Oil Storms

Bush gives new reason for Iraq war (AP-8/31/05)

President answered growing antiwar protests yesterday with a fresh reason for US troops to continue fighting in Iraq:
protection of the country's vast oil fields, which he said would otherwise fall under the control of terrorist extremists.

The president said terrorists would be denied their goal of making Iraq a base from which to recruit followers, train them, and finance attacks.
''We will defeat the terrorists," Bush said. ''We will build a free Iraq that will fight terrorists instead of giving them aid and sanctuary."
''We will not rest until victory is America's and our freedom is secure from Al Qaeda and its forces in Iraq led by Abu Musab alZarqawi."
''If Zarqawi and [Osama] bin Laden gain control of Iraq, they would create a new training ground for future terrorist attacks," Bush said.
''They'd seize oil fields to fund their ambitions. They could recruit more terrorists by claiming a historic victory over the United States and our coalition."

The speech was Bush's third in just over a week defending his Iraq policies, as the White House scrambles to counter growing public concern about the war. This week, the administration also had to defend the proposed constitution produced in Iraq at US urging.