Every time oil prices go up people stop spending because they can't afford to go anywhere, I am having a hard time just putting gas in my car to get to work. I know of people who are paying their mortgages late just so they can keep their children warm this winter. I think some one needs to take a look at why the ecnooimy is REALLY in trouble, No?

Charlene, Carmel, New York

The plan to invade Iraq was on the table many months before 9/11. 9/11 became the excuse for the platform that formed the central part of the New American Century that Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and others founded in 1997.

Nancy Hyden Woodward, East Hampton, NY

I'm still amazed by the sheer ignorance some Americans and persons worldwide hold in regards to the "War in Iraq". Actually, I was blown away when the would be B-rated film -Jarhead- boldly made the remark "we're protecting rich men's oil". I mean, doesn't the heart of Patriotism mean to turn a blind eye to your countries wrong doings? To pretend that it just never happened, or it did for other reasons!

When in doubt...deny, deny, deny! And of course, don't forget to accept the outcome a govn't or two later and apologize for it then.

Or...my favorite....

On the impending US recession:

"To say that the backdrop is "recession-like" is akin to an obstetrician telling a woman that she is "sort of pregnant"".

Cory, Pembroke, Canada

With respect to Dennis Garland below, these problems can be reversed; and I will reverse them.

Howard, Johannesburg, RSA

All this posturing is simply "sound and fury, signifying nothing." The time for honoring ourselves will soon be at an end. Sound familiar. We have long lived under the delusion that we are the world's smartest people, because we have long been the world's richest people. I was in banking when OPEC grabbed us by the throat, and we have stumbled blindly along behind them ever since. We are a nation of brats. The constant partisan politics personified by Nancy Perlosi (hope I got that spelling correct) should be all the proof needed that we are well beyond our capacity to fix this.

We are facing the greatest financial catastrophe the world has ever seen. The problems that have surfaced recently in the consumer sector began in the business sector in the 1980's. They are embedded. Financial problems are never recognized until they become pronounced. They have not been fully recognized, and they are more wide spread than has been reported. They cannot be reversed.

Dennis Garland, Sherman, Texas

The American military has been reduced to a form of corporate welfare, serving only to protect Cheney's Haliburton employees while they steal billions of unmetered oil from the Iraqi people. Americans are paying to retrieve the oil, both in blood and with tax dollars, and then paying to receive the oil they already paid for when they buy it back at the pump.

Socialized expenses, privatized profits.

America: land of the greed and home of the slaves.

Amy, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Nice to hear the truth for a change.

Dr, Fairfield, USA

Greenspan smokescreen "War for Oil" the war is for USDOL and for Private Federal Reserve System to keep $ the world currency against Euro, in which Saddam started to trade the Oil. Iran is next.

Vetrovsky, Prague,

The ignorance of this....

....The guy has always been a classic political liberal, ...


...was stunning. God help us all.

EJ, New York

E Jenkins, Huntington , USA, NY

The spice must flow

Baron Harkonnen, Arakis,

LOL, I love it, Greenspan was a hero now he's a goat. God Loves Republicans.

Harold, Greenwood, IN

I guess this is from the "Well-no-duhh" dept. Thanks Al, for enlightening us. Do you have to state publicly that the sun rises in the east in order for it to be true, too?

Matt, Rochester, NY, USA

Many say the first gulf war was about oil too, Saudi and Kuwaiti oil. Why do we not protect people from 'rogue regimes' in Sudan? Not enough oil?

Brad Smith, Long Beach, US/CA

Mr. Greenspan will, of course, maintain that during his days at the FR it would have been inappropriate for him to make these declarations of the truth that has been obvious to millions of us voiceless "ordinaries" since the invasion. The global importance of this issue is such that it supersedes by far the importance of Greenspan keeping or not keeping his job. We all knew it was about oil but, as I noted above, had no voice that was allowed to be heard. Mr. Greenspan's almost un-equalled credibility would have made his statements immensely powerful. He owed it to us then......he shirked.

Weston Cain, Overland Park, Kansas

Bush is aggressive ,who intends to control the whole world, that's impossible.

Carrie, Shanghai, China

There is no profit in deceit. The love of money is the root of all evil. Nobody loves money more than Big OiL.....

Cosmic Cat, Houston, USA/TX

We did not need a n american republican to tell us that. The antiwar campaign has been saying it for years.

IZHAR, aberdeen,

Let's see: we bombed Saddam back to the stone age in GW1. Then we patrolled his skies for roughly 10 years prior to GW2. We knew everything going on inside the country and the evidence shows it had nothing to do with 9/11 or WMDs. That makes Greenspan's conclusion all the more plausible.

Scott, somerset, Kentucky/USA

It is always sad to see when a highly educated man attempts to cover up his errors. Good ole Alan, who kept the interest rates too low for too long fed this financial bubble to the bursting point. He knew what his legacy would be when he handed the baton to Ben.

Someone needs to explain to people like Alan and Jimmy Carter than when you reach 80 and are "retired" you are supposed to go away, enjoy the rest of your life out of the limelight and let us deal with what you left behind.

Mark Hansen, Lindstrom, USA

That's what the upcoming war with Iran will be about as well.

Dick Richards, Daytona Beach, FL, USA

Finally.

KR, Chicago, USA

Alan Greenspan is courageous and is coming out verbally to save America. As the head of the Federal Reserve he had everyone's trust and I pray that the Republican Party wakes up and realizes that they have been following a crazed President who probably should have stuck to cheerleading.
America, once praised by President Reagan as a "shining city on a hill" has become prisoner to a Darth Vader like President who is dripping with oil and blood.
THANK YOU ALAN GREENSPAN - WE STILL HAVE TIME.

Leon W. Fainstadt, Los Angeles, California, USA

Its incredulous that anyone would not think that oil was the key motive for our invasion of Iraq. And it is even more so that we are still discussing why we went to war 4 1/2 years afterwards. Our reasons for going to war in Iraq are as old as history - simply put "conquer and plunder". During the "conquer" phase, a weak target is selected that has something you want - you then beat the hell out of them and later strut around flaunting your mettle. We saw this from Mr. Bush with "Mission Accomplished" and "Bring 'em on". But the real payoff is when you can loot their stuff - in this case oil. People might remember phrases such as "Iraqui oil will pay for the reconstruction", "$20 a barrel oil", and such. This was the administration's *real* energy policy. And its not without precedent - we did the same thing to the Spanish during the Spanish-American war, the Mexicans during the Mexican-American war and and certainly the American Indians during the Indian wars.

Warren Trimble, Grand Haven, MI, US

So much for the "free market system" that the hypocrite Republicans keep espousing.

Lat, Columbia, IL

This is not a revelation. But thanks anyway Mr Greenspan. Every person with one ounce of common sense knew all along that President Bush invaded Iraq not to improve the lives of Iraqis, something which is currently all over our tv sets every night, but rather he launched the war in order to rob the Iraqis of their oil, something which is not for all to see on their tv sets. As Rumsfeld would say: some knowns are unknowns.

Z Hussain, Rochdale, UK

Greenspan was NOT as widely admired as you have been lead to believe. In fact, he is now being seen as the blame for today's turmoil in the housing bubble and sub-prime mortgage crisis. The man is beginning to show signs of senility.

PJD, Sugarloaf Key, Fl, USA

The UN inspectors looked for years and found no WMD, all they could find was oil. Sadam said he had no WMD all he had was oil and since the blockaid they had nobody to sell it to. So American needs oil and we used up all of oil, why not just go and take the oil from Iraq? It all makes sense to me. Finally somebody in the goverment is saying what it is really all about.

John, New Haven, ct.

Real Politik: The modern Western World exists because of oil. It was unacceptable to have a lunatic megalomaniac like Saddam Hussein controlling the heart & blood supply of the Western World. Secondly, State supporters of Terrorism in the Arab World needed to understand that America was not just a "Paper Tiger", and that there will be consequences from any continued attack on America's vital interests...

Mike G., SF, California

Get ready for the Reich-Wing character assault against Mr. Greenspan. How many "insiders", who share their accurate negative views about this president , does it take before you "dead-ender" supporters of Bush put your country before your party??

Alex, Bronx, NY

Hmm, not sure that any evidence has been presented that Saddam was threatening to cut off oil supplies to the West .. after all, the opposite was discovered, that he was quick to make sweetheart deals with France, Germany and others (only the U.S. clearly rebuked those offers for cheap oil in exchange for turning its eyes from Saddam's bloodletting). But if a smoking gun is indeed found that Saddam had threatened this, then the war is far more justified than I had heretofore fathomed.

Robert Allen, Arlington, Virginia

Wouldn't it be a weapon of mass destruction if we could not get oil from the Middle East. It would cripple us economically. Why is Greenspan twisting the truth?

KS, Davie , FL

Oh. Wow. Greenspan? That's awesome.
Now, is anyone going to read this, or are they worried about if Britney Spears' career is over.

Pete Hagen, Philadelphia, PA. United States Of America

People throughout the world know that the war was for oil. Where information has flowed freely about the war, there is no other reasonable conclusion. However, only in the United States, where the people have been massively propagandized, not only by their government, but also by a complicit mass media, are there still people who believe that the war was for "WMDs".... and then when that rationale proved to be false, about "democractizing the middle east" --a ridiculous notion for anyone familiar with the nation of Iraq. Bush and his oil clique have brought a genuine HOLOCAUST to the people of Iraq. All for stealing the oil from a third world country. There are now an estimated 900,000 dead innocent cilivian Iraqis and almost 6,000,000 homeless refugees. The country has been laid waste, and the infrastructure and economy destroyed. Truly, sadly, Iraq was better off under Saddam than it is under Bush. That's a Nazi-like legacy for our country to bear well into the future.

Dan Cobb, Baltimore, MD

War crimes are a possibility if true?

James Lundholm, Fredericksburg, USA/Virginia

For years I've always heard that besides the Clintons, Greenspan was the smartest person in the world. Well he opens his mouth an shows the world he is an idoit. He is spouting the democrat's talking points all over again. If he is a Republican I'm a card carring communist. He damned near wrecked the country with his interest rates, not he wants to wreck it with lies.

L. E. Liesner, Alamogordo, New Mexico

He is just trying to pump up book sales. You need sometime to sell books. Meanwhile he is smoking cigars with Bush's friends at the local boys club. He is laughing all the way to the bank.

Dusty, beantown, ma

Of course it's about the oil, it's certainly not about the sand!

Gaetan Pozsgay, Kitimat BC, Canada

Surprise, surprise, are we all really in denial that oil was not the real reason to invade Iraq?

W. Oliver Walsh, Silver Spring, Maryland USA

What did everyone think the war was for? If we were truly in the business of establishing freedom and democracy in other countries, we'd start in Africa and Russia, where human rights are meaningless in many places.

I am always suprised how this comes as such as shock to people.

John Goodfellow, Puxton, ME

The only reason Alan Greenspan has "shaken" the White House is that finally someone associated with the Bush Administration (in his case peripherally) has spoken the truth about why Bush illegally invaded Iraq.

Next.

Craig Faanes, Falls Church, Virginia, USA

As much as I agreed with Mr. Greespan, he was part of the problem, he had the power in his own way to influence the decision making process of the the Bush Administration. Especially if the reason to go to war is for economic .

A. Sesay, Los Angeles, California

Jesse, you are so right, I thought I was getting that in the bible, you know, specific quotes, dates, times, etc., that were backed up by facts and evidence. Oh wait, the bible doesn't give us that, but for some reason a lot of people still believe in Jesus. How about that!

A little faith here, a little calling for absolute cold hard irrefutable evidence there, that's not being hypocritical or anything!

Tony, Bakersfield , USA, CA

It is not a news for anyone. The problem is US oil dependency and foreign policy (from my european point of view). I do not think the americans have learn a lesson, this can happen again.

Emmanuel, Craigavon, United Kingdom

It's about time. Thank you Alan G. He must have read "Crossing the Rubicon-The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil" by Michael Ruppert.

Richard, Morrilton, Arkansas

Jeez, kinda kicked in an open door there didnt you Greenspan?

Karl, gellivare, Sweden

While a lot of people are saying this is old news, how about a little more 'original thinking'? If it's a resource war, which I believe it is, how important is that oil to us? Increasing world demand for oil, flattened out production... that oil is INCREDIBLY important to us. Not to mention the war profiteering that's going on. So if it's incredibly important and a lot of money is being made from it, is it really a stretch to think that the people who are profiting could stage a 9-11?

Mike S, Santa cruz, Ca, US

Mr. Greenspan is a man of stature whose opinions are respected. What a shame that he waited this long to add the authority of his voice to weigh in on the war.

We have now spent the blood of nearly 4,000 young Americans and untold numbers of Iraqis in exchange for Iraqi oil.

Do you really think it is worth it, America? Wouldn't most decent people pay twice the price of a gallon of gas if it meant saving the life of one young soldier?

Let's get out of this war, now!

Phyllis Corzine, St. Louis, MO

Phyllis Corzine, St. Louis, MO

So who cares what Greenspan thinks........
if he truly believes what he is saying and not just trying to sell his new book he should have taken a stand a number of years ago. I think about everyone just wants to bash Bush. That is ok, but the important people, now, are our young men and woman who are dying every day, so that we all continue to have the freedom to sit here at the computer making our comments. God Bless them....

Del, Powell,

It is a great thing to protect the world's oil supplies. But, if you think this is a bad thing, then you should be calling for Greenspan's ugly head on a platter. If he knew this and didn't speak up BEFORE massive casualties, you Bash-haters should be stomping mad at him.

Allan McConnell, Birmingham, USA / Alabama

I'll wait until I have read the book before deciding what I think of Greenspan. We must remember that we are being informed by about as an anti american source as you can find and experts at distorting o"out of context"" tosuit their own agenda.

Theodore E. Hastings, Williamsburg, Ohio

Really, Urr Duhhhh Oil you say,

Richie, phoenixville, usa

Spoken like a true zionist.

Tom, Phoenix, AZ

I find it ridiculous that there is shock in the first place. It is stated as if going to war over oil interests is offensive. We drive our cars, heat our homes, run our factories, and protect our country with an undeniable dependence on fuel. Yet some people find the whole idea of protecting our interests involved in this dependence, through war, as provocative.

Rich, North Providence, RI

Nothing less than the impeachment of Bush and Cheney would even begin to satisfy me.

All i have to say is: "Goodbye Republicans!"

Todd, Tarzana, USA/CA

Oh Anne of London, you are so right about our dependency on oil but that is not the point. We were told by clueless George that we were there to fight terrorisn. Remember? Lying is bad bad bad. If we lost out on all the oil in the middle east I truly believe that we would overcome this somehow and someway through, ha ha, capitalism.

Darrell, West Columbia , South Carolina

Anne in London, U.K.
I am dependent on food, cash, clothing, and shelter and utilities.
I do not take a gun and rob and kill people to acquire them!!
The U.S. and U.K. could just buy the damn oil! As a result of the stupid war, the price of not only oil, but all goods has skyrocketed. How much oil do you suppse could have been bought with the hundreds of billions of dollars that have been spent on this ill-begotten war?
Not to mention all the people killed and families destroyed and left homeless!

Bob, Mineola, USA/Texas

I've deployed to that forsaken part of the world too many times and seen too many of my friends die because of oil? 'cmon...say it isn't so... while we pay historical prices at the pump, oil companies report Guinness-record-setting earnings and the Nation keeps on political seesaw I just wonder...who really had the Weapons of Mass Distruction?, Saddam or the guy who sits at his desk in the oval office?

Ed, Fort Hod / TX, US

R. Hunt of Hunt oil was appointed to the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board by his close friend George Bush signed an oil agreement with the Kurds. You are right Mr. Greenspan, it is the blood of our soldiers for oil. It is time to impeach.

Vegan, Las Vegas, NV

You have to be an idiot not to realize that the free flow of oil from the middle east isn't important, Dang right it was about oil and if anyone has a problem with it, sell your cars and lawn mowers and drop out ot the real world, The spin the media wants you to believe is the war was for someone or groups personal profit with oil, that is so far from the truth it takes only an idiot to follow that line.

R. Lee, Otwell, IN, USA

The shocking thing about this article is not that this country was taken to war over oil, but that someone in authority has actually told the truth about it. Now, I would like to see someone take to task John Kerry for making the statement in Austin Texas (it is on video ) that building 7 at the world trade center was intentionally "pulled". How was that possible without any fore knowledge of the event? And, why would anyone "pull" the building with people and documents still inside? Why don't you all answer that one?

Ann Threlkeld, Cordova, USA /TN

I think the motive of Iraq war is robbing Oil in Iraq, and control the oil supply in Middle East.George W Bush is the bigget terrorist.

Carrie, Shanghai, China

Thankyou Mr. Greenspan. After a long life of "public service" you now decide it's time to serve the public. Your true colors are begining to show through your facade.

tony, Osborne,

Finally, we can begin to turn the page on the mutterings of Alan Greenspan. The page has turned, and frankly it is high time.

David W. Lincoln, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The war is for Oil, and nothing more. This is a known fact, thanks for being on the inside, and letting the common folk in on what we have always suspected....corrupt OIL men running the US...gas was 1.40 something before Bush took office...enough said

Dan, Abq, USA, NM

Richard,

You can't impeach Bush because Republicans backs him up 100%. The Democrats lack the necessary vote in the Senate and Congress to impeach Bush. It's time to make sure the Dems have 3/4 majority of both houses so any Reps that get elected as President can't do stupid acts.

Bobdu, Lodi, California

Hey Anne from London, so it's a might makes right deal, then? We need the oil, so it's okay that we slaughter men, women and children to get it. Is that what I'm hearing from you? Look in the mirror... look at your family... how can you live with yourself?

Will, Clemson, South Carolina

The is a very good documentry out there , called
A Crude Awakening ...

db, to, canada

Get smart. Even if it was to protect the continuing flow of oil to the International community, behind that is the protection of the free nations of the world who depend on oil, including Asian nations.

If you want an Islamic stranglehold plus a Socialist stranglehold on the World, leave oil in the hands of Muslims, Russians, and Venezuela. Then what comes next?

The Chaplain, Dallas, Texas, USA

How would Greenspan know? He doesn't sit on the US Cabinet, isn't a part of the U.K. government either. He wasn't privy to any of the pre-war or post-war intelligence. He couldn't know....he's just speculating as so many do who also have no idea.

Amanda, Dallas, USA

If this is true then wher is the cheap oil? Why is oil at 80.00 per barrel if we only went in to steal the oil?

Dave, Huntsville, USA/AL

I find it funny how those who find the effort to secure the free flow of oil so evil. Immediately after voicing their disgust they exit their air conditioned homes and get in the air-conditioned cars to head over to the air-conditioned mall to buy some nice lil things that are made using oil. The middle east is a terror powder keg ruled by medieval tyrants that also controls most of the worlds energy reserves. I am all for bringing these people and their governments in to the modern world and democracy by use of force if dpilomacy fails. The alternative is frightening.

Bill, Coral Springs, FL

Of course the war was about oil as most wars are based only on economic factors but these reasons are always hidden by propaganda about patriotism, democracy , and the evil deeds and policies of the other politicians.

Ron Holland, Editor FreedomFest News , Mars Hill, USA

Greenspan should stick to economics and stay out of foreign policy and politics. He helped get Clinton elected before by raising interest rates until they pushed us into a recession and he is trying to help elect another Clinton now.

Patti, Columbia, SC

About oil - for or against oil production?

America has not yet been successful in getting Iraq's oil exports increased significantly.

However, America has been successful in limiting oil exports there.

Have not both actions been the strategy?

Michael, Pineville, Louisiana, US

I am not convinced that WT7 being "pulled" on 09-11-01 was accidental, I am rather convinced that our world as we knew once is coming to an end. The Bush administration is not telling us everything.

Concerned in Florida, Clearwater, Fl

I'm surprised that Alan Greenspan would make any statements against the Bush regime since Greenspan was under orders from the White House and was the architect of
"make the American people struggle," a policy that Greenspan passed on to his successor, Ben Bernanke.

Komodo, Bartow, Florida, USA

Freedom isn't free. It costs about three bucks a gallon. All hail the "Blood For Oil" policy.

Joe, Renfrew, PA,

I'm sure oil was a part of the picture of the war in Iraq, but is that really a shock to anyone. Removing Saddam and family from power, stabilizing the area (for a secure Isreal) and battling Al- Qaeda were also part of the picture.

Paul B., west kennebunk, me, usa

I like Greenspan, decent enough fellow. But "saddened that it is polically inconvenient to acknowlege.... that the Iraq war is about oil." Parsing that sentence is about as easy as working out a Rubik's cube. It is politically inconvenient that the US depends on a vital resource from a region of political instability. His remark would create controversy if he were the final arbiter of political actions, but he is not, his own opinion notwithstanding.

Well, once enough illegal aliens arrive that the US credit rating is ruined, it won't matter anyway. But that is too politically inconenient for the economist Greenspan to acknowlege.

Kent Betts, Fort Worth, TX, USA

So obvious it's a wonder anybody expresses surprise. What is often not pointed out is that the countries which would be hardest hit by an oil shortage would be the emerging economies, such as China and India.

mike sullivan, Guildford, UK, Surrey

Ya think? What kind of revelation is this? Of course it was about oil. You can't allow a megalomaniac (Hussein) & the world's worst lunatic fringe (Al Qaeda) to loiter around the world's gas station....especially after 9/11 woke us up. Sooner or later the two mix (as evidence shows they had started to do)....imagine the consequences. Any educated person should've been able to see the writing on that wall (strange that my old college professors didn't and are still child-like in their naïveté.) The invasion of Iraq was a wise decision...surprising to me because I'd regarded Bush as a simpleton. However, the occupation has been managed with all the trappings of idiocy, and I fault Bush with that.

John, Dallas, Texas

He's like the kid that shouted "the Emperor is naked". Everyone else sees the same, but is too ashamed or fearful to say. He was once too fearful to say too. But now he's retired on somewhere around $100 million (this book alone was advanced $8 million), he's fearless, politically un-assassinatable, that's why and how no dignitaries in the world can say what he does.

M , USA,

Anne of London , I assumed reading your post that you were a right wing Yank. What in God's name gives us the right to wage war and invade a sovereign country because they possess what we WANT.
That makes us no better than the terrorists we are supposed to be waging war on - and worse because we are hypocrites who claim to act for peace.
Even right wingers admit that our war in Iraq has boosted al Quaida beyond their wildest dreams....
and Iran is next I suppose
God Help Us

Dave Moorcraft, Penarth , Wales,

What a joke! Greenspan makes a last gasp to grab attention. He has been known as a committed leftist. He did his job, some say not so well (sub prime mortgage crisis anyone - making money too easy to get). Now he's out. He complains. He makes allegations from a position that is no more informed than any reporter would be. He's NOT a part of the government that gets intelligence briefings. He was NEVER in a security meeting. The previous President (Clinton) had the SAME intelligence as did this President GW Bush. It's all a political game, for timing and for Democratic gain in polls. As pointed out ALREADY, middle east oil accounts for a very small percentage of our use. This claim fits perfectly with conspiracy theorists who will use it as "evidence" when, in fact, it is only the opinion of an aging, bitter man who was NEVER on the inside track of foreign policy or security.

Greenspan's credibility on this is just slightly above that of OJ Simpson's conspiracy charges.

Kurt, Burnsville, MN

And there is something wrong with insuring the stability of the supply of oil? If that is how you feel, it is only to be expected that you will today cease to drive a car and only use forms of transportation that do not include the use of oil. Start walking!

Jerry Mercer, Auburn, CA

He is hiding behind the Fed. Reserve's motive, being that Hussein was about to quit using the FR Notes and go to the Euro.

brian nelson, Modesto, California

Shame !! Shame ! If Mr Greenapan is correct, then, the President has hoodwinked his people and the world with lies upon lies, which could motion a step forward towards impeachment and further more towards a world court absentee trial.
These last few days has been like a ball of wool becoming untangled, one can only wonder why stay in Iraq a day longer, perhaps it is most imperative that all troops are withdrawn immediately before another life is lost, each lost man in Iraq is worth more than a barrel of oil.

tom atkins, chilliwack, Canada

As you drive around in your car, handle plastic, take a flight, or do anything else possible through petroleum just keep telling yourself that oil is not important. Soon you will believe yourself.

DB, Lndon, UK

if it is not about oil what else could it be about?

marylandvoter, bowie , md

I don't see a problem. Fighting for oil is no different than fighting for food. Oil=Energy=Food/Water/Transportation=Survival. Get used to it.

Ralf, littlerock, TN

As an American, it is unsettling that I must read a report of this magnitude first in the British press. I am, however, grateful for the report. Greenspan with greater authority is echoing the assessment year's ago of former Bush Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. He also gives fuller context to reports from Princeton economist/columnist Paul Krugman about the profiteering with insider information by Ray L. Hunt, billionaire oilman, Bush crony and "advisor, and Halliburton board member. Finally, the evidence is mounting about the true motivations for the war... not simply OIL but OIL PROFITS for a few.

party-of-one, Miami, FL USA

Alan Greenspan has a real knack for stating the obvious. Still, it's good to hear it from a visible member of the A-list.

Elizabeth Shipman, La Canada, CA USA

Without oil Western Civilization will come to a grinding halt and then we'll proceed to starve to death. Furthermore, this adduction to oil puts us in direct contact with the Muslims.

The only alternative to endless war and the steady and relentless poisoning of our environment is nuclear power - nothing else will suffice. Nothing.

M. Bright, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

It was not a war for oil. It had political aims, most part of them not related with oil. If you want a cause just think in 11-S. Thats the begining of all. No matter if it's fair or not.

Guillermo, Madrid, Spain

Thank you Mr. Greenspan for your honesty and candor.

Michele, Olympia, WA

So now Greenspan joins the cander of the Austrialian Prime Minister. War in the name oil - 1million Iraqis killed to protect oil suppplies. This is the freedom, democracy the evil US talks about. No change in US record on human rights abuses, double talk, lies, murder and theft

Shaffiq Mahmood, Halifax, United Kindom

are you serious? I can't believe oil had anything to do with it.

wyatt butler, new berlin, usa/wi

Anyone who believes that is ever morally acceptable to kill others for financial gain is evil. Period. Call it "economic security" if you wish, it is still evil. Americans (and others, I know) have simply become lazy and spoiled and selfish. After all, even the poorest among us have become addicted to "stuff" like video games and fast food. What if we couldn't get that stuff anymore?! Scary! Better to just let the govt do its thing, while we walk around complaining. Sad, isn't it. I wish I could say I gave up my job security to do something about this situation, but the best I can do is vote. After all, I have LOTS of consumer debt to pay off, just like everyone else. Brilliant plan, leaders. Keep us afraid of financial ruin and we won't have time or energy to stand up against you. Makes me ashamed of myself and my country. I have finally taken steps to downsize my expenses so I can wean myself of the military-industrial-entertainment complex that is our "way of life."

Molly, Springfield, MO, USA

Yes, it was about oil. You betcha. Wubba wubba.
It was about keeping oil profits out of the hands of rogue nations (like Iran) AND keeping ungrateful American liberals well-supplied with iPods, X-Boxes, rap music, Britney videos and, oh, frivolous things like, electricity, gasoline, clothing and food. Oil is the lifeblood of any civilized nation (not just the U.S.) Get off the president's back on the fight against terrorism in the Middle East. It's a geopolitical chess game, not a simple game of checkers as the "die-in" crowd would have you believe.

Joe F., AL, USA

And if the war was for oil? Who cares. If you don't begin to clean up the middle east now we won't have the ability to discuss this later. And I suppose we crated the terrorists because of our foreign policy? And I suppose the religion of peace wants to wipe Israel off the map because of their foreign policy too? I think Michael Moore should be president, then at least I would sleep well at night knowing that not another child would be killed in school, not another terrorist attack would take place on US soil, and I would have free health care run by the same people that run our VA and Medicare systems.

Myles, Omaha,NE,

No one can doubt that anything involving the Middle East has to also include oil. For heavens sake we like all other countries need oil. When we went into Iraq we had proof that the United Nations and several countries inparticular were dealing illegally with Iraq for Oil and we are suppose to be ashamed that we had to go into Iraq before we were left high and dry by Europe to be destroyed by them and the Middle East terrorists? Get a grip world President Bush had the guts to tell the United Nations we were not going down with our heads hanging and our hands in our pockets. The world knows now America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave and with God's help we will once again be guided by God to elect a person who believes that America is based on the Judeo/Christian philosophy and will never be ruled by the United Nations and those who depend on it to destroy us.

Barbara O'Brien Arato, Huntington, LI, New York, New York , USA

Who really sheds any tears for such individuals when they are held accountable for their actions and behavior?

When you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, or failed to take appropriate action accordingly when you held a specific position or post, stop acting surprised and shocked when you have to spend time in jail, or are forced to make financial restitution for the harm you caused to so many individuals.

You can attempt to buy your way into heaven all you want afterwards. At the end of the day, no matter how many ways you attempted to dress up or disguise manure; it’s still just plain old manure and people will treat it accordingly.

Joe Smith, Fairfax, US / VA

Oil is money. It is monopolized money. And of course, all wars are about money in one way or another. Control of it. So did we fight it for oil. Of course. But what can you do with that monopoly and that money? You can use it to buy more guns and steal more money. That's what Kuwait was about. Iraqis certainly weren't poor because Kuwaitis were living high on the hog. They were poor because Saddam had a system in place to keep everyone going in the same direction, a rarity in that land since before the Greco-Roman empires, and that system kept a lot of people at the bottom.

I don't think the Middle East will be shorn of its dictatorships until the oil is gone. Therefore, all wars fought in the Middle East will be "for oil."

Bill, Tacoma, USA, Washington State

I just want him to say, and we need to abolish the FED, I spoke out against it before I was in it, and having run it so many years, I'm totally convinced it doesn't solve any problems, just aggravates those we already have.

Casey, winsted, CT

If the spigots were actually opened in Iraq, then it would flood the world with cheap oil, causing trillions of dollars in losses to OPEC, and the Bush's and Cheney's friends, the oil companies. Iraq has the second largest oil fields in the world. Bush and his friends want to put a cap on it to keep the price of oil high.

Our soldiers REALLY are dying for OPEC. The reasons have always been a sham as proposed and amended by Bush and Co. The have been brainwashed that they are on some kind of "noble" crusade to bring democracy to the middle east. You only have to look at this new 'oil law'. Its a sham to turn over oil production to british and american oil companies and move 90 percent of the profits overseas.

Chris, Arlington, Va, USA

Amazingly a man, who by all accounts, served his country honorably now comes forward with some pretty damning critisisms of the Bush administration.
It seems to me that an "Honorable" man would have spoken up while he was part of the administration.

Alex McCartney, SpringValley, california, USA

Many of us in the States have been highly critical of Greenspan, and now this mockery of a Fed chief has certified our criticisms. This book is no doubt a way of Greenspan deflecting criticisms because his financial policies have created the sub-prime financial mess we (in the U.S.) are in now

Rick Pedraza, Loxahatchee, USA, Florida

Obviously, oil was a factor, in that Saddam's circumvention of sanctions was allowing him to pursue weapons of mass destruction. Should full sanctions have dropped and free oil sales be allowed, Saddam could have posed a formidable threat.

Greenspan's assertion makes no sense. Given how much the war has cost the US, it would have been cheaper to allow Iraqi exports to flow, which the US could purchase. His analysis is not new, but it is no more credible just because it comes from a Central Banker.

Bob von Rekowsky, Boston, MA

This is what we knew all along, but has now been verified.
Bush has never told the truth, not one day in his life.

J.D. Miller, Sherman, Texas

Charles Runyon, Rochester Hills, Michigan
"or they will start taking over countries like Egypt."

Thanks, but no thanks
After we saw the American virsion of Democracy in Iraq, Any one ruling Egypt would definitly do better.
Thank god Egypt does not export oil but remains with "lettuce and pickles"
Mr. Greenspan's statement is too late, and he is no longer in power and most of the people in the US don'y agree with Bush on the war. So, What is new? "Nothing"

Abdalla El Said, Cairo, Egypt

Lets see.........Saddam was still shooting at coalition aircraft, he tried to assassinate an ex-president, he was paying bounty for Israeli school children to be blown up, he was still exterminating Shites and Kurds, and his idea of torture was feeding people, feet first, into wood chippers. Also, if he didn't have WMD's, he deserves an Oscar for pretending that he did. HMMMM.....yeah the war was just a big mistake. Hey, when are our troops going to come home from Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea, Germany, Japan, and everywhere else? That was all a big mistake too.

Tyler Haines, Leesburg, US/Indiana

Someone stated that the first Bush would have invaded Iraq. Oil was only $18 per barrel prewar not $80 like today. Bush 1st listened to the CIA who predicted a civil war and would take 20 years to clean this mess up. He did not want blood on his hands unlike 2nd Bush. All the death and destruction he and Cheney caused will find them on judgement day.

Brian B, Madison ,

The WAR in Iraq ended when Bush stepped onto the decvk of the carrier Abraham Lincoln, and declared it over. Since then it has been a bloody occupation of a country larger than Texas, with troops not trained for Occupation and with numbers inadequate for the task.

The Occupation is about oil and support provided by Halliburton and its subsidiaries. Halliburton pays Cheney one million dollars a year of so-called retained earnings. Before the Occupation Halliburton had a 5 Billion dollar problem with more than 400 thousand asbestos related law suits, and the stock price was shrinking to less than 7 dollars a share. Two years after the Occupation began, Halliburton paid off all the asbestos cases in a giant settlement, 60% in cash and the balance in stock that had increased more than 4 times since the start of the Occupation. In addition to the large Cheney holdings, Bush Senior and partners own a large block of Halliburton shares.

Sam Lazarus, Williamsburg, Virginia

If Alan Greenspan and Liberals really think this war was for oil, why is gas at $3.00 per gallon instead of a buck twenty five? Why do we need their oil when most of our allies and Iraq's neighbors have more oil then we could ever need. I guess it was the Oil tankers that crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in PA...... people need to wake up. The terrorists and Islamic Facists have hated us LONG before Bush was ever in White House as evident of all the other terrorist attacks againt the US and it's intrests. Clinton had his chance to do something about and wimped out. He was to busy with Monica to take care of the country all the while trimming the Military.

Good Luck Liberals if you guys get in the White House. There will be attacks against us if you keep up your defeatist ways. We have not been attacked since 9/11 thanks to Bush and inspite of the Democrats efforts to weaken our defenses.

Oil, yea right !!!!!

Roy Kolaya, Elkhart, IN

Of course it's about oil. DUH! We all need it: I driving my car to work and Al Gore riding in a Gulfstream to global warming conferences. It was never about seizing Iraq's oil though, but rather stabilizing the supply from the whole region. If it had just been about seizing Iraq's, then the cost of the war would make it the most expensive oil ever - and why bother to occupy any part of Iraq other than the oil fields and terminals?
It was also about keeping oil revenues (and all that it can buy) out of the hands of nut-cases (and now, terrorists).

Ian Board, mission viejo, usa, california

Interesting how those who support this black helicopter consipiracy theory only say things like 'i knew it all along' and 'you have to be brain dead not to agree'. Really? One quote taken from this book (which may or may not be out of context) and your response is gleeful vindication? How sad it takes so little to count as proof for you. It's one person's opinion, offered with no proof or reasonable argument (just as yours is). If we wanted Iraq's oil, why aren't we taking it? Why wouldn't Bush have taken it long ago before taking such a big political hit over the war? You ignore the fact that weapons have been found there and weapons had been used there on the Iraqi people. You conveniently leave out that every Democrat leader (Clinton, Gore, Kerry & others) made statements that Saddam was a threat and had WMDs and needed to be disarmed. To not stand up to with the courage of your convictions (like Bush is doing) is lack of integrity, mr. halse. And Ivan, I have a full brain

adrian t., san diego, ca

I think the decision was made on a combination of factors. I believe the primary factor was based on faulty intelligence that Saddam had WMDs. The second factor was that Saddam's violation of all of the UN resolutions. And the third factor was to ward off the possibility of an oil crisis that would precipitate a world-wide financial crisis. I think GWB's biggest mistake was not going into this war with a well-planned strategy and manpower to win it. He miscalculated the response of the various Iraqui factions and Iran's support of a a destabilized Iraq.

Tom Mach, Lawrence, KS, USAs

What's shocking is that it's considered shocking to state the obvious about something. Of course the Iraq War is about oil. It's absurd to suggest that we would have anything at all to do with Iraq if it weren't sitting on top of some of the biggest known oil reserves in the world and surrounded by the world's top oil producing countries. That this is considered "news" points to the state of disconnection we live in today, between what is real and what is wishful thinking.

Jake Smithers, Natick, MA

Gee, Alan, thanks for not speaking out when it would have meant something: both on the invasion of Iraq and on Bush's "fiscal irresponsibility"--which is essentially a form of looting.
Isn't invading a country to seize control of its natural resources banned by international law and considered the quintessential war crime?
While Dubya was giving immense tax breaks to his rich cronies and bankrupting the country, you were covering up for his economic lunacy and helping to engineer his second election "victory".
Give my regards to Colin Powell who also decided that loyalty to the Republican Party was more important than loyalty to the American people--or even the human species.
Even as you two edge toward the exits on the worst American Presidency ever and distance yourself from the carnage, it's far from over.
You helped birth both the housing bubble and the Bush Presidency, and now you want to put them both up for adoption. Too bad you didn’t do something to abort them.

Randy Graham, Monterey, USA

Alan Greenspan had the blessing and benefit of being the Chair of the fed under Ronald Reagan. It was Ronald Reagan's economic polocies that began the economic recovery that made Alan Greenspan sucessful by assiciation. However, it was Reagan's polocies. As an unelected official, Greenspan didn't have nearly the power that people believe, nor that Alan Greenspan believes. For, now Greenspan believes that he has the power to read minds (i.e. the President's motive for the war in Iraq).

I think we've heard enought whining from Alan Greenspan. It's time for him to retire quietly.

Ken, Boynton Beach, FL

Like all liberals posing as Republicans, Greenspan wanted these headlines so that his book would leap to the top of the best seller lists! He's not fooling anyone. It's all about HIM.
He PRAISED Clinton! Does that tell you something about his
politics? Just another reason to abolish the federal reserve
and return to the gold standard! Where are you Jack Kemp?

Harold Carstensen, San Antonio , Texas

Bush said the aim was to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction and end Saddam’s support for terrorism.

Uh, there were no weapons of mass destruction that intentionally violated the United Nations sanctions and I believe the official report states that there was no link between Al-Qaeda and Iraq.

Why are we still there? Wasn't Iraq a soverign nation? We took it upon ourselves to replace their government? Well, Thank God, we didn't touch the oil!

Todd, Baltimore, MD

To those bending backwards to justify Iraq war on basis of protecting oil supply:so it`s okay to destabilise a sovereign nation, engender an environment where where anarchy reigns and murder for whatever reason is the daily norm- so that your vehicles can be on the road? It is a tragic logic.

ken, manchester, uk

Don't let them DIE for George Bush....bring home the TROOPS

Andy Levinson, thpusand oaks, ca

Well, duh. Oil makes the world go round. Do you really want to be without it? Really?

Ding Bentley, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Alan Greenspan should fold his tent ann fade away. Nothing constructive will appear from his ramblings.

Duane Olinger, Norman,

I have long known that this war is really about oil. Not just that Sadam Hussein posed a threat to our supply, but that America is out to control the oil supply. Nations with relatively primitive weapons have not risen up against America with its high-tech weapons for no reason. Why else would thousands of people be willing to engage in suicidal bloodshed if their countries were not being raped?

Alan, Lewes, USA

Didn't a leak already come out of the former Tony Blair admin already admit as such? I remember the media briefly reporting on that but then it disappeared from media reports quickly after that.

Even if Iraq had no oil, as Greenspan mentions, he threatened to disrupt the flow of oil in the region (ie. from his neighbors, not just Iraq's own oil).

Jeff M, Windham, New Hampshire, USA

Stablilizing the worlds energy supplies is critical to the entire world. I dont see anything wrong with solidifying the economical climate we live in to reduce other potential confrontations. Without that, we descend into some truely terrible scenarios, home and abroad. And now that war with Iran is being contemplated, will it also be considered for oil years afterwards, or as in Iraq, an attempt to stop a tyrant who leads his country toward nuclear showdown with the rest of the world.

Doug W., concord, USA/NC

Greenspan is a globalist banker, so we should not particularly value his moral outlook on international events, or look for his nod of approval to secure our national interests. That said, where is the break at the pump that we are supposed to benefit from? Greenspan is a dishonest political hack in his post fed chairman life. If he were not, he should point to defense industry war profiteering (ie Blackwater and Halliburton). But I'm sure he has friends making money off of those.

NEWORLDisORDER, Chicago, IL, USA

It is not what he says that matters; it is what he doesn`t say that does matter. these are proxy wars waged for the sake of the `Chosen`. Oil is the assassin`s fee.

Alper, Turkey,

another coward trying to make a buck.
if he really believed that the war was for oil then he should have said so and brought out the proof.

It makes me sick to my stomach when people like him come out with their books about what they know or think they know after the fact. If you have proof of something and do not step forward at the time then you are worse than the people you accuse. enjoy your money and your time on the so called talk shows. its cowards like you who are turning this country into what it is today.

rich gilstrap, st albans, vt

I have officially lost a lot of respect of AG. What a turkey-macaroon. Ayn Rand is rolling in her grave that her disciple has uttered such nonsense. Oil? Based on what empirical evidence? Shame on Mr. Greenspan.

Brad Reischer, Latrobe, PA

I wonder, will everyone lable Greenspan crazy too? Will the President and Cheney send out a Blackwater mercenary contractor hired from a Chilean death squad to kill his dogs and put poison in his backyard pool? Although these type of assaults have somewhat slowed since the Plame ordeal I am not sure it is in Greenspan's best interest to speak against the Bush Mafia. It has in too many cases cost those who speak out against their fleece job dearly.

SacrAmerican, North Highlands, California, USA

Right on point. Perception trumps reality. The sales pitch thus the perception at the time was WMD. Whereas the reality was and is oil.

R Brandes, Fredericksburg, TX

Were is the oil than.... Mr Magoo don't have an idea whats going on. Everyone is against Bush but we haven't bee attacked. The energy they are using to fight the president should be used to fight the enemies of this country.... We are not a Islamic nation yet and never will be. This is still the greatest country and the world and some Americans( Democrats/ liberals)hate it....! Well to bad

Jerry Balon, Georgetown, USA / IN

In answer to the question of where are all the oil companies and drillers they went running home about three years ago when is became obvious that there was no security to protect them. Before saying someone is talking nonsense check your own facts and look particularly at the operations of Halliburton.
As for Saddam having anything to do with 9/11 even the CIA admit that he was an enemy of Al Quada.

Fred, London, UK

Finally someone admits the truth... I am \ was a Republican until this head fake war..There may be hope for the party. The war has destabized the entire area.

Perry, West Chester, Ohio

Bring up Chamberlain is a waste of time. For liberals, history began yesterday...

Robert, Denver, USA

It has ALWAYS been about the oil; only a total moron is unable to understand that. DickNBush are simply following the goals of their masters in the oil and gas industry. Of course, like everything else these incompetents try, they have completely bungled the intended exploitation of Irag's oil. But DickNbush won't let that oil continue to slip through. That is why they are having the largest US embassy compound in the world build in Baghdad, and why they are building dozens of permanent US military bases throughout the country - to exploit the oil reserves as long as they last.

ALEX H., TUCSON/AZ,

I love how people discredit him categorically because he's an economics expert and not a military expert. But his claim has nothing to do with war itself, but the economic need for the United States to be at war. If gas prices rivaled those in Europe, our way of life and economy would be crippled. While that has nothing to do with war, it has everything to do with the need for war. It's the same old military industrial complex thing we've been embarassed to admit to for years, but with new jockey's at the helm. Brace yourselves.

Raoul Duke, Las Vegas, Nevada

It doesn't rocket sciencist to know the reason for invading Iqar was Oil, blood soaked oil.
The people who hijacked the planes were and from Saudi Arbia, not Iraq.

Gregory A , Louisville, KY, USA

It probably was about oil. Would you like to stabilize the region by causing collapse of Saddam and still be able to afford gas, or would you rather let the mad man cause your gas prices to soar to 7 or 8 dollars a gallon. I all for the war if we can keep gas prices lower. IN fact, why not just take over Iraq and all the oil in it. We could make our gas prices go back to a buck a gallon then. That would be great!

L, Colorado, USA

Of course! Nine out of ten Jews will agree that these wars have nothing to do with Israel.

Jeff, Taunton, USA

DUUUUH!!!!

I could of told Greenspan that in 2002 when the country was doing a war dance!

Jerry C Pogue, philadelphia, PA

I believe it was J.P. Morgan who said "People do things for two reasons, a good reason and the real reason" .The real reason O.I.L. Why else would Bush have built permanent US military bases or fomented sectarian divisions, were it not for an intended permanent presentce in the Middle East Oilfields. The "surge" is opium for US domestic consumption.

Jeremy, Westport, Ma

This is so contradictory. The obvious result of an Iraq war would be an increased risk factor, driving the cost of oil up. Hardly making Bush and Blair look good for securing our immediate energy reeds. How many intel briefings was he in on?

David, USA,

So what if its about oil....an evil man is out of power; that should count for something or should it not?

Sal Yarima, Savannah, GA

Gee-Gosh-What a pieceof news!! Like nobody knew that.The US could get rid of a dictator who killed,tortured and financed terrorism AND secure our national interest at the same time. THE PERFECT STORM!!! Where has Greenspan been?

Richard Levy, Manchester CT,

Like many of the other former members of this failed adminstration, Mr. Greenspan has waited to tell the truth; it pains me to think of how Greenspan and others (Colin Powell comes to mind) could have spoken up sooner and at least partially prevented the humanitarian and fiscal disaster created by the Iraq War. The entire Bush Administration is made up of opportunists, with nary a statesman in sight. I grieve for the America that I knew before these selfish and hypocritical people were allowed to squander our legacy.

james shannon, St. Paul, MN USA

Greenspan ios losing credibiltiy. He is just and old ,angry and bitter man is now influenced by is ultra left wing wife Ndrea Mitchell. He should just shut upu and enjoy his last days.

Nick, naples, usa

Greenspan is right. We all knew this in 2002. Oil control was the prime motive to invade Iraq. Rumsfeld and Cheney beneficaries via Halliburton lucrutive reconstruction, supply and oil contracts, the division of the spoils after the war. It did not happen that way though. North Korean had real WMD. Did Bush invade N Korea, it was not worth it? No. Case Closed!

Dave Oliver, London, UK

Of course it was the oil! Why else build the mammoth embassy in Baghdad?

Rachel Warburton, Kirkland, WA, USA

The motive for the war was twofold; oil and the security of Israel. And the result will be less of either.

R. Burton, Portland, Oregon

Going to war for access to oil is in the interest of the national security of the US. Without oil, our economy would collapse. If we were allowed to exploit our own oil reserves (like Mexico and Cuba do) we might not be dependent on foreign oil...all you liberal whiner, wake up and grwo up!

KC, Tucson, AZ

The free flow of oil at market prices is important, but what is more important is stopping Saddam from running his state run rape rooms, throwing men into plastic shredders in front of their families, and filling mass graves with casualties from his WMD, and also stopping Saddam from his corrupt "Oil for Food" program with Kofi Annan of the UN and France. If it was "all about oil" for anyone, it was Saddam, Kofi and France.

If you go back and read Bush's State of the Union Address, liberating Iraq and removing a madman who had used WMD on his own people were two of many very good reasons, all of which have been proven correct by history.

Frank, Fresno, CA

Could this "confession" from Mr. Greenspan have anything to do with his wanting to divert attention from the imminent economic crisis that he helped create. There never would have been the bulge in the subprime mortgage market if he hadn't made it so easy by lowering interest rates. Its not really news to most people that this war was and is about oil. Prices have been conistently high since the invasion, as have ExxonMobil's profits.

Nick, Arlington, VA, US

...and in 25-50 years from now, when the modern world effectively runs out of oil, and we are all thrust 200 years back into a brand new era of Dark Ages, we'll all wish we hadn't judged our leaders so harshly for trying to maintain the quality of life we all depend on so greatly.

Anthony Foust, Hollywood, California

So what? because it was not our oil. It belonged to Iraq. Yes, Iraq was headed by a greedy dictator. Guess the U.S. should invade Russia because we want their oil. Oh, I forgot they have nuclear weapons and might use them.

Having shown that the U.S. is willing to pre-emptively invade a country for what it wants, it's difficult to blame any country that wants nuclear weapons. Therin lies the difference between invading Iraq as opposed to invading Russia. We could invade Iraq without nuclear retaliation.

Look out Venezuela.

Charles Riley, Jacksonville, fl

greenspan is a rockefeller boy

alex jones, austin, tx

I am glad someone finally came out and said we went to Iraq for oil, but does it really matter that is the why we went there? If you ask me taking their oil is a better reason than taking over their country for some false sense of giving them freedom. People need to realize oil is a necessity for our way of life and that war may be the only way to get it.

Fred Schulze, Winona, Minnesota

Yeah so about those 13 consecutive interest rate increases....Greenie, they were clearly meant to prevent Republicans from having even greater growth in the economy.

/./and congrats for predicting the last 6 out of 1 recessions.

russ andrews, cumberland,

The heart of the wise man inclines to the right, while the heart of the fool leans left. - Ecclesiates.

King Solomon, the wisest many who ever lived, penned that truth a few thousand years ago.

Today, left leaning fools insult our miltary and four star generals - and truly believe we're not fighting the same evil animals in Iraq that would be over here much quicker if they didn't feel they had the opportunity to face us over there. Our heroes deserve better!

David Forman, North Haledon, NJ

You can correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of the flow of oil out of the gulf in the Middle East is that less than 20% of it comes to America, and the other 80+% of it goes to the far east and other places in the world. If that is the case than we have done wonders in helping China, Japan, etc. as well as Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, and the others who continue to do their banking outside the U.S. Mr. Bush has helped them out in the past year by giving them a special break on bringing their money back into the U.S. at a special 15% tax rate rather than the much higher rate a multi-billion dollar corporation should have paid.

Mike Mather, Twentynine Palms, California

Paragraph four, the short sentence, refers to oil supplies for the middle east. When did North America get to be known as the middle east? Smarten up, you extremist Liberals.

Cyrano de Bergerac, Hanover, NH

About oil - for or against oil production?

America has not yet been successful in getting Iraq's oil exports increased signicantly.

However, America has been successful in limiting oil exports there.

Have not both actions been the strategy?

Michael, Pineville, Louisiana, US

How are we to suppose that Greenspan has any more insite into the war than the White House or the Pentagon?

Just because he was the Federal Reserve chairman doesn't mean that he didn't get his information from the New York Times. The NYT is NOTORIOUSLY biased against Bush and the war.

I wish Greenspan would keep his opinions to himself. Everytime he opens his mouth the stock market drops a few hundreds points. And he's retired. That is too much power for one man to have.

Robert, Kansas City, Missouri

About time someone spoke the truth. I am sure the White House will claim he's just an OLD fool.

joe , Pittsburgh, PA

Of course it was about oil. So what? Nations have always gone to war to protect their vital interests. Saddam was a ruthless dictator who threatened the security of the region. Name me one other country, with the exception of Israel, that is not similarly ruled by one or by many of the same kind of people. Oil is food, security, and prosperity. Bravo Alan, how brave you are now making the case for what everyone with any sense knows.

joe Phillips, red rive , USA NM

I guess Mr. Greenspam figures this will sell more of his books

ToddonCapeCod, , MA, USA,

This is silly, the war in Iraq was an over-reaction to 9-11. Without 9-11, Iraq would've never happened.

Joe Moody, Saint Joseph, MI

There we have it: Blair and Bush are war criminals and should be in court.

I will not hold my breath...

This makes a joke of the "West" in the rest of the world's eyes.

Don, Glasgow, Scotland

We did not need a n american republican to tell us that. The antiwar campaign has been saying it for years.

IZHAR, aberdeen,

Prezdint AWOL having a helpless Iraq invaded for its oil? Say it ain't so!

Bill Mac Bean, Klamath Falls, Oregon

Big deal. So the war is for oil, what is wrong with that? The US has long fought wars in the "national security interest". Nothing new except to blame a guy with a weird smirk.

John Leopold, Hoboken, USA/NJ

Executive order 39....

Says it all...

G. Wright, MiAMI.,

Let's see: we bombed Saddam back to the stone age in GW1. Then we patrolled his skies for roughly 10 years prior to GW2. We knew everything going on inside the country and the evidence shows it had nothing to do with 9/11 or WMDs. That makes Greenspan's conclusion all the more plausible.

Scott, somerset, Kentucky/USA

Is there anything wrong with protecting AMERICAN interests? If you want to maintain our high standard of living, our safety net, social security, health care and all the other things that Democrats talk about all the time, then we had better protect our oil supply, our dollar, and our borders.

Richard, Bakersfield, ca

This reveleation is from the "duh" file. If it was about getting bad guys North Korea would have been invaded first, then we would have gone and taken Mugabe out. But, alas, the citizenry in those places continue to suffer and the US, UN and the rest of the world choose to do nothing about it. Sigh.

DJD, Dublin, CA USA

Oh Greenspan why such untruth at $80.00 a barrel we sure are enjoying th benefit of easy Oil. Why is it these nuts are always against America.

Louie Gomez, Los Angeles, United States

Don't let our soldiers die for george bush...bring them home

Andy Levinson, thousand oaks, usa/california

So, Mr. Greenspan has stated what the all of the world (outside of the blind republican sheep) have always known. Too little too late. Where was he when it counted..........

John Ducote, New Orleans,

The U.S has not realized one dimes woth of oil as a result of its involvement in Iraq. Not one dime. So how was the war about Iraq oil?

bruce, Dublin, USA/Ohio

DUH!

Bobby, Sarasota , Florida

What's wrong with saving the mid-east oil supply ? Without oil
the free and growing economies of the world would decay and
we could all live in caves as do the Jihadist Muslims.

Bravo for George Bush.

Stanley Ellis, Ambler, PA

Mr. Greenspan's comments come as no surprise, since as he says, its something everyone knows, I'm just glad someone of his former position stated it so matter of factly.

Eric, Albany, United States

Scientists will eventually distill the formula to predict the exact moment when those in the know, like Greenspan and Bob McNamara, will issue the belated but obvious truth about the wars of their generation and their causing, belated by megadeaths, which for some yet unknown reason they could not bring themselves to utter in a timely fashion.

Proud Primate, Portland, Maine, USA

You're kding? The war in Iraq was about control of oil supplies? I would never have guessed!

Ron Jacobs, ASHEVILLE, USA

It's inconvenient for US/British authorities and official media to admit the truth about the war of aggression against Iraq because otherwise George W Bush, Anthony Blair and a number of their co-conspirators would have to go to jail.

Richard Cheeseman, Wellington, New Zealand

Ah yes! The war was about OIL! With record oil prices and hyper-inflated gas prices it makes PERFECT sense! How could I have been so blind....

Aidan, Ft Myers, FL

I am absolutely "shocked" that a President and Vice President with ties to oil and a country that gulps oil like water would go to war over the protection of their oil supply.

nin, Fredonia, NY

It's great to come out and make accusations but back them up. Where is the proof? It may very well be possible but give some evidence.

Andrea , Goodyear,

Finally, Mr Greenspan came out and told the real truth about the Iraq war. It's all about Texas and Mr Bush's friends in the oil business that got him elected all the way to the Presidency. It has absolutely nothing to do about terrorism, but the famous GOP greed for money and control.

viggoros, miami, fl

Truth has to come out one day. George Bush and his cronies will be judge for his crime against humanity in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Munna, London, UK

Mr Greenspan is 100% correct. It's always about the oil.

Bernard Berkoff, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Who believes that invasion in iraq took place for humanitarian purposes? Or that saddam hussein had offensive nuclear weapons? If Iraq had no oil nothing would have happened and the US would never be involved. Many other countries on the globe are ruled by tyrans and no one cares! Millions of poor children die every year because of conflicts and famine and no one cares! Who believes the Bushes nowadays?

Nikos Kotis, athens-greece,

What is the secret? Saddam was spiting the US and selling oil to , Big Surprise, France and Germany for $.50 on the dollar.We boycotted France, and have not broadcast our punishment of Germany. Folks follow the dollar and you will find the answer. Greenspan is an economic genius,More importantly, he is a visionary and orator of the truth. Being in Washington for so long, it is good to see one can still survive and be REAL.

David, Danby, Vermont

Anything new?
Was there EVER any doubt?

Guenther Wolkenstein, Vienna/Austria,

For Dick Chency it was about oil but for Bush it ws
about revenge for his dad

Nat, Bronx, New York

Yes it was for oil and rightfully so.

Rick, Athens, Ga.

Greenspan has a book to sell. The oil price soared when Iraq was invaded. The US government knew this would happen. So how could the War be about cheaper oil? If that was all the US had wanted, it would have been better not to have invaded. The invasion of Iraq was about defeating a tyrant who had committed genocide.

Jonathan, London,

We knew it. Greenspan said it. Finally.

Adam, London, UK

'FInally, someone has told the truth'

The Australian Minister of Defense said ,last July ,that their involvement was all about the oil.

enzer, Dunedin, NZ

Who else to police the mideast and protect oil resources if not the Brits and the Yanks?

Arthur Shapiro, Sparks, Nevada/USA

The oil is under their sand, remember? If we take it by force, we are stealing. I don't know how the rest of your were taught, but I was always taught that that was a bad thing.

Debbie Hemmeter, Farmington Hills, MI

One of the "chosen people" shows his true colors and stabs America in the back yet again. Gee, what a surprise.

Bob, Cleveland, OH

If its about oil, why don't we invade Canada? Doesn't Canada have more oil reserves than Iraq?

Jeffrey, Kutztown, PA

That is the same reason we did NOT invade North Korea. That and the fact that North Koreans know how to fight.

bob chiss, marlton, usa / nj

How could the attack on Iraq and the removal of Hussein not have the effect of securing oil? How does Greenspan know what Bush, et al were REALLY thinking? Is there a memo or conversation...something...as support for the claim?

susan knight, fairplay, co

Thanks Al. Make the world and those lunatics on the left hate the United States even more. Good work.

J Sumner, New York, NY

Greenspan is losing credibiltiy. He is just an old ,angry and bitter man is now influenced by is ultra left wing wife Andrea Mitchell. He should just shut up and enjoy his last days.

Nick, naples, usa

Well... duh.

Gene, Pittsburgh, PA

It's about oil! Really! How is it that Greenspan cannot voice his amazing discovery much muchearlier and perhaps even save a lot of lives but can leave that till a book launch?

It's all about money?!

Fred Marshall, Milton Keynes, UK

Yea, I guess the 9/11 terrorists were flying around Manhattan looking for a gas station.
No, Bin Laden wants to take over all the 7/11's in the world.
How many people know many 81 year olds who know completely what they are talking about?

Red State Myers, Knoxville, TN

people will go to no end to embarrse the president

Howard, Lock Haven, USA

Of course it's about oil and oil IS our national security who don't know that.... But it is also about establishing a democracy that will protect our national security interest by not trying to kill all of us. Allen also seems to be having memory lapses about the Clinton administration. Hey Allen, it was Rubin under Clinton who said we couldn't balance the budget and it was Clinton who vetoed welfare reform 3 times before he was finally pressured to sign it and bring about that balanced budget. Perhaps Allen is having a senior moment. I wish he would do it in private and stop making himself look like the old fool that he clearly is. And perhaps he hasn't noticed that in spite of spending our deficit is declining, last number, 10% faster than predicted by the so-called experts like Allen.

C Potts, Chester Springs, PA

How would Greenspan know? He did not participate in any of the planning or discussions by the President and Secretary of Defense. He has seriously blundered by spouting this kind of speculation. He and his ilk cannot comprehend that deposing a murderous dictator that threatens world peace and replacing him with democracy is the right thing to do. So many of those who enjoy democracy today are willing to deny it to others, especially when their skin is not white. Democracy for the brown and black man really isn't worth fighting for in their view. But since they can't say that publicly, it becomes "We don't want to go to war for oil" and "Those people aren't ready for democracy." It is racism that wants to write off the Iraqis, the Middle East, and Africa and condemn them to brutal oppression and enslavement.

Mike Nelson, Santa Paula, CA

Say Folks ,this war is not about Iraq oil, it's about
using insufficient troops for years and the insecurity causes little oil to be shipped. This insures that the world Oil price stays high. the real word is corruption at the highest levels and the destabilization of a foreign government (Iraq) for profit.

merek, Molokai, Hi. USA

Although Greenspan may be right with respect to oil serving as the primary motivation for the Iraq invasion, he is certainly not relieved of his role in the mishandling of the U.S. economy and the problems with the sub-prime market. He shares a lot of the blame, but less of the blood.

Toki Wormtooth, Glasgow, Scotland

So what's new? The war with Iraq and soon to be followed Iran equation is: 1.) Power; 2.) Israel; 3.) Oil. Iraq was a major power player in the Middle East. With Iraq in a failed state status, this leaves a vacuum for Iran to