The US never capitalized super heavily on Iraqi nor Afgahni oil. I too definitely do think that "What Barry Says" view is ultra real, a real concern, but also,

The US never capitalized super heavily on Iraqi nor Afgahni oil. I too definitely do think that "What Barry Says" view is ultra real, a real concern, but also, it seems like there were just general neoconservative interests in being interventionalist, in using might to change not great situations. There's definitely a rival power situation here well beyond just semiconductor interests. Making it not easy for China to be ever expansionist, making it harder for a scary authoritarian power to subvert, manipulate, & control a reasonably self running republic is good cause too, if again not entirely altruistic.