Chapter 31 Summary and Analysis

Iraq was a major interest in the 1980s and 1990s, though it wasn't on the publics radar screen. The corporatocracy wanted to deal with Iraq the same way they had dealt with Saudi Arabia. Iraq had geographic appeal as both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through it, so Iraq had most of the water supply in the Middle East. Water was important both politically and economically. Iraq is very strategic militarily and also within missile distance of Israel and the Soviet Union. "Whoever controls Iraq holds the key to controlling the Middle East." Saddam Hussein wasn't cooperating with the Western world. When he invaded Kuwait, the U.S. found its opportunity to attack. It was an expansion of the global empire lead by the U.S. Firms that had been primarily U.S. firms were international corporations with stock holders...