The Politics of Energy and the Energy of Politics

It has been said, quite accurately, that whoever controls the energy of a country controls that country.

Everything in a modern society depends on an adequate and reliable energy supply. From electricity to electronics; from petroleum to transportation; from heating to cooling; from smog control to water purification; every facet of everyday life as it is known in western civilization is reliant on the supply of energy in its many forms.

It isn’t difficult to see then what might happen if that energy supply was curtailed or worse – cut off.

In 1973 some of the OPEC oil people actually used an oil embargo to cause inflated prices around the world. One the results of that move was to accelerate the search for oil in other locations – finding some in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico helped. Since then OPEC has lost some of its power but certainly not all.

It’s interesting to note that with the exception of Venezuela, the country that started OPEC, and Ecuador, all the other members of OPEC are in the Middle East and Africa, a majority of the production located in what is now commonly known as a “War Zone.”

There are many reasons for the United States to become less dependent on foreign oil. Economics is certainly one. And the complicated Mid East presents the most troublesome scenarios. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the race in the region to obtain nuclear weapons and the terrorism aimed against the US all add to the terrible mix.

There is probably more truth than humor in the statement a comedian made recently that “We don’t need any more presidents from Texas.” And perhaps it is more than a coincidence that the Bush families (former presidents) are such close friends with the royal family of Saudi Arabia. And who else from Texas lived in the White House?

Oh yes, Lyndon Baines Johnson. Warriors all.

Next to Canada, Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of oil to the United States.

What can be done? What should we do? Who can do it? Let’s see…….…