>
> On Dec 14, 2009, at 4:01 PM, Matthias Wasser wrote:
>
> Perhaps being able to avert such a shutdown (presumably by cranky
>> regionals)
>> is precisely the purpose of such control?
>>
>
> So the U.S. invaded Iraq at the cost of over $3 trillion because some
> future Ayatollah *might* shut the taps?
Well, I think it gives a decent reason why the US should compare about control of the region's oil, for certain values of "control."
But I'm a nonexpert so any hypothesis I generate is almost guaranteed to be stupid. But the idea that such huge portions of the professional community, people who know much more than anyone on this list, were just as dumb as I was (dumber! I opposed it!) seems like a nonexplanation.