[UncoveringTruths]

I assume that when Iraq invaded Kuwait that was the first Oil grab the world has known(I'm probably wrong). Then we inturn grab Iraq's oil, shortly afterwards the Ruskies are taking the Oil back they sold in the first place. Maybe the forementioned is all to simplistic.

I guess my question is how much will we see of Oil grabbing as we observe the Geoploitical landscape unfold?

Things seem to be getting fluid for some real aknowledgement of the underlying issues.

Come on Uncle Sam!
Gimme the bad news first, Don't tell me you saved some money with that dam gecko!

[Bytesmiths]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('UncoveringTruths', 'I') assume that when Iraq invaded Kuwait that was the first Oil grab the world has known...

[Chocky]

Japan's expansion prior to and during WW2 was largely to do with trying to obtain oil

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Chocky', 'J')apan's expansion prior to and during WW2 was largely to do with trying to obtain oil

[Bytesmiths]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', 'A') little unedited history from my book:

[Ayoob_Reloaded]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Chocky', 'J')apan's expansion prior to and during WW2 was largely to do with trying to obtain oil

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bytesmiths', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', 'A') little unedited history from my book:

[andy2001]

One interesting point about the cause of the invasion of Kuwait is that Kuwait was using sideways drilling to steal Iraq’s Oil before the invasion.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('andy2001', 'O')ne interesting point about the cause of the invasion of Kuwait is that Kuwait was using sideways drilling to steal Iraq’s Oil before the invasion.

[savethehumans]

Oil-grabbing has been like breathing since the early 20th century.

In the future, it will be more like huffing and puffing, as it gets harder to grab/retrieve any oil AT ALL.

Then things'll get REALLY nasty....

[Barbara]

I was thinking of the coming Iran war, and suddenly I had a sort of illumination.
I've read that Iran, in 2004, exported 63% of its production only. Can't imagine what was the internal use percentage in 2005 and what will be in 2006. They say that Iran will be a net importer around 2007/2008.

Given that, we now know that ALL the oil coming from the 2nd world oil reserves will be used by those "useless iranians", instead of flowing happily into our energivore industrialized democratic countries. All these oil producing countries are also developing countries, and they need oil for themselves.
Same happened in Indonesia (OPEC President, now a net importer). Same in Iraq, where people is now paying an huge amount of money to fill their tanks, when in Saddam times they could do it for nuts.

So, with Peak Oil coming, someone has to kiss goodbye to industrialization and disappear back into the Middle Age, and for sure won't be us. Oil wars are not just to grab that fast depleting oil, neither just to "control oil", but to draw a line where you can go on developing or you must stop.

In other words, it's a clash of civilizations.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Barbara', 'O')il wars are not just to grab that fast depleting oil, neither just to "control oil", but to draw a line where you can go on developing or you must stop.

In other words, it's a clash of civilizations.

[Barbara]

It's not important it's a distant source, as long as "they" don't need it. And it's not important they're unfriendly, as long as they're primitive. But when they become industrialized and need the oil, then they're competitors. Better bomb those competitors and steal the oil first, than wait for them to become STRONG competitors and decide they'll use it for themselves keeping you at bay with a good military technology menace.

PS I'm not justificating at all, just trying to better understand their crazy 'Plan B'!

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Barbara', 'I')t's not important it's a distant source, as long as "they" don't need it. And it's not important they're unfriendly, as long as they're primitive. But when they become industrialized and need the oil, then they're competitors. Better bomb those competitors and steal the oil first, than wait for them to become STRONG competitors and decide they'll use it for themselves keeping you at bay with a good military technology menace.

PS I'm not justificating at all, just trying to better understand their crazy 'Plan B'!

[Daryl]

That's a good point. Chindia oil use dwarfs that of the Middle East exporting countries. And it is growing rapidly. Iran is an interesting case though and Barabara may have a point about them. If they continue to grow their industry, less and less of their oil will be available for export. It's definitely in the interest of large oil users that Iran doesn't develop much further. Also note that all the Middle East exporters of oil are already importers of refined oil products like gasoline. Don't see Iran mining the Straits of Hormuz. Be blockading themselves as much as everyone else.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Daryl', 'A')lso note that all the Middle East exporters of oil are already importers of refined oil products like gasoline. Don't see Iran mining the Straits of Hormuz. Be blockading themselves as much as everyone else.

[JohnDenver]

One of the main arguments for doom is resource war. In history, humans have always fought wars over scarce resources, and they will continue to do so in the future. Human nature will not suddenly change.

The idea, basically, is a Darwinian struggle for survival, where the strong overpower the weak and seize their booty. It's all about theft.

So here's my question. If stealing other countries resources is such a good idea, why isn't everybody doing it right now? Britain seems to be strapped for natural gas these days, so why don't they just invade Qatar? Why doesn't the U.S. just invade Mexico and Canada and steal their oil? Why doesn't Germany take over Angola or Sudan? Why doesn't Israel take over Iraq? Why doesn't Japan seize Indonesia? Surely it's more in line with the known facts of human nature to just kill the people and take their resources. That's what people always do.

Of course, you could say that the U.S. is already fighting a resource war in Iraq, but that's just hype. The U.S. spent $1 trillion and got zero free oil out of the deal, so that hardly qualifies as a pirate raid. And if it was the oil they were after, why didn't they go after the easy pickings, like U.A.E. or Qatar or Kuwait? It's a lot easier to knock them off than to take over a populous country like Iraq.

So, to reiterate, if stealing other country's resources is such an inevitable, great idea, why isn't everybody doing it right now?

[BrownDog]

Because we're too busy fighting wars to spread democracy?

[dub_scratch]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JohnDenver', '
')Of course, you could say that the U.S. is already fighting a resource war in Iraq, but that's just hype. The U.S. spent $1 trillion and got zero free oil out of the deal, so that hardly qualifies as a pirate raid. And if it was the oil they were after, why didn't they go after the easy pickings, like U.A.E. or Qatar or Kuwait? It's a lot easier to knock them off than to take over a populous country like Iraq.