A war on behalf of the oil industry

The problem with war is that once the killing and dying start, people seek desperately to rationalize it to ease the pain it causes.

Defenders of the invasion of Iraq are rationalizing big time as the war becomes ever more unpopular, but their desperation shows in their use of arguments that we know to be either untrue or irrelevant.

We are told, for example, that this was isn't being fought for oil, but this is not true. This war is all about oil, specifically the desire of Western oil corporations to control the extraction and marketing of Iraq's oil reserves.

This is George Bush and Dick Cheney's gift to the industry they both worked for.

We are also told that Saddam had to be stopped from attacking Israel, but this is simply cover and not a true motive.

Israel has always been able to take care of itself and, in fact, heedlessly provokes the hatred of all Arabs through its own aggressive behavior.

It is likewise irrelevant that Saddam invaded Kuwait. He also invaded Iran, but this didn't bother Washington, and, in any case, he was easily pushed back out.

It's especially ridiculous to suggest that the Iraq invasion was a response to Saddam's internal repression.

Saddam was an evil dictator, but so are most of the rulers in that part of the world, and this fact has never stopped Washington from collaborating with them and supporting them.

The sad fact is that our troops have been functioning as de facto employees of the oil industry in an imperialistic smash-and-grab.

They have killed large numbers of innocent Arabs and when they come home, wounded and guilt-ridden, they are thrown out on the street just like civilian employees who are "let go."

There is disgrace here, to be sure, but it is not the American people who are behaving disgracefully. It is our wretched, lying leaders who are truly a blight on our country, if not the world, and deserve to be put on trial.

Anthony Nelson

Rolling Meadows