George Monbiot, Guardian, this morning

loopyloo

They have been fighting in the Middle East for 3 thousand years.
If its not oil it will be something else.
Usually territory.

..and a relentless determination to wipe each other from the face of the earth. Both súdes reaffirm their intentions with every attack and counter attack. Let theetsvsfaybm get on with it and lets stay the

I disagree that wars would stop, most of the time its about power and greed, literally always money orientated one way or another, Trump, his family and his friends are currently making billions out of this.......

Nuclear might be a modest contributor, but it isn't a solution to the need to eliminate CO2 emissions. In 2008 it was suggested that we should have 8 new nuclear power stations. How many will we have 20 years later? None. It will be at least 2030 before Hinckley Point C contributes any electricity to the grid. And when it does, the price will be around 50% higher than the current (already high) wholesale price of electricity. A new nuclear station at Sizewell is creating serious problems over the availability of clean water in the dry East of England. Nuclear is not an easy option. Fluctuating renewables can be accommodated by as wide a mix of locations as possible, along with exchange deals with other countries that have hydro, notably Norway. A small amount of fossil fuels can provide the final top up.

It is not just oil, it's the Greater Israel Project, driven by Netanyahu. Biblical underpinnings, not the fault of Israelis, most of whom just want peace.

Wars are about territory. Always have been and always will be.

SueEH

Wars are about territory. Always have been and always will be.

Yes territory and the command of scarce resources.

Humans since they came into being have had to fight for survival. It is hard wired into us. We must constantly seek and grasp to ensure we have enough resources to keep alive long ennough to reproduce.

These wars are merely an expression of this basic human drive.

Seen in the context of Israel and Iran, both with separate land masses, but completely different ideologies, I don’t see that the scarce resources argument holds. Monica

WithNobsOnIt

Caleo

Thanks Maizie. If a summary is helpful---

Wars are deliberately driven by the need to secure oil

Governments act on behalf of oil corporations

Defence contractors and energy companies form a coordinated bloc of influence

Conflicts (especially in the Middle East) are mainly about controlling resources like oil

Absolutely spot on.

Spot on.

No, of course it is not the sole cause of conflict:

but it is extremely significant

Its not just the Middle East either, its Russia as well:

bombing a field of solar panels or a wind farms or wave power doesn't quite have the results of bombing oil facilities, does it

....and.... it doesn't have to travel halfway round the world!

Iran is a super energy powerhouse and has an over abundance of oil and natural gas. Israel has no problems with sourcing oil and recently began exporting its own abundant natural gas. No scarcity of resources.

undines

It is not just oil, it's the Greater Israel Project, driven by Netanyahu. Biblical underpinnings, not the fault of Israelis, most of whom just want peace.

I can't believe that Netanyahu ( or Trump) are so superstitious as to believe in Biblical sources to justify Zionism.

Caleo

undines

It is not just oil, it's the Greater Israel Project, driven by Netanyahu. Biblical underpinnings, not the fault of Israelis, most of whom just want peace.

I can't believe that Netanyahu ( or Trump) are so superstitious as to believe in Biblical sources to justify Zionism.

Of course they do. That is what drives the Israel project. Do not forget how powerful orthodox jewry is in Israel. Until this year young orthodox men were excused from any miitary service because they had devoted ther life to studying the Torah.

That has been changed and they now have to do 'national service' What Netanyahu believes apart from driving the Palestinians into the sea, is a moot point. As for Trump, he believes 20 contradictory things a day and cannot remember them the next.

Israel has every right to exist.

ronib

Israel has every right to exist.

No one is arguing about that, but so have the Palestinians and all the problems in the area are six of one and half a dozen of the other. I have nopt itme for either side I think they are each as bad as each other.