This week's column

The future of oil? America's not in the driver's seat

With oil hovering at the $100-a-barrel mark, we're inundated by calls for a "Manhattan Project" on alternative energy, more regulation of major oil companies and an end to our military presence in the Gulf.

The assumptions are that America's energy demand drives prices, the "majors" determine supply and instability in the Middle East explains recent spikes. So, if this is all our doing, then it can all be our undoing as well.

Would that Washington was so eminently in control of global energy markets.

Read on at KnoxNews.
Read on at Scripps Howard.

Comments

[Bill C.]

In an attempt to, somewhat, counter these and other such developments, should we consider that the United States is returning to a TR-style "Big Stick" diplomacy?

Herein, I am considering such indicators as (1) our recent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, (2) the establishment AFRICOM and (3) the discussions of the resurrection of the 4th Fleet.

[Tom Barnett]

To me, both AFRICOM and the 4th Fleet are essentially SysAdmin moves, meaning we do security more than defense. Not surprisingly, both Iraq and Afghanistan morph into security ops, with the Leviathan's new focus being the FATA now.

[Michael]

A better question, Bill, might be: Does the advisability (or lack thereof) of one of the actions on your list effect the advisability of the other actions? It's hard to describe the initial invasions of Afganistan and Iraq as anything other than Big Stick, but that doesn't mean they stayed that way, or that all of the proposals being developed are also Big Stick.