Syriana Part II

by digby

Juan Cole has posted a fascinating piece about oil politics and the events in the middle east. I am not any kind of expert on the subject (not that I’m necessarily an expert on any subject about which I regularly pontificate) so I cannot judge how realistic the scenario is in its details. But from a gut instinct and common sense point of view I have have always known that we would not be spending so much blood and treasure in the middle east if it wasn’t the richest oil region in the world. We just wouldn’t. This is the new Great Game.

One point that Cole makes that I think is quite interesting is that there is some new belief that actual physical control of the oil fields, for both economic and practical reasons, may now be necessary. If that’s the case, I finally understand why the powers-that-be insist on those permanent bases in Iraq.

Anyway, it’s a very intriguing article. I’ll be curious to read some opinions from those of you who know more about this than I do.

.