------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE BATTLE FOR GERMANY'S ROADS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tempers Fray as Bikes and Cars Vie for Supremacy Germany may have a reputation as a bicycle-friendly country, but its streets are becoming increasingly tough as cyclists battle drivers and pedestrians for their share of limited space. A history of misguided transport policy is partly to blame for the growing aggressiveness. But model projects across Germany show harmony between bikes and cars is possible. By SPIEGEL Staff http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,786254,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: Car Wars http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-72851.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GREENWASHING AFTER THE PHASE-OUT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ German 'Energy Revolution' Depends on Nuclear Imports Germany's decision to phase out its nuclear power plants by 2022 has rapidly transformed it from power exporter to importer. Despite Berlin's pledge to move away from nuclear, the country is now merely buying atomic energy from neighbors like the Czech Republic and France. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,786048,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ALPINE ANGST ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Swiss Defend Their Island of Prosperity The euro zone's woes have made the invulnerable Swiss franc extremely attractive to investors. But the capital flowing into the country has made the franc too strong, hurting exports and domestic retail sales. Switzerland is now fighting to preserve its prosperity by pegging its currency to the euro. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,785972,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: Hard Times in Wealthy Switzerland http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-72798.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GREECE DISPUTE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Merkel's Government Remains Divided on Euro Policy German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a united front in her coalition government this week on the euro rescue package, but she has so far failed to rein her partners in. Economics Minister Philipp Rösler continues to draw criticism -- and some support -- for his statements about a possible Greek insolvency. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,786421,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE WORLD FROM BERLIN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'When Does Time Run Out for a Coalition?' A rogue editorial by Angela Merkel's economy minister has caused unwelcome turmoil in the German debate over the euro. Merkel would like to show a united front in the European debt crisis, but dissent by Philipp Rösler, who is also vice chancellor, has called her whole government into question. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,786439,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LITERATURE AFTER THE REVOLT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Arab Writers 'Should Not Be Invisible Anymore' In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, Moroccan-born author and poet Ben Taher Jelloun talks about the Arab Spring and the burgeoning creativity in post-dictatorship countries. He also describes the challenge of writing from the perspective of Libya's former leader Moammar Gadhafi. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,785689,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SARKOZY AND CAMERON IN LIBYA ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Heroes for a Day European leaders are rarely celebrated as heroes, but this is precisely how Nicolas Sarkozy and David Cameron were treated in Tripoli on Thursday. As a reward for their military deployment against Moammar Gadhafi, the president and prime minister received a warm reception. The French appear to have gained the most in Libya. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,786527,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEEDY GERMANS IRRITATED JFK, TAPES REVEAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'He Got Awfully Fed Up with Adenauer and All that Berlin' This week's release of interviews with former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy has revealed a new side of the demure fashion icon. Among the unsparing criticism of her husband's political contemporaries were also a few comments about the Germans, who were apparently the source of great aggravation. http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,786460,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: Jackie Kennedy On World Leaders http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-72884.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PICTURE THIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let There Be Light http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,786499,00.html#ref=nlint
- 1.
- Russian Foreign Ministry: Libya, Syria Can Become Terrorist Strongho From: Rick Rozoff
- 2.
- NATO Moving Missile Shield Into Black Sea, Asiatic Turkey From: Rick Rozoff
- 3.
- AFRICOM Commander Wants "More Special Operation Forces Now" From: Rick Rozoff
- 4.
- Africa Partnership Station: U.S. Ship's Crew Leads Training In Gambi From: Rick Rozoff
- 5.
- Afghan, Iranian Border Guards Exchange Fire From: Rick Rozoff
- 6.
- Azerbaijani Drone Destroyed Over Nagorno-Karabakh From: Rick Rozoff
- 8.
- Canada To Extend Libya War Mission To End Of Year From: Rick Rozoff
- 9.
- New Strategic Concept: NATO Hosts 47 States, Blocs On Naval Mission From: Rick Rozoff
- 10.
- Morocco, Jordan, GCC: Pro-West Arab Monarchies Form Unholy Alliance From: Rick Rozoff
- 11.
- U.S./NATO Commander: Attack On Afghan Capital Act Of "Desperation" From: Rick Rozoff
- 12.
- Kosovo: Russia Calls On NATO To Prevent New Provocations From: Rick Rozoff
- 13.
- NATO Chief To Visit Kosovo As Tensions Mount From: Rick Rozoff
- 14.
- Boeing To Double Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Interceptor Missiles From: Rick Rozoff
- 15.
- Battlefield Of Future: U.S., Australia Add Cyberwarfare To Military From: Rick Rozoff
- 16.
- NATO-Assigned New Zealand Special Forces In Kabul Fighting From: Rick Rozoff
- 17.
- U.S., NATO Allies Ready To Test MEADS Interceptor System From: Rick Rozoff
- 18.
- State Department: NATO In Libya Model Of Euro-U.S. Cooperation From: Rick Rozoff
- 19.
- 181 Days Of Bombing: 22,701 NATO Sorties, 8,520 Strike Sorties From: Rick Rozoff
- 20.
- Russia Backs Urgent UN Session Over Kosovo Conflict Escalation From: Rick Rozoff
- 21.
- France, Britain To Continue Military Operations In Libya - TNC From: Rick Rozoff
- 22.
- Washington: Georgia Delegation In NATO Accession, Conflict Talks From: Rick Rozoff
- 23.
- U.S., NATO To Deploy Ballistic Missiles In Poland By 2018 From: Rick Rozoff
- 24.
- U.S. Recruits Australia Into Global Missile Shield System, Asian NAT From: Rick Rozoff
Forex Market Updates & Commentary
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- EURUSD falls below the 200 hour MA at 1.3858. 1.3834 next target tested
- EURUSD testing 200 hour MA at 1.3858
- Lagarde says in a dangerous new phase of crisis
- USDJPY falls back down to the familiar area
- Dow is up by 123 Nasdaq up 23 point S&P up 12.44
- Phillly Fed Index comes in at -17.5 vs -30.7
- EURUSD charts with key levels to watch
- EURUSD moves higher through the 1.3897 resistance
- BOE Weale says risk of recession increased since July.
- EURUSD moves above key resistance level at 1.3856
- ECB announces dollar liquidity measures in cooperation with the Fed and other central banks
- Charting the Majors with James Chen – Webinar 9:30 AM ON AIR NOW
- EURUSD moves lower in NY trade.
- China to liquidate treasuries not dollars according to story in the London Daily Telegraph
- USDJPY shoots higher despite the weaker US data
September 15, 2011
Tomgram: Michael Klare, Is Washington Out of Gas?
Way back then, the signs
out on the streets
read: "No Blood for Oil," "How did USA's oil get under Iraq's sand?"
and "Don't trade lives for oil!" Such homemade placards, carried by
deluded antiwar protesters in enormous demonstrations before the Bush
administration launched its invasion of Iraq in March 2003, were typical
-- and typically dismissible. Oil? Don't be silly!
True, Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz spoke admiringly about Iraq “floating on a sea of oil,” but that was just a slip of the tongue. President Bush was so much more cautious. Despite his years in the energy business and those of his vice-president (not to speak of the double-hulled tanker that had been named after his national security advisor while she was on the board of Chevron), he almost never even mentioned oil. When he did, he didn't call it "oil," but Iraq’s “patrimony.”
Back then, of course, everyone who mattered knew that whatever the invasion of Iraq was about -- freedom, possible mushroom clouds rising over U.S. cities or biological and chemical attacks on them, the felling of a monster dictator -- it certainly wasn’t about oil. An oil war? How crude (so to speak), even if Iraq, by utter coincidence, happened to be located in the oil heartlands of the planet.
And it wasn’t just the Bush administration. You wouldn’t have found the New York Times speaking about oil wars either. Not much has changed, actually. As in last weekend's eight-year-late modified mea culpa for the Iraq war that former liberal war hawks conducted in that paper’s magazine section, you could find some breast-beating, testosterone-dissing, and even regret for past positions, but not a mention of oil. And -- who would expect anything else -- never a mention either of the ignorant hoi polloi who carried such oily signs, demonstrated against war, and are best forgotten, or any stray experts who genuinely opposed Bush’s wars before they were launched. (Here’s a little tip for those who want to make it into the Rolodexes of high-powered Washington reporters: being wrong is helpful, and wisdom is a platonic ideal not to be dented by evidence of the lack of it.)
As for our most recent (definitely not oil) war in Libya where American and NATO planes are still bombing the you-know-what out of the remnants of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, the explanations in the news pages have generally focused on preventing massacres, “humanitarian intervention,” and the felling of evil dictators. For oil, you have to head for section D (the business pages) where, under the headline “The Scramble for Access to Libya’s Oil Wealth Begins,” you could indeed finally read a comment like this: “The resumption of Libyan production would help drive down oil prices in Europe, and indirectly, gasoline prices on the East Coast of the United States. Western nations -- especially the NATO countries that provided crucial air support to the rebels -- want to make sure their companies are in prime position to pump the Libyan crude.”
Of course, despite the best attempts of Bush’s men in Baghdad, we never did get Iraq’s oil. But that’s the lumps you take when, as an imperial power, you don’t actually win your oil war. And there are more lumps when you can’t win any war, oil or otherwise. Michael Klare, TomDispatch regular and author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, is an expert on both war and oil. In the second in a series of TomDispatch posts on American decline, he considers whether both America and oil are now on the downhill slope. Tom
True, Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz spoke admiringly about Iraq “floating on a sea of oil,” but that was just a slip of the tongue. President Bush was so much more cautious. Despite his years in the energy business and those of his vice-president (not to speak of the double-hulled tanker that had been named after his national security advisor while she was on the board of Chevron), he almost never even mentioned oil. When he did, he didn't call it "oil," but Iraq’s “patrimony.”
Back then, of course, everyone who mattered knew that whatever the invasion of Iraq was about -- freedom, possible mushroom clouds rising over U.S. cities or biological and chemical attacks on them, the felling of a monster dictator -- it certainly wasn’t about oil. An oil war? How crude (so to speak), even if Iraq, by utter coincidence, happened to be located in the oil heartlands of the planet.
And it wasn’t just the Bush administration. You wouldn’t have found the New York Times speaking about oil wars either. Not much has changed, actually. As in last weekend's eight-year-late modified mea culpa for the Iraq war that former liberal war hawks conducted in that paper’s magazine section, you could find some breast-beating, testosterone-dissing, and even regret for past positions, but not a mention of oil. And -- who would expect anything else -- never a mention either of the ignorant hoi polloi who carried such oily signs, demonstrated against war, and are best forgotten, or any stray experts who genuinely opposed Bush’s wars before they were launched. (Here’s a little tip for those who want to make it into the Rolodexes of high-powered Washington reporters: being wrong is helpful, and wisdom is a platonic ideal not to be dented by evidence of the lack of it.)
As for our most recent (definitely not oil) war in Libya where American and NATO planes are still bombing the you-know-what out of the remnants of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, the explanations in the news pages have generally focused on preventing massacres, “humanitarian intervention,” and the felling of evil dictators. For oil, you have to head for section D (the business pages) where, under the headline “The Scramble for Access to Libya’s Oil Wealth Begins,” you could indeed finally read a comment like this: “The resumption of Libyan production would help drive down oil prices in Europe, and indirectly, gasoline prices on the East Coast of the United States. Western nations -- especially the NATO countries that provided crucial air support to the rebels -- want to make sure their companies are in prime position to pump the Libyan crude.”
Of course, despite the best attempts of Bush’s men in Baghdad, we never did get Iraq’s oil. But that’s the lumps you take when, as an imperial power, you don’t actually win your oil war. And there are more lumps when you can’t win any war, oil or otherwise. Michael Klare, TomDispatch regular and author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, is an expert on both war and oil. In the second in a series of TomDispatch posts on American decline, he considers whether both America and oil are now on the downhill slope. Tom
America and Oil
Declining Together?
By Michael T. Klare
America and Oil. It’s like bacon and eggs, Batman and Robin. As the old song lyric went, you can’t have one without the other. Once upon a time, it was also a surefire formula for national greatness and global preeminence. Now, it’s a guarantee of a trip to hell in a hand basket. The Chinese know it. Does Washington?
America’s rise to economic and military supremacy was fueled in no small measure by its control over the world’s supply of oil. Oil powered the country’s first giant corporations, ensured success in World War II, and underlay the great economic boom of the postwar period. Even in an era of nuclear weapons, it was the global deployment of oil-powered ships, helicopters, planes, tanks, and missiles that sustained America’s superpower status during and after the Cold War. It should come as no surprise, then, that the country’s current economic and military decline coincides with the relative decline of oil as a major source of energy.
If you want proof of that economic decline, just check out the way America's share of the world's gross domestic product has been steadily dropping, while its once-powerhouse economy now appears incapable of generating forward momentum. In its place, robust upstarts like China and India are posting annual growth rates of 8% to 10%. When combined with the growing technological prowess of those countries, the present figures are surely just precursors to a continuing erosion of America’s global economic clout.
Click here to read more of this dispatch.
