The Oil Factor

Checklist for a second go at the Gulf: Depose the dictator. Destroy the weapons. Conquer the oil?

In all the debate over an American-led invasion of Iraq, the talk has rarely turned to crude. But the light, sweet stuff that flows in such abundance beneath the Iraqi desert could well be the ultimate war spoil for a nation that can't get enough of it. The question is, just how far will America go to get it?

Tonight On Point: Greasing the skids on the road to war.

Guests:

Vijay Vaitheeswaran, environment and energy correspondent, The Economist

Youssef Ibrahim, senior fellow, Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations