tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post4128624728023333429..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: Harper - Damned If He Does, Damned If He Don't.The Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-84406924246890488852012-12-18T12:06:41.200-08:002012-12-18T12:06:41.200-08:00I agree with your take, Anon. China sees a geo-po...I agree with your take, Anon. China sees a geo-political dimension to fossil fuel capture to which Harper is either oblivious or indifferent.<br /><br />Look at Cheney's motivation to cajole Bush into the conquest of Iraq. The neo-cons didn't seek outright ownership of Iraq's oil resources. Their Holy Grail was "control" of those resources. It was control, they believed, that would empower them to allow or deny access to Iraqi oil and to regulate production.<br /><br />The same element of control has always been in the background of America's ambitions in Afghanistan. There the focus has been on the fossil fuel riches of the Caspian Basin, securing them for Europe and simultaneously preventing them from falling under Russian control. The more control Russia can gain, the more its influence with Europe increases and the more America's declines.<br /><br />China understands the global control game just as well. This is why it is moving to bring Pakistan and Iran into the orbit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. That could facilitate a direct, overland route to Iran's oil as well as blocking the American TAPI pipeline access to the Indian ocean.<br /><br />All of this is apparently lost on Harper and Alberta.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-21732670746933126822012-12-18T11:31:37.868-08:002012-12-18T11:31:37.868-08:00I think the Chinese are playing a long game. In 2...I think the Chinese are playing a long game. In 20-30 years, the conventional and shale gas-oil will be mostly depleted (despite the more optimistic predictions).<br /><br />The Chinese will control the tarsands, and thus the bitumen that can be processed and refined for diesel and JP4 (jet fuel). And what will diesel and JP4 power? The tanks, trucks and aircraft of a military force (the navy will be nuclear powered).<br /><br />Farfetched? Perhaps. But whatever the case, the checkers playing Harper has been outmatched by some chess masters.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com