I'm hearing a few voices from the conservative side of the fence that I have to call out and disagree with. I've heard it from a few callers to radio shows, and from one radio show host (Pat Gray, subbing for Glenn Beck).
They're suggesting that, out of gratitude, Iraq should sell us oil cheap, or that Iraq should award oil contracts to American companies.
In other words ... blood for oil.
Most thoughtful conservatives don't think this way. From the beginning, it was made clear that Iraqi oil would belong to Iraqis. Now they can have other companies extract it for them if they want, that is their business. And it looks like they've largely done just that -- awarded contracts to a lot of non-American companies (though some may, I'm not sure, have American connections -- and if so, that is also up to the Iraqis).
I, for one, see no reason not to take what Bush said from the beginning at face value. We went in there to remove Saddam Hussein as a threat to the region and the rest of the world, and to liberate Iraqis so that they could establish some sort of free government in the region. It was never to "steal the oil", and that is being bourne out.
I don't understand these people who now apparently feel that "blood for oil" should actually be what it was about, at least in part.
Personally, this conservative is for moving toward energy independence.
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