Archive for October 21st, 2008

What do the nations of Russia, Iran and Qatar have in common? One more thing than they did before, apparently. Via The Guardian:

Western concerns about global energy markets hit new heights last night when Russia, Iran and Qatar said they were forming an Opec-style gas cartel.

The move by the three countries, which control 60% of the world’s gas reserves, was met with immediate opposition from the European commission, which fears the group could drive up prices.

So what, you ask? True, the USA doesn’t import natural gas from any of these countries just yet, so from a purely parochial standpoint it’s all the same to us if they want to have a li’l natural gas clique on the other side of the world.

Trouble is, we don’t live our lives in isolation, as individuals or as a country:

The cutting off of gas by Moscow to Ukraine in the middle of a political and commercial spat caused outrage and worry in western Europe.

For its part, Iran, in its stand-off with world powers over its nuclear programme, has threatened to choke off oil shipments through the Persian Gulf if it is attacked.

A gas cartel could extend both countries’ reach in energy and politics, particularly if oil prices bounce back to the highs seen this year, prompting politicians, businesses and consumers to look toward cleaner-burning natural gas and other alternative fuels.

These are the kind of things that have ripple effects, and this is a loud signal — just like many, many other loud signals Russia’s been sending for ages now — that there may be a new sheriff in town, and it ain’t us. Our current troubles are creating a power vacuum, one that certain other countries are eager to fill to the extent they’re able.

We might have had something to say about it all if we had a shred of credibility or clout left. Neither is in ample supply these days. Thanks, George.

The lesson we may finally be starting to learn as a nation is that the rest of the world didn’t pay attention to what we said because they wanted our lifestyle or hated our freedoms or loved our music or envied our swimming pools or any of that crap. They paid attention because we had the money and we had the guns. Now that we’re broke and our guns are all tied up elsewhere, nobody’s listening anymore, and they’re doing whatever the hell they want to do, whether we like it or not. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.