I stumbled across this link while listening to the radio the other day. By nature of my convictions I do tend to lean a particular way in politics, but anyone who has read a few of my posts knows that I’m really not a staunch follower of any party. Even so, this site made me laugh. It’s definitely nice to see some crap thrown the other way seeing as how the loudest voices these days are the Bush haters and the anti-war crowd.

I had an interesting conversation at Applebee’s with a friend of mine named John who just recently moved to Europe to work for a large oil company (whose name shall remain unsaid because it slips my mind at the moment). He shed some light on the industry and although he was only my age and fresh with experienced at best, he went on to explain the politics and players behind these companies that he has either tracked or been physically involved in and how they affect the globe. It’s these politics and players that the majority of the nay-sayers in America tend to target as the vampires and money mongers out to earn their penny with no care for the people or nations involved.

It’s rare that I get any rewarding conversation with the majority of those so eager to bad mouth, the oil industry and anyone involved. So I’m left believing their words are spoken mostly out of ignorance and a vain attempt to stand on an already crowded soapbox. After all, everyone knows the war in Iraq is over oil… Not that I would ever be proud to back a war that did turn out to be based on money and oil, but John shed some interesting light on the subject.

Imagine multiple countries, powerful enough to compete in the oil market all vying for the best oil fields in the world. If one doesn’t capitalize on the resource another will. Oil is probably second only to air in that we depend on it for so much of modern life. Whoever owns the oil makes the money. Whoever makes the money gains power and it’s this power that is inevitably being fought over. Maybe that sounds simplified or obvious, but to any Americans who are sitting comfy in this country, think twice before you criticize your leadership (regardless of how tactless he is) for spending so many resources in the Middle East right now.

His motives and those of the people around him may concern money and wealth, but you’re kidding yourself if you think those comforts don’t trickle down through society and land somewhere on your dinner plate, or in your dresser or in whatever it is you do to have fun.

Everything short of a Utopian society would result in the same situation we find ourselves in now. Wars over power and gain have always and will always be fought. Perhaps we discuss the nature of man some other time. It is the lesser of two evil courses that we are forced to accept. Fight fair, but still fight, or let loose the reigns that control who gains power and inevitably the choice to control those reigns again. Either way it seems someone gets caught in the middle. However, the extent to which damage is done should at the very least, be considered, which as life has shown us is beyond the priority of some of those vying for control.

If we are fighting a war over oil, but we are doing so less violently and with more control than the alternatives, then I’m thankful.