Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DrGrabow who wrote (23685)	4/6/2002 12:00:21 PM
From: Dennis O'Bell	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Oil production in Russia will change the political landscape worldwide specifically in the Middle East. This is one of the reasons I feel the Arab states seem to feel time is pressing to "really do something about Israel". The problem is, Israel could be erased from the map, but that will not defuse the demographic time bomb they're all sitting on at home. A rise to power of Islamist extremists will be a real disaster for everyone in the region. I sometimes think Israel is their Cuba. Nothing but Perfectly Stupid Pride is impeding any reasonable solution to the problem (normalization of relations, civilized dialog instead of killing, etc.)

To: DrGrabow who wrote (23685)	4/7/2002 3:34:56 PM
From: RetiredNow	Respond to of 281500

Actually, I heard that agreements with Russia on limiting oil production to artificially prop up oil prices doesn't work. Russia can barely control the companies that produce the oil since they are independently owned. Mostly, these companies are operating very opportunistically and pump as much as they want. They can control the state owned pipelines, but a significant amount of oil makes it out through tankers and overland trucks. So they can only control output so much. I say let the vagaries of capitalism takeover the world's supplies of oil rather than supporting corrupt Saudi monarchies. We shouldn't be advocating for monopolies anyway. I never understood why the US would prop up the Saudi monarchy for the short term benefits, when we could have eased our dependency through the long term benefits of diversifying our suppliers.