Larvatus Prodeo

This from Defence Minister Dr. Brendan Nelson.

The defence update we’re releasing today sets out many priorities for Australia’s defence and security - and resource security is one of them.

And this.

Obviously the Middle East itself, not only Iraq, but the entire region is an important supplier of energy, oil in particular, to the rest of the world

Over the past few years we’ve had just about every government minister from the PM on down deny any such policy link existed. So those who claimed that this was a war for oil were right. We now have an explicit policy linking our national energy security to possible foreign excursions.

So why don’t I feel vindicated about this admission?

Because it leads us to assume that the natural resources of any nation are not theirs to exploit in the way they see fit, including ours. In fact they do so only at the discretion of the big capitalist powers and their interests. Gone too is their right to sell or not sell to who they please.

Nothing must interrupt the right of the great powers to live the lifestyles of the rich and famous. A lifestyle that is wholly due to previously cheap and abundant supplies of energy.

This of course can only mean more war if any oil producing nation refuses to sell to these capitalist powers. In a future that looks to be energy poor and with increasing re-nationalisation of energy resources around the world this looks like an inevitable outcome as those nations look to satisfy local demand over exports.

Memo to all oil producing nations. All your oil are belong to us and so much for your self determination and sovereignty.

Elsewhere: A far left populist has his say.