< don't know that it's causal. >
It is one of the classic fallacies to think that it is causal. Correlation of the Super Bowl "Index" does not mean market direction is caused by the fact that one team or the other wins. But with that said, most scientists give a double look when there is correlation because causation may not be far behind.
There is obviously a deterioration of huge proportions for the quality of life in Pan-African nations. Just look at the former Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, and current South Africa. You couldn't pay me enough to go work in either venue. I can't say that if I worked for State or any other agency, I'd be wanting to go there either. Yeah, you are "free" to be killed in South Africa, more so than under Apartheid. Not really a very good freedom, if you ask me. Without education and a solid middle class, there is no hope of a humane African democracy. A lynch mob meets the minimum definition for democracy, so democracy per se is not intrinsically a good thing.
My objection is that rather than protecting oil resources, we should be focusing on energy independence. If all our oil came from Canada, would we be there in Iraq or in the habit of NOT criticizing Israel for their policies or nuclear weapons? No, IMO, but then, Canada would have been annexed by now and we would have embargoed Israel. |
