I mean, Iraq *was* about oil, but in a respectable way. Democracies have a duty to at least impose *economic* stability in the Middle East (tho, like you, I’m also keen on activist nation building there too). If liberal democracies learned one thing in the 1970s, it’s that anyone who can suddenly hike up oil prices can overturn most western governments by doing so.
One of the bugs in liberal democracy is that voters don’t reward good government. They punish whoever is in charge when the economic music stops - whether it’s their fault or not. 2024 was the year that incumbents everywhere got it in the neck, at least partly thanks to Putin’s impact on energy pricing. You can’t be pro-democracy while also letting dictatorships get away with weaponising oil prices.
On balance, I was opposed to the invasion of Iraq at the time, but was also quite contemptuous of most of the arguments of the “anti-war” movement.
I enjoyed that very much. Completely agree with your Laws.
I mean, Iraq *was* about oil, but in a respectable way. Democracies have a duty to at least impose *economic* stability in the Middle East (tho, like you, I’m also keen on activist nation building there too). If liberal democracies learned one thing in the 1970s, it’s that anyone who can suddenly hike up oil prices can overturn most western governments by doing so.
One of the bugs in liberal democracy is that voters don’t reward good government. They punish whoever is in charge when the economic music stops - whether it’s their fault or not. 2024 was the year that incumbents everywhere got it in the neck, at least partly thanks to Putin’s impact on energy pricing. You can’t be pro-democracy while also letting dictatorships get away with weaponising oil prices.
On balance, I was opposed to the invasion of Iraq at the time, but was also quite contemptuous of most of the arguments of the “anti-war” movement.