This week marks the tenth anniversary of the war in Iraq. Through most of the soldiers have left, many still vividly remember what it was like during their tour overseas. The idea that the war was started to gain control of Iraq’s many oil fields is not new. When the war began in 2003 all of Iraq’s oil production was nationalized. This means that the Iraqi government controlled all the production of oil inside their country. Once the government fell, so did this control. Now ten years later the big western oil companies have started taking hold. According to CNN, this will be the first time in 30 years that Western oil companies are looking to invest in the oil fields. 

While it is not a new idea that the war was started to gain control of the oil production in the country, it is still a controversial topic. When the war began, the government said that is was to fight terrorism coming from forces inside the country. But now many people say that the real reason was the oil. While terrorism might have been a reason to start the war, it is not the only reason. Whether or not oil was the biggest reason for the beginning of the war, many people have acknowledged that it is a major reason and played a large part in deciding to go to war with Iraq.