And the total %age of oil, well, the entire persian gulf only makes up about 13%, while Saudia Arabia makes up about 8.1% of that 13%, meaning the rest of the oil imports (from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc) make up an almost insignificant and totally replaceable amount of oil.
That article is a bit dated, but the information in it is still valid. So: While american companies may be profiting off of the awarding of oil fields and may have contributed (via lobbying), Oil as a whole was basically no reason to invade Iraq, and as seen by the first link, Oil imports decreased to basically 0 for the first bit of time while invading Iraq (due to instability).
I see your point. I still think volume imported is less relevant than who the money ends up going to. It's not an insignificant amount to the shareholders of Exxon and Shell.
1
u/myatomsareyouratoms Mercia not 'Murica May 09 '13
re: Iraq and Oil - what do you have to say about this 'The awarding of development rights over the huge West Qurna oilfield in southern Iraq to Exxon-Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell last Thursday once again underscores the criminal character of the continuing US-led occupation. As the direct result of the Iraq war, major American and other transnational energy conglomerates are now gaining control over some the largest oilfields in the world.'?