Regime Change
Although a subject of much debate, the U.S. government definitely had energy interests in mind when it decided to invade Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. Michael Renner, of the Worldwatch Institute and an analyst for Foreign Policy in Focus, details how Iraq’s potential oil reserves may rival Saudi Arabia. As such, Iraq was a logical target to assuage the United States’ energy needs. The regime change in Iraq allows the U.S. to have direct access to Iraq’s oil reserves, thereby shifting the global dynamics of oil.

Since the American invasion, Iraq has tumbled into a bloody civil conflict. To date, over 4000 American soldiers have died in Iraq, and over 30,000 have been wounded. According to a CNN story from October 2006, the war has accounted for approximately 655,000 Iraqi deaths.

Environmental Effects
In addition to the human casualties, the environmental effects of the Iraq War are staggering. A fascinating report by Oil Change International calculates greenhouse gas emissions of the war.

Kurdish People
Under Saddam Hussein’s rule, the Kurdish people suffered large-scale oppression and the disappearance of nearly 100,000 Kurds. Despite Iraq’s oil reserves, the Kurdish people have been the targets of underdevelopment, cultural and political repression and genocide. The Kurds favor some sort of sovereign state, freeing themselves of the oppression they have faced and benefiting from potential petrodollars.