Energy Oil and War

This past week end I had the pleasure of visiting with an old friend I have not seen in years. The conversation eventually turned to his area of expertise -energy. Specifically the law and energy. Some 25+ years as an energy attorney.

As such he has extensive experience in the where oil is and how it is processed and transported. Most interesting.

He noted the cost of finding new oil keeps rising and the finds are smaller. Saudi oil is running out. Iraqi oil is critical to the US and western developed counties. Therefore the reason for the war in Iraq. To protect the oil supply in the short term. So far so good; but, the real problem is yet to come. There is very little effort being expended in developing alternative energy sources; at least not enough to make a significant difference. In short we are rushing head long into an energy crisis with huge consequences for the developed and developing world. Actually the developing world is the immediate cause of the crisis and not the cure the presnet administration heralds.

The idea that improving economies will spur growth in developed economies and thus save us all is suspect to say the least. More likely will incite wars and more violence. Why? Because the fossil based energy sources are already in short supply and will only be exacerbated by consumers in China and India to name only two huge markets demanding cars and other consumer items.

Result: Shortages, wars, violence on scale never seen before.

Shame because Bush is supposedly and Oil Guy who understands energy. He could have been the energy president; the one who had the vision to make us energy independant and the dominat player and supplier of energy in the future. However aswe know he opted for the short term "fix" rather than a cure.

Will affect mainly thoses generations beyond mine. HIs predictions are very gloomy.

CIA Outings

Ever since the Valarie Plame outing and the subsequent disclosures, indictments and lack of indictments I have struggled with the implications. Now we find the CIA has secret prisons in East Europe that have been outed.

Now one would think that logic and cohesion of cognative processes would be consistent. However, we find this is not the case.

The Bush team has consistently insisted ,more so since the outing of Libby and the implications that the outing most likley involved Karl Rove and maybe even Cheney, that outing a covert CIA agent was really no big deal and to lie about it to a Grand Jury of absolutly no significance. Never mind every time a spy has been caught there are claims covert agents have been compromised or even killed. The present case appears different at least as spun by the Bush team.

Now the presense of secret CIA prisons have been outed. This, by statements from the Bush team, is a matter of grave concern that endangers national security and must be addressed swiftly and vigorously.

Try as I might I cannot reconcile the two seemingly disparate positions. To out a covert CIA agent is of no concern and lying about is not an issue but outing the existence of secret CIA prisons is an event of serious consequence.

A cynical person would conclude the difference lies in self serving interest of the present administration and not in the interest of the security of the USA or intelligence agents of the US dedicated to protecting our security.