
No, WTF are you talking about moron?
Based on 1945 prices and given a rate of 4% inflation, gas should be a lot higher today than it should be.
Gas prices are based on oil prices, availability of oil refineries and how much they can produce. You have to look at the whole market of oil:
A transcript from the Washington Post on an Interview with Guy Caruso, Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, shows that gas prices have hit a 23-year high (Washington Post, 2004, p. 1). Mr. Caruso states \ufffdThere are two main reasons why gasoline prices have risen this year. First, the price of crude oil, from which gasoline is refined, has increased from about $30 per barrel in early December to more than $40 in recent days. This increase alone would explain about 25 cents a gallon of the increase in gasoline (Washington Post, 2004, p. 2).\ufffd Mr. Caruso continues, \ufffdThe second main reason gasoline prices are higher is that our growth in gasoline demand this year has outpaced our growth in supply. As a result, our inventories are very low, which reduces flexibility throughout the U.S. gasoline market system. Thus, any problems with supply or unexpected increase in demand are met with higher prices (Washington Post, 2004, p. 2).\ufffd Apparently the two main factors are an increase in oil prices, and an excess demand.
What major factors have caused the excess demand for oil in the world? Mr. Caruso answers, \ufffdEconomic development in Asia, particularly China and India, has been robust in recent years. As the Chinese economy has grown, their appetite for oil has increased such that China is now the second largest oil consuming country in the world. Oil demand growth in China currently represents a large share of global oil demand growth. Global oil demand has outpaced growth in supply, contributing to the current tightness in oil markets (Washington Post, 2004, p. 4).\ufffd
Washington Post (2004, May 27, 2004). Transcript Rising Gas Prices. Retrieved August 11, 2004, from [link|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46044-2004May21.html|http://www.washingto...44-2004May21.html]
So the price of oil can accout for a 25 cents increase per gallon, yet gas has raised up more than that. So what is the other factor? Demand for oil and gas, and economics teaches us that as demand rises, and supply does not keep up, that prices rise also. So this can account for the remaining price hikes in gas.
So then your argument that involvement in Iraq was the only factor of the gas price hikes is a fallacy. You've obviously ingored the rising demand for gas in the world.
Ok, now many non-government US citizens were attacked or beheaded by terrorists. They were there because a corporation sent them there to do business with Iraq. Truck drivers, business consultants, teachers, and other non-military types. There is, indeed US corporations doing business with Iraq, and not just the US government. Hence you have committed another fallacy. US companies continue to sell to Iraq, when once Iraqis had to smuggle US goods in, for example. There are services being sold to Iraq as well, to help stuggling businesses, one of my past instructors runs a company that does just that for Iraq and other parts of the world. So there is evidence of trade.
Jordan was a loss to begin with, before the 9/11 attacks, they didn't like us because of our support of Israel. Iraq was a lost cause, no support of the US and very hostile to the US in viewpoints. What exactly did Jordan do for us? How many terrorists did they turn in, what aid or help did they give us to recover from the 9/11 attacks? So I question just how good an ally they've been. I do believe it was more of a pollitical thing than a real world thing. Apparently we traded Iraq for Jordan, and gained a real ally.
As Iraq grows and recovers, so will their economy and military. Once they are able to pump more oil and refine more gas, they can grow their economy and help to lower gas and oil prices. Yet you turn a blind-eye to this, and only see the short-term effect, and not the long-term effect and the payoff.
"When a true genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in confederacy against him." - Jonathan Swift
[link|http://www.xormad.com:4096/district268|I am from District 268].