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Graeme
Fission
Joined: Mar 04, 2005
Posts: 2576
Location: New Zealand
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 Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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Those who control oil and water will control the world
| Quote: | At present, a race for the world's resources is underway that resembles the Great Game that was played in the decades leading up to the First World War. Now, as then, the most coveted prize is oil and the risk is that as the contest heats up it will not always be peaceful. But this is no simple rerun of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, there are powerful new players and it is not only oil that is at stake.
The biggest new player in the game is China and it is there that the emerging pattern is clearest. China's rulers have staked everything on economic growth. Without improving living standards, there would be large-scale unrest, which could pose a threat to their power. Moreover, China is in the middle of the largest and fastest move from the countryside to the city in history, a process that cannot be stopped.
Although oil reserves may not have peaked in any literal sense, the days when conventional oil was cheap have gone forever. Countries are reacting by trying to secure the remaining reserves, not least those that are being opened up by climate change. Canada is building bases to counter Russian claims on the melting Arctic icecap, parts of which are also claimed by Norway, Denmark and the US. Britain is staking out claims on areas around the South Pole.
The scramble for energy is shaping many of the conflicts we can expect in the present century. The danger is not just another oil shock that impacts on industrial production, but a threat of famine. Without a drip feed of petroleum to highly mechanised farms, many of the food shelves in the supermarkets would be empty. Far from the world weaning itself off oil, it is more addicted to the stuff than ever. It is hardly surprising that powerful states are gearing up to seize their share.
While Western power declines, the rising powers are at odds with each other. China and India are rivals for oil and natural gas in central Asia. Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia have clashed over underwater oil reserves in the South China Sea. Saudi Arabia and Iran are rivals in the Gulf, while Iran and Turkey are eyeing Iraq. Greater international co-operation seems the obvious solution, but the reality is that as the resources crunch bites more deeply, the world is becoming steadily more fragmented and divided.
In this round of the Great Game, energy shortage and global warming are reinforcing each another. The result can only be a growing risk of conflict. There were around 1.65 billion people in the world when the last round was played out. At the start of the 21st century, there are four times as many, struggling to secure their future in a world being changed out of recognition by climate change. It would be wise to plan for some more of history's rhymes. |
guardian
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Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
Fatih Birol's motto: leave oil before it leaves us. |
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funzone36
Heavy Crude
Joined: Dec 04, 2005
Posts: 179
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| Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| Anyone who plays real time strategy games know that controlling the resources means controlling the world. |
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Graeme
Fission
Joined: Mar 04, 2005
Posts: 2576
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:38 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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The key issue here is international cooperation. That may not be easy but it seems that now more than ever it will be necessary.
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Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
Fatih Birol's motto: leave oil before it leaves us. |
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dohboi
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Dec 05, 2005
Posts: 1168
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| Graeme, man, you are on quite a posting role. I may not always agree with your sunshiny demeanor, but a must tip my hat to your ability to find and post thought-provoking articles. What's your secret? |
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dohboi
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Dec 05, 2005
Posts: 1168
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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On a more content-related note, the article said
"Without improving living standards, there would be large-scale unrest"
Aren't there already tens of thousands of protests every year, and that before the Tibet mess.
I guess they're talking Tien An Men square type action? |
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Ludi
Expert
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12036
Location: zombie horde wonderland
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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Many (not all) water issues can be solved on a local scale, if people are given support (or left alone) to do so.
http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy |
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Graeme
Fission
Joined: Mar 04, 2005
Posts: 2576
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| dohboi wrote: | | Graeme, man, you are on quite a posting role. I may not always agree with your sunshiny demeanor, but a must tip my hat to your ability to find and post thought-provoking articles. What's your secret? |
Boredom mostly. At work, I have access to the Internet so when I'm not busy, I blog. Also peak oil and climate change are such vital issues of our time, and this is one way (thanks to Aaron) I can express my views even though I feel quite powerless to change anything. But I'm giving it my best shot. Thanks for the compliment.
_________________
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
Fatih Birol's motto: leave oil before it leaves us. |
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oilluber
Heavy Crude
Joined: Jul 03, 2005
Posts: 421
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:14 am Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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so the americans will control the world through the military.....
just like the roman empire did |
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Ludi
Expert
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12036
Location: zombie horde wonderland
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| oilluber wrote: | so the americans will control the world through the military.....
just like the roman empire did |
I think we're coming to the end of the US Empire. A bankrupt nation can't be much of an empire.
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy |
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oilluber
Heavy Crude
Joined: Jul 03, 2005
Posts: 421
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| Ludi wrote: | | oilluber wrote: | so the americans will control the world through the military.....
just like the roman empire did |
I think we're coming to the end of the US Empire. A bankrupt nation can't be much of an empire. |
the military can't afford bullets and pants ?? |
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Chuckmak
Intermediate Crude
Joined: Mar 19, 2005
Posts: 797
Location: Bridge City
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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"if god doesn't exist, it is necessary that we invent him" - Voltaire
"they say prescott bush funded hitler" - Nas
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Ludi
Expert
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12036
Location: zombie horde wonderland
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| oilluber wrote: |
the military can't afford bullets and pants ?? |
So the US troops will walk, in their pants, to conquer the "enemy" by throwing bullets at them......
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy |
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mos6507
Fusion
Joined: Aug 03, 2007
Posts: 3147
Location: Boston Suburbs
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| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| Ludi wrote: | | oilluber wrote: | so the americans will control the world through the military.....
just like the roman empire did |
I think we're coming to the end of the US Empire. A bankrupt nation can't be much of an empire. |
Some people will still think the US is an "Empire" as long as we still have white people speaking english, a functional McDonalds, and at least one SUV on the road. |
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Graeme
Fission
Joined: Mar 04, 2005
Posts: 2576
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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The British Empire Is Up To Its Old Evil Tricks
larouchepub
_________________
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe. H. G. Wells.
Fatih Birol's motto: leave oil before it leaves us. |
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cube
Fusion
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Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Posts: 3375
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| Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: Re: Those who control oil and water will control the world |
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| Chuckmak wrote: | |
Whoever can control Earth, Wind, Fire, Water--->and also shoot bolts of lightening from their ass will have great power. 
///
no hard feelings okay Graeme? I'm just having a little fun here! |
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