Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet is a must read. Published in 2008, author Michael T. Klare does a stand-up job of shaking the reader out of his comfort zone.

Consider the following points:

80% of known oil reserves in the world are controlled by National Oil firms. Granted, Saudi Aramco is one such National Oil Firm that is friendly towards America but that too could change should the Saudi Royals come under duress from the fundamentalist Islamic movement. America is thus at the mercy of the world for its oil ( and its way of life ).

50% of the world's oil production comes from 116 giant fields - many of which have hit peak production.

By 2012 the world will be using 96 million barrels of oil a day. The IEA reckons that the global oil industry will be hard pressed to meet this demand.

The USA consumes 22% of the world's Natural Gas output each year. Europe, China and India are all ramping up Natural Gas usage. A peak in Natural Gas is coming. Russia and Iran control 25% of current Natural Gas reserves.

If no more nuclear reactors are ever built again, there is enough Uranium in the world to last 40 more years. But with all the reactors being built around the world, there will be a race to secure supplies of Uranium. China has already signed a deal with Australia for 40 million pounds a year of Uranium. Clearly the Chinese are thinking forward.

Future shortfalls are predicted for chromium, cobalt, zinc, lead, niobium, nickel, platinum, titanium and the like.

China and Russia have already signed a "Declaration on World Order in the 21st Century" that calls for collaboration to resist the dominance in international affairs exhibited by certain (ie USA) un-named countries.

I think you get the picture. This book is a must read.

Go to your favorite bookseller and ask for it by name
(Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, author Michael T.Klare, published by Metropolitan Books ISBN# 13-978-0-8050-8064-3).