I used to wonder why Bush & Cheney were so dumb, how they could have ever believed going to war in Iraq had anything to do with avenging the 9/11 terrorist attack, how they had been so totally wrong about everything, and why they could not see the war is unwinnable since it has become a civil war between Muslim factions that have been at each others' throats for centuries. How did Bush/Cheney not know this civil war would be the only outcome to expect if they invaded Iraq? Why does Bush still maintain we need to stay in Iraq longer? Are they idiots? No, they are not idiots. Instead they are just cruel, arrogant men who are willing to see thousands killed and maimed to accomplish their true goals, which have nothing to do with defeating terrorism or creating a true democracy in Iraq.

   Their goals all along included poring billions of dollars into the hands of Halliburton/KBR and its associated corporations, i.e. enriching Cheney's Halliburton pals, and gaining control over Iraq's oil supply for western oil companies. I now read where there has been a bill intoduced into the Iraqi parliament to abolish its national government control over the oil fields and establish an independent National Oil Control Board, which would include representatives of western oil companies as members, to award contracts for Iraq's oil. Once this is passed and the Board established, access to Iraq's oil will be won by Bush's oil pals. It appears to me now that the American public has been hoodwinked all along. We have sat by while untold billions of dollars went to Halliburton, et al. in directed contracts (not allowed to be open for bids but awarded to Halliburton by government agencies at White House insistence). We have sat by as billions of dollars simply disappeared ( including one $12 billion shipment in tons of $100 bills that arrived in Iraq then subsequently disappeared without explanation), have allowed flagrant excesses in overcharging for services once done by the Army for itself but now privitized by Bush/Cheney with overly generous contracts going to their pals, watched as billions of dollars in construction contracts went up in waste and corruption (Fox News even reported this week that out of nine major Iraqi reconstruction projects examined seven were abject failures). It is my hope that the Democrats in Congress will finally investigate the White House's dealing with Halliburton and show the American public the true level of waste and corruption involved. (I believe it was Time magazine that reported once that under the previous Republican-controlled Congress nine investigations of Halliburton contracts and performance were called for but stopped cold by the Bush administration.)

      Once one realizes the true Bush/Cheney goals behind the war in Iraq, things begin to make some sense. They can claim we are winning the war because we have successfully enriched Halliburton, et al. by billions and billions of taxpayer dollars. We must remain in Iraq longer since we have not gained control over their oil supply quite yet. Once we do, then we can leave and let them fight their civil war while we help negotiate a peaceful solution by breaking Iraq into three districts/regions/states/countries, each governed by one of the three major factions involved (Kurds, Sunnis, Shiites). This war was fought for the benefit of big business and for oil. It will be a great victory for both by the time the U.S. withdraws.