Imagine you know of a guy who is in a relationship with a woman that is completely bad for him even-though he can’t see it. You know that the first time she catches him with his guard down, she is going to go in for the “kill.” He, on the other hand, thinks that he is the “lady’s man” that is coming out on top. He thinks because he is draining her for his pleasures he is in the best position. Who is benefiting from the relationship? The promiscuous women that is draining the guy’s resources or the guy who is using the woman for his pleasures? More importantly, would you start dating this woman knowing that she is willing to trade her body and dignity for money and resources? Would you take this woman knowing how the other man abused her?

Saddam Hussein abused Iraq for years under his terrorist regime. He took advantage of the country and used it for his pleasures. The people of Iraq, on the other hand, were just waiting for the chance to catch him “slipping.” They could not wait to find a way to overthrow his government. The people of Irag were not just unloyal to Saddam because he is a terrorist though, but they are unloyal in general. You cannot have a loyal body of people when they are not consistent in their ideology. Saddam, although he was crazy and unbalanced, created consistency in Irag because all factions were scared of him and didn’t have time to focus on each other. He kept the Independence of the Shiite and Sunni Muslims under control.

For some reason, an administration of Americans got the brilliant idea that they could treat Iraq better than the ravenous dictator that was abusing the country. Enter the Iraq war! How can you win a war when the people you seek to liberate are just using you in return? Who came up with the brilliant idea America could treat Irag better? Who came up with the brilliant ideal the people wanted to be liberated? Did the dictator do a better job of keeping the instability of Iraq under control? My goal with this analysis is not to draw conclusions for you concerning the Iraq war. My goal is to bring up issues and ask questions to make you think about the Iraq war and the implications surrounding the war.

According to the web site globalpolicy.org, Iraq’s oil prov-en reserves in 2002 were listed at 112.5 billion barrels, about 11% of the world total. They also stated that analysts believe Iraq has potential reserves substantially above 200 billion barrels. In addition, The Energy Information Administration of the US Department of Energy has estimated that Iraqi reserves could possibly total over 400 billion barrels. Globalpolicy.org estimates that Iraq’s reserves could prove close to those of Saudi Arabia, now listed at 260 billion barrels. It is a prov-en fact that Iraq is a “cash cow” for oil reserves and natural resources. According to the On-line News Hour on pbs.org, in 2005, the United States still relied on imported oil for about 60 percent of the nearly 21 million barrels consumed in this country. I am no mathematician, but if we can control another 11% of the world’s oil, this would reduce our foreign dependency to around 49%. In this scenario, the United States would reduce foreign oil dependency to less than 50% by taking control of Iraq’s natural resources. President Bush stated, in the State of the Union address, “In order to stay competitive, America must end its dependence on oil. When you’re hooked on oil from the Middle East, it means you’ve got an economic security issue and a national security issue.” How do you reduce your dependency on foreign oil?

What are the corporate and economic implications from the war? According to statistics gathered by Deborah White on about.com, compiled from various news sources, the United States has spent $435 billion of US taxpayers’ money in Iraq–an amount that was approved by congress. In addition, $9 billion of US taxpayers’ money and $549.7 million in spare parts shipped in 2004 to US contractors is unaccounted for. According to the Washington Post, Halliburton, a firm formerly chaired by Vice President Cheney, has benefited financially from contracts and dollars allocated for the “rebuilding of Iraq.” Out of all the sources I researched, no one source could give an exact amount in reference to the money Halliburton has made in Iraq. The United States has spent money in Iraq, but they have made much more if all of the numbers mentioned above are correct.

What has been the total cost of the war? Many people equate cost to dollars, but the cost of war includes much more. White also pointed out the following numbers in her article on about.com:

1. US Troop Casualties – 2,596 US troops; 98% male. 90% non-officers; 77% active duty, 14% National Guard; 53% of US casualties were under 25 years old.
2. Non-US Troop Casualties – Total 230, with 115 from the UK
3. US Troops Wounded – 19,387, 20% of which are serious brain or spinal injuries (total excludes psychological injuries)
4. US Troops with Serious Mental Health Problems 30% of US troops develop serious mental health problems within 3 to 4 months of returning home
5. US Military Helicopters Downed in Iraq – 52 total, 27 by enemy fire
6. Journalists killed – 77
7. Non-Iraqi Contractors and Civilian Workers Killed – 403

Who is benefiting from the relationship? There are 90 daily insurgent attacks as of August 2006. According to a poll taken by the British Ministry of Defense in 2005, 82% of Iraqis are “strongly opposed to presence of coalition troops, 67% of Iraqis feel less secure because of the occupation, 72% of Iraqis do not have confidence in multi-national forces, and less than 1% of Iraqis believe Coalition forces are responsible for any improvements in security. Has the war just opened the door for what the people wanted all along? Has the war given them an opportunity to pursue their separate interests? What was the Bush administration’s reason for attacking Iraq in the first place? Are the Iraqi people using the United States and all other foreign coalition forces to fulfill a underlying agenda? Why isn’t there an “exit strategy” to leave Iraq.

Even a “real pimp” knows when it is time to let a “girl” go! Even a “real pimp” can recognize when a “girl” is persuing her own agenda. Why is the Bush admnistration holding on to an Iraq that is simply draining the financial, natural and human resources of the United States? Which liberation do the Iraqi people really want? If they wanted to be liberated so bad, why aren’t they taking a proactive approach against insurgents? Why is there a threat of civil war in Iraq now?

I questioned who benefits from the relationship in my analogy for a reason. I wanted to make you think! No one can benefit from a relationship when the two parties involved have their own agendas from the beginning.