You mention the rise of oil prices in the 2000's. My conspiratorial mind has always wondered if Cheney was the first Republican to start to deal with Putin - and so he arranged for the invasion of Iraq, which precipitated the oil price rise.
Invading Iraq never made sense for American policy - it greatly strengthened Iran (which is a vassal state of Russia).
You mention the rise of oil prices in the 2000's. My conspiratorial mind has always wondered if Cheney was the first Republican to start to deal with Putin - and so he arranged for the invasion of Iraq, which precipitated the oil price rise.
Invading Iraq never made sense for American policy - it greatly strengthened Iran (which is a vassal state of Russia).
You mention the rise of oil prices in the 2000's. My conspiratorial mind has always wondered if Cheney was the first Republican to start to deal with Putin - and so he arranged for the invasion of Iraq, which precipitated the oil price rise.
Invading Iraq never made sense for American policy - it greatly strengthened Iran (which is a vassal state of Russia).