The war began in 1991. Because of the professed threat to 'our' oil.
The war ended with the ceasefire in 1991. Why did Bush invade Iraq in 2001? Was it because of Iraq's oil? If he wanted Iraq's oil wouldn't it have been cheaper just lift sanctions and buy it like everyone else?
We knew going in, Rabbi, that there was a danger of tipping the balance that was held in check with that madman Saddam Hussein, which is why no one touched it before 9/11 - the truth is Saddam Hussein was involved in the financing of terrorist activity - there were ties to Sudan and Bin Laden, he was also the one financing the suicide bombers going into Israel - those families were paid $15,000 - $25,000 to send a family member to be a suicide bomber to Israel - note the time line on when suicide bombers ceased from activity in Israel and you'll note it lines up perfectly with when the money was cut off. When was the money cut off? When Saddam was captured.
Moving forward to the other question on oil... OPEC used oil embargo in times before the war to pressure the world into a position of not supporting Israel. Later on with the creation of Hizbollah ( by Iranians ) based in Syria - the 70's, other Islamic groups which were formed in a global islamic meeting hosted by Iran - in the goal of uniting ME against Israel and the United States the stakes increased dramatically. ( today those meetings are held in Malaysia - 57 islamic nation conf.)
Consider OPEC being the financier of terrorism worldwide - these nations ruled by the bullet not the ballot box. Okay? Bush's plan - I believe was to bring down Saddam who was becoming a major player in the movement to Islamic terrorism against USA / Israel and was involved with Sudan and Bin Laden - there is one report that a Muslim Iraqi that trained the Oklahoma bombers was the mastermind behind that attack ( which preceded 9/11 mind you ) and when you have black gold financing terrorism with a neighborhood that could make the cost of oil skyrocket in no time at all - there was a danger OPEC had too much power and control over the price and if you will - imagine what happens when Iraq becomes a democracy and sells oil for $50.00 a barrel - the second largest oil producer out of the OPEC club - then the others lower their price or lose business. It is just that simple. Which is why insurgents moved to blow up those pipelines / sabotage those oil assets first -
But was that the reason for us going into Iraq? No. I do not believe it was but I do believe Bush realized the benefit of opening that country up to a democratic style govt that would give new definition to the word - competitive market - and with it an end to using black gold to finance islamic terrorism globally - so there is that.
Saddam was a monster who tortured his people mercilessly. The rape rooms, torture chambers, the horrific actions of his sons who bore the same evil fruit he did. Those people needed to be freed but the western nations always knew the risk that a democracy would not work in that region of the world because Islam depends upon the union of mosque and state not the separation of it - and therein the theocracy remained and democracy failed.
One last comment - we went into Iraq because of WMD's which even Hillary Clinton and others said were there. I saw arial photographs of weapons being moved out of Iraq to Syria and those photographs claimed to be of WMD's being shipped out of country once Saddam knew there was no keeping them there. There was a report that Bush Jr. also discovered yellow cake uranium that was found stored away in Iraq and that was for the making of WMD's. Also there was the report on a discovery of mustard gas, etc. I believe the report of the WMD's was based on factual evidence even though it was highly disputed later on.