Re: you know what? obama was right.
[quote=Kobe;444636]^ Instead of trying to change the world we need to change ourselves. Cut our addiction to oil and we cut off the middle-east's balls.[/quote]
Yes. Our need for oil is the problem. That is the root cause for everything.
Unfortunately, it's not so simple to get off the stuff. Indeed, every day that goes by our need increases. Populations are growing worldwide. And access to oil is possibly the single most important factor to life among modernized nations. Estimates are that for every 1 Calorie of food we eat, 10 Calories of energy were burned to create it.
The only reason China is being held back from faster progress is because they can't get enough oil.
When the oil supplies begin to peak, we will be on the edge of global crisis. Within days we will see huge spikes in prices, which will trigger global market collapse. The oil crisis of the late 1970s was the result of a mere 5% increase in oil prices. The result was the biggest economic collapse since the Great Depression. Imagine the result when the prices increase by several times? Imagine oil at $180 per barrel. It's the end of the world..... literally. In America alone, if we can't drive our cars... the economy will tumble. It will be like the entire economy comes to a screeching halt. But cars are only the tip of the iceberg. Around the world, a shortage of oil will lead to the death of millions. Famine, exposure to the elements, etc...
This isn't something to be taken lightly. Every modernized country in the world knows this to be true. That is why everyone fights over it. Why did France and Germany oppose the USA and Britain in Iraq? Simple. It had nothing to do with morality. It had nothing to do with WMDs. It was all about oil. France and Germany were the primary beneficiaries during the Saddam regime. They were the ones with the sweetheart oil deals. If Saddam were removed, they knew they would lose thier oil contracts. So of course they opposed taking action. How can you blame them?
Do you know why nothing is getting done in Darfur? Simple. It has nothing to do with morality. It's all about oil. Sudan is an oil producing nation. They supply oil to China. China is a member of the perm 5 on the Security Counsil. This means they have veto power. If military action were taken in the Sudan to remove the current government, this would disrupt the oil supplies to China. As I said above, China is in dire need of oil. They can't get enough oil to sustain the growth in their country. So they can't afford to lose any supplies. Therefore, every time the UN tries to push resolutions on Darfur.... China kills them before a vote can be taken.
Why is Iraq still in complete chaos? Simple... it's about oil. Iran is fueling the insurgency by supplying weapons and sending fighters over the border. They are doing this because they are seeking control over Iraq, and it's oil fields. They know that once they control Iraq they will control one of the largest supplies of oil in the world. This gives them a huge boost in bargaining power with the world community. They can set prices and control the markets. They can blackmail the UN into making concessions. They almost assure their acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Oil is so important, and when you take a look at many of the world's major issues, it seems they all point back to it eventually.