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Saturday, August 21, 2004

Derrick and the Domino Theory

Anytime that we have to face a new global issue, chances are that it least tangentially touches on energy.

Mr. Stupid says in Altercation
If you don't think the genocide in Sudan has anything to do with the war on terror, consider this: while the United Nations can't get more than a handful of "peacekeepers" into Darfur, China has 4,000 troops stationed in Sudan protecting its oil pipeline. Not coincidentally, China has been the biggest deterrent to the Security Council putting pressure on the Sudanese government. This is a glimpse of our future: everyone who saw Fahrenheit 9-11 and wants us to draw a line with the Saudis better be prepared when they reply "fine, we have a new client and a new protector -- don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Geopolitical thinkers used to talk about the "Domino theory" and how it applies to the spread of Communism in the world. Well, if it has not happened already, the upgraded Domino theory should include the shifting in strategic alliances centering on oil and trading off on military support.

Update: James at Alternative Energy has more thoughts in the comments section and at his blog.

3 Comments:

Professor Blogger James said...

Encouraging the demise of Communism looks to be quite possibly the biggest geopolitical mistake the United States has made. Because communism meant an awful lot of people used a lot less energy than they do now and are projected to use in the future.

China looks to be one of the biggest strategic threats (in terms of competition for resources) the US is likely to face in the future.

see:

http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2004/08/china-energy-timebomb.html

10:55 AM  
Professor Blogger @whut said...

James, You have just pointed out an instance of "the law of unintended consequences" in preventing the Communism domino effect. Interesting.

12:59 PM  
Professor Anonymous Anonymous said...

James said...
Encouraging the demise of Communism looks to be quite possibly the biggest geopolitical mistake the United States has made.

Are you kidding me?

Communist governments killed over 100 million of their own people. So you'd willfully allow 100 million people die because it was "better" when there was communism and China and Russia were just murdering their own people "peacefully"?

Ask people in Eastern Europe if they like freedom over the secret police, work/death camps and mass killings under communism.

You're crazy AND stupid.

10:11 PM  

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