The us oil lobby's activities during the American campaign in Iraq in 2003: political lessons

This article examines the American oil lobby's influence on the 2003 U.S. operation in Iraq. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, all oil-related issues fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense, and ensuring the security of the Persian Gulf region and the Middle East in general, especially the oil infrastructure, becomes a priority in U.S. foreign policy under the new doctrine. The U.S. establishment is engaged in a debate about the need to control Iraq’s oil resources and the importance of overthrowing the regime of S. Hussein, guided by invented pretexts of Iraq’s use of weapons of mass destruction, a sanctions regime is introduced and, eventually, an anti-Iraqi military operation led by the United States without a special UN resolution is launched. The article examines the activities of the Development Fund for Iraq, analyzes its ties with the U.S. oil lobby and oil companies, and explores the fund’s contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq’s infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to the ties between the U.S. oil lobby and the administration of President G. Bush, Jr.