Posted by
JDComments on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 1:29:15 PM
Yesterday James Biga of Biga's Rants and I had an interesting exchange on his
post where he does an excellent job of tying together the disparate pieces of what is happening in the Middle East so as to present the underlying strategy. As I find happening more and more, the excellent bloggers on this site are causing me to think further and deeper than I usually do, and none accomplish this more than James.
In trying to decide how Russia and Venezuela play into this geopolitical puzzle, we pondered the possibility that , even though the Russians are as threatened by Islam as anyone, they may be operating under a different assumption, one which we are forgetting entirely in looking to them to be our partners in the War on Terror. Simply put, follow the money. Why would Russia be so willing to support Iran's nuclear ambitions when it is just as possible a terrorist nuke could make it into Moscow as into NY? In a word, oil.
Even as we speak Putin is assembling an energy empire which will soon have a stranglehold on Europe [see
article in Washington Times] and he has demonstrated his willingness to use it to exercise power. In truth, the Russians are accomplishing through oil and gas what they never really did through their military: establishing hegemony over all of Europe.
If the Middle East is thrown into chaos by the Iranians procuring the Bomb, oil will increase in value significantly, meaning Russia makes even more money and garners more power. If, however, nuclear war erupts with Israel, or a regional conflict breaks out to stop the Iranians before they acquire the material and technology, then Middle Eastern oil might very well be taken off the market, making Russia the MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD by dint of their control of much of the remaining reserves. Oil could conceivably go to $500 a barrel, and gas could be $20 a gallon! Actually the price will be whatever the Russians decide.
Venezuela is also trying to establish an energy empire in Latin America, and to extend its distribution capabilities throughout the continent [see
article] ] so that it, too, will be the beneficiary of any Middle Eastern conflict which disrupts oil production.
Could Russia be so shortsighted as to think a radical Islamic nuclear state wouldn't seriously threaten them? Well, just remember this was the country which cooperated with Hitler even though in Mein Kampf he just about announced his plans to conquer them. What did they get in return? Finland, and then a war with their "ally" which killed millions of their citizens. I have to believe world domination through energy has to be more enticing than occupying Helsinki.
So as the Dems take control and try to negotiate us out of the Middle East, perhaps they should look a little deeper at countries like Russia and realize that nations are as foolhardy as people in assessing their best
interests, and greed in no longer just a Western fault. While we ponder a nuclear attack on a city, who is considering the economic effects of no Middle Eastern oil, which could engulf us in another Great Depression?
The time for respecting the disparaging Liberals mantra of " Would you die for oil?" is over. The truth is more of us will die WITHOUT it, and we cannot allow that to happen. There is a War on Terror, but there is also a bigger game being played here which is even more dangerous in some respects, and we have to be ready for it. Whether we have to seize South American oil fields, or invade Iran, we better be prepared to control our destiny by securing the life blood of our industrial nation.
The Middle East is the nexus of a vital resource and a fanatical ideology and that is a witches brew which could be toxic for us. And all those addled minded Liberals who would never fight a war for oil and who look to the Russians and other countries to help us fight the Islamicists, well its time they get a wake up call that gets them out of the dream world they have been slumbering in for way too long. Is oil worth dying for? Unless you want to live in a medieval society, the answer is a resounding "YES".