Michael T. Klare on Libya, its People and its Oil
A Perfect Storm for Oil, People, and Corporations
To what extent will the Obama administration be focusing on human rights for Libyans versus the need for oil?
World markets have become volatile in response to the uprising in Libya. The price of Brent oil, derived from the MidEast, was at $120.00 per gallon and rising when a rumor began to circulate that Gaddafi had been shot. Instantly, the markets began to recover, the first time they rose since the start of the week. Thus, the uprisings that began in Tripoli and surged through Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt, and Libya, have had a resounding impact world wide. Stock prices have plummeted as it became clear that Libyan oil in particular might not be available to the industry. We discuss the impact of oil on the global economy in context with potential scenarios impacting Libyans and others.
TRT: 29:00
Produced by Dori Smith
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Michael T. Klare joins us to raise questions about US policy and what organizations might be able to help the people of Libya. There are growing challenges to the Obama administration and other major world powers to take action in response to violence in Libya.(11:00 a.m. 2024-2011) There were gun battles in the industrial town of al-Zawiya and other towns in the southwest. Opposition members are now looking for Gadhafi whose loyalists are using force to try to hold on to territory.
Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Michael T. Klare has specialized in documenting the impact of resource wars on societies and US foreign and military policy. In January he warned of a global food and energy crisis. He is the author of thirteen books including Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet, Blood and Oil and Resource Wars, and a contributor to Harper's, Foreign Affairs, the Los Angeles Times.
Michael T. Klare is also the defense analyst for The Nation and director of the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA.
URL list for background, news on "Muammar Gaddafi"
See The Guardian
Libya: David Cameron and Barack Obama discuss how to depose Gaddafi. Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama on Thursday promised to "coordinate on possible multilateral measures on Libya," Mr Cameron's office said in a statement. 12:53AM GMT 25 Feb 2011
Of Interest:
NYT story, October 11, 2006, ...this seems significant all of a sudden: All Libyan school children got a laptop through a special program set up by the brother of U.S. diplomat and military intelligence official, John Negroponte: "The project, which is intended to supply computers broadly to children in developing nations, was conceived in 2005 by a computer researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nicholas Negroponte. His goal is to design a wireless-connected laptop that will cost about $100 after the machines go into mass production next year."
"To date, Mr. Negroponte, the brother of the United States intelligence director, John D. Negroponte, has reached tentative purchase agreements with Brazil, Argentina, Nigeria and Thailand, and has struck a manufacturing deal with Quanta Computer Inc., a Taiwanese computer maker."
