So, the US is concerned that China is using funding for infrastructure deals to acquire energy resources from "rogue" states like Iran and Sudan.
Should this concern be construed as friendly advice to Beijing that it should follow the lead of the democracy-inspiring leader of the free world and blacklist these theocracies as part of the battle to fight oppression and tyranny wherever it raises its ugly, towel-covered head.
Or should it be construed as friendly advice to Beijing on how to ensure that if you are gonna get oil, you may as well make a buck while you are at it.
Rather than buying oil and investing in a country’s infrastructure to sweeten the deal, it’s much more productive to bomb all hell out of the country’s infrastructure, foster an insurgency to ensure your "peace-keeping" abilities remain in demand, steal the target country’s oil, and then give yourself a big fat contract to rebuild the country’s infrastructure as a sweetener for the deal.
The tactic has certainly worked for US oil giant Exxon Mobil and reconstruction expert Halliburton. It may not have worked for US soldiers and oil users, but China has the benefit of a free press (free to print what the government wants it to print) and 1.3 billion potential soldiers so no big deal.
But the US is preaching to the converted. Hasn’t it heard of the Xinjiang Uygur "Autonomous" Region. China is well ahead of the liberation curve.
Watch the free oil flow.
Postscript: I had forgotten when I posted this entry that today is September 12, which is a very significant day. It is also, for entirely unrelated reasons, fives years and one day after the attacks on the World Trade Center. As such, my post is incredibly insensitive. Surely, this is the week we should remember the "liberation" of Iraq is about 9/11, not oil.
You must log in to post a comment.