The Inside Of the Iraq War. Whats Really Going On? Why Did it Start? When Will it End?

The Ongoing Oil War

Oil: this is what America uses to power most of its machines and it is also what caused a war. After the prosperity of the 50’s and the civil rights conflicts of the 60’s, another problem struck the U.S. Hostility flared between America and Middle Eastern countries over decreasing the supply of oil . In October 1973 a shocking decision made by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries lead to chaos in the political and economical world, and shook up millions of lives in America, thus leading to today’s war between Iraq and America over the oil export limitations.

After WWII the Jewish wanted a place to go that was clean and holy, unlike Germany the place where 2/3 of their people’s population suffered massive genocide. They sought the “holy land” that was of extreme religious value to them, but they encountered a problem. The land was already owned, so by force the Jewish people with the help of America fought their way into Israel that was once Palestine. Egypt and Syria attacked Israel in attempt to gain back what was once Palestine, but America interfered, this made many nations angry especially the members of OPEC.

The OPEC’s oil embargo dated back to 1973, but the tension with OPEC and America goes back into the later 1960’s . In the 1960’s and early 1970’s when the Egyptians demanded their land back that was taken by Israelis in 1967. They tried to be subtle going about this situation, but the constant refusal meant war. The Egyptian leader had made a threat to start war with Israel if there was no agreement or backing down. Sudden attacks on Israel brought America to Israel’s aid. This action of generosity infuriated the Middle Eastern lands on the opposing side.

King Saud convinced OPEC to make a choice that still affects America today. They decided to put an embargo on oil going to America and the Netherlands. An embargo restricted both countries from receiving oil. This was a problem for America because it used the most oil out of all of the receiving countries. It causes a political uproar, but that’s exactly what OPEC wanted. Attention to the political world, they wanted people to worry, for not just the people concerned in the matter to feel the impact, but the whole U.S. to know that the members of OPEC where bubbling with anger toward America for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur war.

Today the fight still remains but has shifted toward the territory where the oil lies, in Iraq. Iraq is one of the top oil producers in OPEC. So, America is trying to reach their oil, as if it is a competition. In the U.S. oil is very important and is used for mainly things such as planes, produce, machinery, and many others. It was recorded that 20,680,000 barrels were used in a day in America which is about 13,000,000 more than any other oil consumers . Oil is a profitable good and is extremely useful but the simplest attempt at a change in energy use, or even dependency could have brought us out of fighting many years ago. This fighting has caused enough casualties and even has had Americans held hostage in war. To prevent the further conflict alternative sources of dependant energy would solve many of our foreign oil conflicts.