Outcome Grim at Oil War Game

The United States would be all but powerless to protect the American economy in the face of a catastrophic disruption of oil markets, high-level participants in a war game concluded yesterday.

The exercise, called “Oil Shockwave” and played out in a Washington hotel ballroom, had real-life former top U.S. officials taking on the role of members of the president’s Cabinet convening to respond to escalating energy crises, culminating in $5.32-a-gallon gasoline and a world wobbling into recession.

“The American people are going to pay a terrible price for not having had an energy strategy,” said former CIA director Robert M. Gates, who took on the role of national security adviser. Stepping out of character, he added that “the scenarios portrayed were absolutely not alarmist; they’re realistic.”

The Washington Post via Sydney Morning Herald

ConCit’s Note: My big question – if “everything’s fine” then why is gov’t running this sort of exercise, announcing it in advance and then disclosing the rather alarming results when it’s done? Subtle warning that if you don’t want to get splattered, it’s time to move away from the fan?