=
×

Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Head To Head
Log In
Register
U-Know! Forum »
Afghanistan
Log In to post a reply
73 messages
Topic View: Flat | Threaded
grufty jim
grufty jim
1978 posts

no hidden agenda
Nov 07, 2001, 14:26
actually, i feel i do address that issue. you must remember that i come from a Jean Lahérre / Colin Campbell perspective on this issue (ie that oil is running out faster than people are admitting) and that puts an added spin on the issue of future security for supply routes (i don't address that issue specifically, as it's a much longer discussion - and may well form the basis of a book i'm toying with writing on the subject).

however, i'd submit that this section of my piece does cover your concerns:

[][][][][][][]
I would humbly submit that a pipeline through Afghanistan would have the net global effect of aiding in the _consolidation_, and not the diversification, of energy supply. Certainly it would diversify the distribution of Caspian oil, but only by running it towards the area on the globe where almost half our oil is already sourced. Does the United States truly want another of its major energy sources to be located in the Arabian Sea? Also, growth in European oil consumption may be slow compared with some areas of Asia, but with oil being piped directly from the Caspian area to Europe, it will free up Saudi supplies currently tankered through the Suez to meet that market, which can then be diverted to the Asian markets where consumption is rising. Europe, just like the United States, is seeking to meet its energy requirements with less reliance on the Middle East. The Caspian fields will aid them in that task (though perhaps not for as long as they'd like). Monbiot's claim also ignores the fact that oil loaded onto tankers in Ceyhan, Turkey, can be sold in Asia just as easily as anywhere else. The time saved by pumping it to Pakistan and loading it on the Arabian Sea coastline, will not make up for the added security risk, and the political instability inherent in the area.
[][][][][][][][][]

direct pipeline routes to east or southeast asia have never been considered via afghanistan. is that your contention? that brings all manner of other technical and political issues into the equation, that would require yet another long article (perhaps that book isn't so unlikely a project after all!)

g.jim.
In reply to:
Re: (no hidden agenda) (FourWinds)		 Replies:
Re: no hidden agenda (FourWinds)
Topic Outline:
U-Know! Forum Index