As the World Enters Energy/Resource/Water Wars, the LAST Thing You will be Told...

[Junkdrawer]

is that it's an Energy/Resource/Water War.

It will ALWAYS be about the Children.

Qatar has Lots of Natural Gas. Europe needs Natural Gas. Guess where the best pipeline would need to go through:



Guess who is currently supplying Europe the lion's share of Natural Gas?

Syria intervention plan fueled by oil (and water and NG) interests, not chemical weapon concern
....

The RAND document contextualised this disturbing strategy with surprisingly prescient recognition of the increasing vulnerability of the US's key allies and enemies - Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, Egypt, Syria, Iran - to a range of converging crises: rapidly rising populations, a 'youth bulge', internal economic inequalities, political frustrations, sectarian tensions, and environmentally-linked water shortages, all of which could destabilise these countries from within or exacerbate inter-state conflicts.

The report noted especially that Syria is among several "downstream countries that are becoming increasingly water scarce as their populations grow", increasing a risk of conflict. Thus, although the RAND document fell far short of recognising the prospect of an 'Arab Spring', it illustrates that three years before the 2011 uprisings, US defence officials were alive to the region's growing instabilities, and concerned by the potential consequences for stability of Gulf oil.

These strategic concerns, motivated by fear of expanding Iranian influence, impacted Syria primarily in relation to pipeline geopolitics. In 2009 - the same year former French foreign minister Dumas alleges the British began planning operations in Syria - Assad refused to sign a proposed agreement with Qatar that would run a pipeline from the latter's North field, contiguous with Iran's South Pars field, through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and on to Turkey, with a view to supply European markets - albeit crucially bypassing Russia. Assad's rationale was "to protect the interests of [his] Russian ally, which is Europe's top supplier of natural gas."

....

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/aug/30/syria-chemical-attack-war-intervention-oil-gas-energy-pipelines

We keep being told that the "adults" see the necessity for military intervention. How about treating us as adults and tell us the REAL reasons for war.

[Arctic Dave]

1. Another piece of the puzzle is our full scale approval for Fracking.

The world oil markets would be off the charts if we weren't pumping in extra barrels from shale and tar sands.

It serves as a jobs program for the US while acting to keep oil prices stable as we commit to destroying the ME and rebuilding it in our favor.

Of course this needs to be done in a very timely manner since we are running out of places to drill. Once we do our domestic oil "resurgence" will crater.

[Supersedeas]

2. what is our national security interest in Syria's civil conflict?

[Junkdrawer]

3. Maintaining our military hegemony that supports our currency....

Aside from grain, it's our chief "export".

We have become Mordor.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Regional control.

[Junkdrawer]

4. Ditto Keystone XL....

Remember, Obama has passed this approval to Kerry.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Rec and bookmark

Your maps and graph add a significant detail to this issue.

Also to bear in mind...Russia's access to the Mediterranean is the Syrian port of Tartus (Tartous) is a key issue for the world chess game.

[Junkdrawer]

6. Yep.

The Geostrategic Reasons for war are NEVER discussed.

So "Leaders" know what is at stake and the rest of us (and probably most of Congress) are fed bullshit.

Kabuki Theatre.

[Junkdrawer]

8. Kick

[reformist2]

9. They want EVERY country in the Middle East under their thumb.