Iraq produces 4% of the U.S.'s oil imports - not the world's oil. But 4% is 750,000-1,000,000 barrels a day, which is enough to substancially increase oil prices.
Why is it that the moment a person is perceived to be a bit to the left, he is automatically discredited? I don't completely agree with Joe, but rather than insulting and discrediting him as a lazy non-active whining leftist, how about debating him with some thought and intelligence?
I do think many liberals have become a bit too simplistic in their thinking lately (typically a conservative trait), and they blame every problem in the middle east on U.S. oil interests. While oil does play an important role in our mid-east relations, particularly with Iraq and Saudi Arabia, we do also have political and humanitarian interests in the region. The right-wingers, on the other hand, tend to downplay our oil motivations. Though I agree that we could become self-dependent (particularly if we start a few simple conservation initiatives), dependence isn't necessarily the issue - it's profits. Sure, we could survive without mid-east oil, but a great deal of money would be lost. We could also allow the people of the mid-east (the common man) to benefit financially from the regions oil exports, but again, that would cut into our profits.
And that's where Joe is right: it's this obsession with profits and lifestyle that is so frustrating to the people of the middle east. They live in poverty, partially (and sometimes largely) due to our history of oppressive foreign policies. We can't just blindly tell ourselves that every U.S. action is benevolent. We can't excuse every profitable action as just "good business sense". It may be "good business sense" to hire child labor in foreign countries for 23 cents an hour, but to the families who are suffering, that's no excuse. Likewise, you may not like the idea of riding a bike to work when you "should" (I'm not sure where you get that sense of entitlement) be driving, but remember that many of your luxuries have been bought at the expense of mid-eastern lifestyles, and even lives. To the millions who are struggling with poverty and even dying, the profitability of our actions is no excuse. Of course it's going to cause resentment, what do we expect? We have to hold ourselves accountable for the consequences of our actions.
And I'm not whining.
I research these issues, I have legitimate complaints, and yes, I even take measures to fight against them (though public groups have been basically shut out of Washington, and there's really not very much we can do anymore).
Nedder: If you have a response, please make it thoughtful.
By the way, what does this have to do with the topic of the thread?