance we ignore at our own peril.

I support the war in Iraq for the reasons I’ve stated above; this is not to say I take any pleasure in death and suffering in Iraq or in any way approve of how the war has been conducted to date. I'm simply saying that if you want to protest this war, do so by cutting back on your personal energy consumption and by demanding more investment in viable alternate fuel sources (not ethanol for reasons I’ll explain in a future post.) Insisting that George Bush be impeached or that American troops should be withdrawn immediately will do absolutely nothing to address the fundamental issue at hand: The day when oil suppliers can no longer satisfy global demand is not long off, and when that day does arrive, the war in Iraq will pale in comparison.