Oil and Afghanistan

Obama is expected to announce an Afghan strategy soon, perhaps as soon as this week, and it looks as if it's going to involve "nation-building" over the next 3 to 5 years. Sheer foolishness. So I wrote about it for Antiwar.com again this week. I've already gotten several nasty responses from Antiwar readers suggesting I'm just incredibly naive for questioning whether Afghan and other American wars are really "all about oil," or chiding me for being unaware that we've already passed the "peak oil" tipping point -- I'm aware of the theory but not entirely convinced. I have no doubt that lust for oil plays a role, but I argue that going to war is perhaps the worst possible way to acquire "cheap oil." Oil may come along with it, but it ain't cheap if you factor in the cost of the military adventures (not to mention the lives lost). The best way to get access to oil is not to send occupation forces but to buy it. Quaint concept.