Maximum Madness

Apparently other parts of the world sees the USA involved in a Mad Max oil scenario. And we are the villain (gulp).

The two books vary in their approaches. Klare's, the more satisfying of the two, is a steady poli-sci elaboration of U.S. foreign policy of the past 60 years as viewed through the lens of oil. "Slowly but surely," Klare writes, "the U.S. military is being converted into a global oil-protection service." His book is elaborately sourced and -- if you accept his premise -- dismayingly convincing. (With it you will be amply equipped to lead the conversation at the most strenuous Bay Area cocktail party.)

And the Mad Max intellectual summed it up:

"We have inhibitions about thinking about oil," he said. "Maybe because we're afraid of thinking about the sources of our lives."

And now go back to the previous blog entry and read the two quotes.