Oil price strengthen our enemies, Negroponte warns

Two days after President George W. Bush called for the US to end its “addiction to oil”, John Negroponte, the director of national intelligence, said the combination of rising demand for energy and instability in oil-producing regions “is increasing the geopolitical leverage of key producing states”.

Nigeria posed a particular threat, Mr Negroponte told the Senate intelligence committee in his first appearance since becoming director of national intelligence last year.

The possibility that Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s president, would try to amend the constitution so he could seek a third term could unleash conflict throughout the region which would have the potential to cause a “major disruption’’ of oil supply.

Financial Times