I am pretty much in agreement with the substance of that article, linked to by CarolC. But one just cannot dismiss how much this invasion and occupation of Iraq is about money.

The meetings this weekend of the IMF and World Bank are intriguing to say the least.

First, the announcement that has taken the Bush administration aback was made, that there will be no international monetary assistance for post-war Iraq without a UN resolution, from either the IMF or the World Bank. Both institutions announced they would assist with post-invasion reconstruction construction costs once the UN provides them with the mandate to do so. That is a clear defeat of the Bush administration's plans, and a victory for the Europeans, including Blair--but also Chirac, Putin, and Schroeder.

So if the American occupiers are intent on seizing the oil spoils of war, they will be viewed as the ultimate looters of Baghdad (indeed, many in the international community already view them as precisely that anyway), rather than the Iraqis themselves. But the most fascinating game being played by the Americans right now is over debt forgiveness for Iraq.

Of course, they are merely attempting to punish the French, Germans, and Russians, with whom Iraq has the lion's share of it's debt. But the thing is, that opens up the question of the IMF and World Bank forgiving debt incurred in other poor nations, who were run into the debt problems by despotic dictators no longer in power. The Americans would also like nothing better than to see the oil money go straight into their pockets first, rather than service the debts to France, Russia & Germany.

Now, if the result of that is a beginning of debt forgiveness for the poorest countries, I'm all for it!