jay_a2j wrote:Augusta wrote:jay_a2j wrote:"not just running after oil or other natural resources."
here we go........

whatever do you mean jay?
of course we (the west - not just the conservative party in the US) are running after the "black gold". we don't give a toss for what happens in a country in lets say Africa, but if the oil is threatened we are storming down to "save and liberate"... plz... to deny this is just pulling up those famous blind folds again.
The fight for resources will only escalate - and with the rate we are polluting in some parts of the world, pure drinking water will soon join oil and gold on the most wanted list for many.
Now I know in europe you have always had high gas prices but PLEASE explain to me why I'm paying $3.00/ gal for gas when pre-Iraq war it was under $2/gal.????? If this war was about OIL I want a full investigation on why the gas prices are so high? Give me a break...we all know oil will be depleated in 20 -50 years so why fight for it...why not just find an alternative?
The problem is today - not in 20-30 years. Today we need oil because there is no alternative energy source that can replace it - and there will not be for many years to come. So oil is still the number one most important natural resource.
As for high energy prices (and other commodities) you can always ask Greenspan why he stared the money printing press and inflated the dollar to such vast amounts that the commodities only could rise - there where no other way they could go, since most of them are traded in US dollar.
The amount of dollar in the world has increased enormously since the year 2000. At the same time he also lowered the interest rates - this is what I like to call a "Pump and Pressure" strategy. Pump in lower interest rates and increase the flow of money - and build up pressure and growth. Only trouble was that at the same time the demand for oil, copper, gold etc also increased in the rest of the world (esp. China) - making this twice as bad regarding the prices for commodities - and they just went skyhigh.
This was the short version... the long one is the size of a book so better not post it here I think.