JP\/7\/SAYID<\/p>\n
Energy: The source of conflicts of nations
\nThe struggle and competition for energy<\/p>\n
Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo
\nFormer Governor
\nNational Resilience Institute
\n(Lemhanas)
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
There is no life that can be sustained without energy. The
\nstruggle for survival is in fact a competition to capture useful
\nenergy and secure its continued flow. In our universe the sun is
\nan important source of energy for our planet.<\/p>\n
In a book titled Human Origins, George Grant MacCurdy wrote
\nthat the degree of civilization of any epoch, people or group of
\npeoples, is measured by the ability to utilize energy for human
\nadvancement or needs.<\/p>\n
Walter Youngquist writes that the average American uses each
\nyear 8,000 pounds of oil, 4,700 pounds of natural gas, 5,150
\npounds of coal, and one-tenth of a pound of uranium.<\/p>\n
We are also confronted by inevitable realities. There is the
\n"first law of thermodynamics" which states that the total energy
\ncontent of the universe is constant; it can neither be created
\nnor destroyed.<\/p>\n
But then the "second law on thermodynamics" says that while
\nenergy cannot be created or destroyed, it is continually changing
\nin form, but always from available energy to unavailable.<\/p>\n
If we burn a piece of coal, the energy remains but is
\ntransformed into sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases
\nthat spread into space. While Americans consume 25 percent of the
\nworld's usable energy, it is also contributing to unusable
\nenergy, accounting for about 30 percent of the world's carbon
\ndioxide emissions.<\/p>\n
Although that seems unfair to the rest of the world, one could
\nassume that the U.S. is not willing to lessen its energy use,
\nwhich would mean reducing economic and social activities. It is
\nmore probable that it will always want to advance its
\ncivilization and therefore will require much more energy. Since
\nthe amount of usable energy is decreasing, it is obvious that the
\nU.S. has to compete with other nations to satisfy its needs.<\/p>\n
This is a source of conflicts among nations. This is also the
\nmain reason why advanced nations, the U.S. in particular, is not
\ninterested in the progress of developing nations, unless it
\npromotes their political or economic interests.<\/p>\n
Among the usable energy that is much in demand, oil and
\nnatural gas are the most important. The industrial world is
\nheavily dependent on oil and natural gas in direct use and
\nthrough its transformation into electrical energy. Although there
\nis much talk about alternative energies, oil and natural gas are
\nstill the most efficient sources of energy. Hydrogen may become
\nan important alternative, but its economic production is still in
\nits starting phase and will become viable only around 2050.<\/p>\n
The world's security is therefore closely linked to the
\nproduction and logistics of oil and natural gas. It is this
\nreason why the U.S. today is so strongly demanding a regime
\nchange in Iraq. Although the U.S. supported Saddam Hussein with
\nweapons when he fought Iran, he became a problem for the U.S.
\nafter he attacked Kuwait. Since that time the U.S. wanted him to
\nbe replaced or toppled, to enable its full control of the Middle
\nEast region with all the huge oil and gas reserves.<\/p>\n
According the Oil and Gas Journal the world's total reserves
\nas of Jan. 1, 2001 of crude oil was 1,028.1 billion barrels. More
\nthan half is in the Middle East, or 683.5 billion, with Saudi
\nArabia at the top (261.7 billion), Iraq second (112.5 billion),
\nfollowed by the United Arab Emirates (97.8 billion), Kuwait (96.5
\nbillion) and Iran (89.7 billion).<\/p>\n
The world's natural gas reserves are 5,288.5 trillion cubic
\nfeet of which 1,854.8 trillion cubic feet are in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
It is therefore obvious that the Middle East is a very high
\npriority in U.S. foreign and security policies. This is why the
\nU.S. is ready to attack Iraq with or without an agreement from
\nthe United Nations. Iran could well be next on the U.S. agenda.
\nThe U.S. is reportedly becoming impatient with the rulers of
\nSaudi Arabia and it is also not impossible for them to facilitate
\na regime change in that country.<\/p>\n
Full control of the Middle East would make it easier for the
\nU.S. to start its actions in Central Asia where there are also
\nrich deposits, like in Kazakhstan. The U.S. intention to have a
\nregime change in Afghanistan dates long before the Sept. 11
\ntragedy. To transport oil and gas from the Caspian Sea region, a
\nmassive pipeline is required from that region to the Indian Ocean
\nacross Afghanistan. It seems that the Taliban government was not
\ncooperative enough with the U.S. intentions.<\/p>\n
With control of Middle Eastern and Central Asian oil and
\nnatural gas the U.S. will be in a strong strategic position to
\nface future competition with China. Since its economic reforms in
\n1979, China has made very significant progress, with economic
\ngrowth rates of 9 percent or more annually.<\/p>\n
There are predictions that China will become a strong
\ncompetitor for the U.S. in the near future. But China, with its
\n1,300 billion people and its development programs, will require
\nmuch more energy than it currently has, in particular oil and
\ngas. Even imports from the surrounding regions will not suffice.<\/p>\n
There are already predictions that China will have to depend
\nvery much on oil imports from the Middle East and Central Asia.
\nIt would be very interesting to watch how China will do it
\nwithout becoming entangled in security problems with the U.S.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp7sayid-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}