Akenaton,

The oil weapon no longer exists, it was only ever used once, in 1973. Subsequent to that happening, take at look at how the international oil and gas industry responded - globally. The major, non-OPEC, oil producing countries could destroy OPEC in a matter of months. OPEC fully realises that. Another difference from 1973 and today, and a thing that tends to keep the OPEC cart rolling is that the main players in OPEC (The Saudi's and the other Arab Gulf States) NEED an oil price of $25 per barrel, or they are in trouble. Russia and the former Soviet Republics NEED an oil price of $21 per barrel. As long as that differential remains - no oil sanctions would ever be imposed.

But would a war be justified to break such sanctions - history would tend to say yes - wars have been fought for a damn sight less in the past. That war would not be fought against "Islam".

I can't remeber saying that the Iraqi people were supporting/assisting the "coalition". I think what I said was that they were not backing Saddam Hussein's sympathisers - there is a major difference in those two contentions.

You are correct in saying that, "Everyone needs to earn to provide for their families, and in the Iraq situation survival comes first."

What is becoming abundantly clear to the people of Iraq is that they will be far better off without the likes of Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athists - It is because of the dawning of that realisation that Iraqi's, International NGO aid groups and the UN Organisations have been targeted by Saddam's supporters. The better things get the less likelyhood there is of them ever getting back into power, so they do their damndest to retard the progress being made by falling back on their old tactics - terrorise the population. Long way to go, but they are on a loser.