[antimedia] antimedia: Sometimes it helps, when the rhetoric is flowing, ....

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Posted by antimedia:
Sometimes it helps, when the rhetoric is flowing,....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1166400718.shtml


   ....to get [1]some perspective by looking at the facts.

     The US has by far the largest GDP in the world at around 13
     trillion. We generate a lot of wealth because we're very
     productive, we invest in our businesses and technology, we have a
     very good education system, and we've had a stable government for a
     long, long time.
     We have NEVER needed Iraq's oil for the simple reason that even
     some of our smallest-producing STATES generate more wealth than the
     country of Iraq.
     Take a look at these two tables:
     List of countries by GDP.
     List of US States by GDP.
     First you will note that the STATE of California at 1.5 trillion
     GDP comes in right behind the country of Italy at 1.7 trillion GDP.
     To put that another way, if California were a separate country it
     would be listed in the 8th position of rankings of world GDP. Texas
     and New York, by the way, would be ranked 10th and 11th as
     countries with the largest GDPs in the world.
     Iraq has a GDP of around 94 billion, which is closest to the GDP of
     our state of Utah (33rd in US ranking).
     Think about that.
     The entire country of Iraq has a GDP similar to that of the
     33rd-ranking state of Utah.
     Saddam Hussein was removed because, after 9/11, we decided that he
     was a danger that we could no longer let aid attacks on the US. The
     idea that we needed Iraq's oil is simply preposterous.

   The state of Iowa, Jeffrey points out, with a population 1/9^th that
   of Iraq, has a higher GDP than Iraq.
   It isn't oil or minerals or natural resources that give a country its
   wealth. It's citizens who are free to pursue their dreams without
   interference from a meddlesome state.
   Americans would do well to remember that when they enter the voting
   booth.

References

   1. http://jarrarsupariver.blogspot.com/2006/12/facts-in-your-face.html