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With insight, he says: "Petroleum
has become as much the
drug of
Western civilization as cigarettes and
alcohol,
and the addicts will go on
paying. But are their governments
prepared to pay the política! price
which may one day be demanded of
them?"
These facts worry the nation of
Israel in particular. Since the oil
boycott and the implementation of
oi1 as a political weapon par ex–
cellence, a period of moody uncer–
tainty has pervaded modern Israel.
Israelis are worried whether the
United States, like Europe, will be–
gin to compromise and vacülate in
its heretofore strong support for
Israel. Will the United States, when
it comes face to face with the energy
crisis, caused in part by Arab oil
boycotts, waver in its support, back
down, and begin to
tilt
in favor of
the Arab states?
It is indeed an Israelí cause for
concern. Officially, Washington
shows no inclination to deviate from
its policy of suppor ting Israel, along
the general lines adopted by the
United Nations - that is, support–
ing Israelí national sovereignty and
security in the face of externa!
threats. Washington, however, does
not endorse any claims of lsraeli
conquest or incorporation of con–
quered territory, including the Sinai
península and the Golan Heights.
To do so would be tantamount to
committing suicide insofar as Arab
oil or American investments in the
Arab nations are concerned.
No matter which way the United
PLAIN TRUTH February 1974
States turns, it faces a dilemma.
If
it
turns its back on Israel, it abdicates
its moral obligations toan ally. If it
turns its back on friendly Arab
states and ignores their clairns,
views, and feelings, then it not only
could see Arab oil exports per–
manently stopped, but also the fur–
ther loss of U. S. investments in the
area and the very real threat of
greater Soviet penetration there.
Gloomy Prospects
for the Future
As
long
as
the Arab oil flow
is
with–
held or reduced, the Western world
faces the possibility of recession.
Even though other forms of energy,
including coal, atomic, solar, and
geothermal, are being researched and
expanded, oil remains number one.
Now that the oil producing na–
tions are beginning to wield political
strength, the rest of the world seems
to have only the option to cooperate
or to get out. Saudi Arabia and Ku–
wait , with more than balf of the to–
tal known world reserves of oil, are
not about to compromise. They
know they hold the trump cards.
Tbe fight for oi l will continue. But
it could stop just short of World
War III, if nations were to find ways
to work together
in
harmony when
seeking and using available oil sup–
plies. But human nature being what
it is, if the distrust, bickering, and
dog-eat-dog attitude continues, the
fight for oil will escalate into World
War III. When that happens,
there will be no winners - only
losers.
o
''Petroleum has
become as much the
drug of Western
civilization as·
cigarettes and
alcohol, and the
addicts wi/1 go on
paying. But are their
governments pre–
pared to pay the
política/ price which
may one day be
demanded of them?''
-
Leonard Mosley
13