Natural resources such as metal ores, coal and oil have been throughout history at the centre of power struggles and ideologies. The history of oil has been described by Yergin in his excellent book The Prize (1991). “The rapid rise of Russian production, the towering position of Standard Oil, the struggle for established and new markets at a time of increasing supplies – all were factors in what became known as the Oil Wars. In the 1890s, there was a continuing struggle involving four rivals – Standard, the Rothschilds, the Nobels, and the other Russian producers. At one moment they would be battling fiercely for markets, cutting prices, trying to undersell one another; at the next they would be courting each other, trying to make an arrangement to apportion the world’s markets among themselves; at still the next, they would be exploring mergers and acquisitions. On many occasions they would be doing al three at the same time, in an atmosphere of great suspicion and mistrust…” (Yergin 1991:71). This was in 1892-93. Since the early 20th century, oil exploitation, processing and marketing has become ever more global, deeply intertwined with imperial power and wars and increasingly an affair of corporations as well as governments – with massive geopolitical implications. The most recent manifestation has been the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian was on European energy markets.
Let us look at one story in a bit more detail. In march 2001, US oil majors were the leading foreign investors in Kazakhstan’s hydrocarbon riches. Six months before ’9/11‘, US ambassador to Kazakhstan Jones said the United States wanted ”Kazakhstan to develop its energy resources… and have better access to world (oil) markets.” “…a stable central Asia – and Kazakhstan in particular – would allow stable exports of Caspian oil to international markets… the US government backed the export pipeline from Kazakhstan to Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossirsk… Washington also supported two other planned pipelines, which will eventually link the Caspian region… on the Mediterranean. But… Washington would continue to oppose plans to export Caspian oil to neighbouring Iran, which it accuses of sponsoring international terrorism… the US Congress was likely to extend sanctions against Iran after they expire in August.“
Summer 2010. It has long been known that Afghanistan had significant deposits of gemstones, copper and other minerals, but United States officials say they have discovered and documented major, previously unknown deposits, including copper, iron, gold and industrial metals like lithium. A Pentagon team, working with geologists and other experts, has shared its data with the Afghan government. It is working with the Afghan Ministry of Mines to prepare information for potential investors. On Thursday, Afghan officials said they believed that the American estimates of the value of the mineral deposits — nearly $1 trillion — were too conservative. They could be worth as much as $3 trillion. The Ministry of Mines also announced that it would take the first steps toward opening the country’s reserves to international investors. Two hundred investors from around the world have been invited to offer suggestions for how to develop the iron ore deposits at the Hajigak area of Bamian Province, according to the principal mining specialist for Afghanistan for the World Bank.
Literature Maddow, R. (2019). Blowout – Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth. Penguin Random House. Yergin, D. (1991). Prize – The epic quest for oil, money and power. Simon & Schutsre, London
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