Mark Phillips: The American Question

12/17/02: It's still not a war for oil.

Many antiwar activists describe the coming invasion of Iraq as a "war for oil." It's not. It's a political struggle: a war to break the momentum of the revolutionary upsurge which began in Iran in 1979. It's merely one campaign of the larger War on Islam, which includes the current fighting in the Philippines, and will expand to other countries once the Iraqi campaign is complete.

Why's this point worth stressing?

Because the "war for oil" tag overlooks the political dynamic at play in places as far apart as Iraq and Basilan Island, making it more difficult to predict and prepare for future phases of the broader war.

The invasion of Iraq is but one campaign within a wider war which will continue to broaden so long as the U.S. ruling elite believe themselves to be victorious. All roads lead to Tehran. The war will continue for many years, as radicalized Islamic resistance fighters learn to neutralize American technological advantages. Just like Vietnam, only bigger.

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