Copyright © 2002 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com

Other comment
Mo Mowlam The Guardian (London)
Friday, October 4, 2002
 
The [prospect] of the world's largest oil reserves falling into the hands of an anti-American, militant Islamist government is becoming ever more likely. The Americans know they cannot stop such a revolution. They must therefore hope that they can control the Saudi oil fields. In the name of saving the West, these vital assets could be seized and controlled. No longer would the United States have to depend on a corrupt and unpopular royal family to keep it supplied with cheap oil.

This whole affair has nothing to do with a threat from Iraq - there isn't one. It has nothing to do with the war against terrorism or with morality. Saddam Hussein is obviously an evil man, but when we were selling arms to him to keep the Iranians in check he was the same evil man he is today. He was a pawn then and is a pawn now. He is now the distraction for the sleight of hand to protect the West's supply of oil.

- Mo Mowlam, commenting in The Guardian (London)

Copyright © 2002 The International Herald Tribune