Reply #10: File under D for "Duh!" - with all props due to Ms. McQuaig

[hatrack]

There are two primary and two secondary reasons for invading Iraq -

Primary:
1. Defacto control of the world's second largest proven oil reserves
2. Permanent military bases surrounded by most of the rest of the world's proven oil reserves

Secondary:
1. Indirect control of economic competitors' access to ME oil reserves - most notably China, India and Japan
2. An object lesson to nations considering changing from the dollar to the euro as an officially designated currency for oil transactions. Saddam switched from dollars to euros in (I believe) 2002, and we can't have anyone threatening the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency, now can we?