“…preferential treatment for American investments”. And what do those investments consist of, you ask?

Some say our ultimate goal for an Iraqi invasion was to take control of their vast oil reserves. I find that a little hard to believe. The Bush administration, great defenders of civil rights, simply wanted to bring freedom and democracy to the Middle East. Oil was NEVER a part of it!

I can see it now. One day, sometime in the near future, Bush will be addressing the Iraqi people from the public square in the center of Baghdad. Thousands upon thousands of Iraqi citizens will be in attendance, cheering and waving at their great uniter,.. savior.

And Bush will set the record straight on this day. “It was never about the oil,” he will say. “We Americans are above simple greed. We just wanted you to live freely, like us!”

And the cheers from the crowd will grow.

He’ll go on to say that he’ll adamantly refuse any “preferential treatment”, because, that’s not what we’re about.

(Tissue and air’sick bags are located in bins at the bottom of the page, for your convenience.)

Iraqis May Offer US Deal to Stay Longer

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s government is prepared to offer the U.S. a long-term troop presence in Iraq and preferential treatment for American investments in return for an American guarantee of long-term security including defense against internal coups, The Associated Press learned Monday.

The proposal, described to the AP by two senior officials familiar with the issue, is one of the first indications that the United States and Iraq are beginning to explore what their relationship might look like, once the U.S. significantly draws down its troop presence.
[...]

The two senior Iraqi officials said Iraqi authorities had discussed the broad outlines of the proposal with U.S. military and diplomatic representatives. The Americans appeared generally favorable subject to negotiations on the details.
[...]

He said the government would announce within days a “declaration of intent” that would not involve military bases but would raise “issues on organizing the presence of the multinational forces and ending their presence on Iraqi soil.”

One official said the Iraqis expect objections from Iraq’s neighbors. Iran and Syria will object because they oppose a U.S. presence in the region.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia will not like the idea of any reduction in their roles as Washington’s most important Arab partners.