20th Century Diplomacy Tackles a 21st Century Global Crisis

By: Dr. E. Eugene Webb

In case you haven’t noticed Governments all over the globe are playing catch up in the current Egyptian Libyan revolutions. All governments, including the Obama administration, are proceeding with dealing with these modern day revolutions like they would have in 1980. While the news media continually report that these revolutions are being fueled by the internet, social media and the ability to rapidly communicate, the political elite chooses to meet in closed door sessions evaluate with committees and fly around the world to talk. Meantime people are dying, oil prices are going through the roof and almost every leader in the major capitals of the free world has a puzzled look on their face.

Today the oil companies, oil speculators and every one else with their finger in the oil pie are watching in real time and making their decisions based on instantaneous information. One can only guess that big oil has operatives on the ground in every one of these crisis areas reporting moment by moment what is going on. How is it that gas prices rise within hours of events occurring? Simple, Big oil and the commodities markets are not waiting for the US government or anyone else to make a decision they are going on the facts from the ground in real time.

Political correctness, diplomatic protocol, and respect for the borders of a tyrant are no longer the guiding principals for decision making. It is just possible that the Obama administration is missing the launching of an all out war on the US economy by the petro rich, a petro jihad, that is using all of the modern tools of communication to quickly manipulate the one force that can sink the current US economic recovery. Moammar Gadhafi is a madman. We have known that for several decades. But in the interest of diplomacy and Big Oil we have coddled this tyrant and now we are reaping the rewards of our actions. Obama seems stumped. His economic recovery may be oozing way in a flood of oil price increases, yet he is reluctant to step and lead. Let’s start talking about nationalizing the oil industry, fixing oil prices, taking Big oil out of the equation. The president of Exon says $4.00/gal oil won’t hurt the US economy. Certainly not his economy as Exon will likely post the biggest profits in its history. $4.00/gal gas will sink Obama’s presidency if the economy slips back over the edge.

We look to the UN, long for partners to help us so we can share the responsibility for action, talk and talk and talk while the US economy is bleeding at the rate of 1 billion dollars for each 1 cent in gasoline price increase. On the ground in Libya people are dying from bombings inflicted by their own government while our Secretary of Defense bemoans even the thought of a no fly zone. The Secretary of State wrings her hands, the UN drones on while people who long for some hint of freedom are murdered by a madman. Sounds more like the late 1930s when another madman ruled than the twenty first century with all of its technology.


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