Resource Wars: The New Landscape Of Global Conflict

Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict

Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict is written by Michael T. Klare. Michal T. Klare is an international security expert who believes that in the near future large conflicts will occur between countries for ownership of remaining resources. Klare published this book in March of 2002. This was recently after the attack on the twins towers in New York. Klare uses this attack on the United States to demonstrate how military actions will increase because of the need of resources. Through out the book Klare gives his view on how things will happen as the world uses all of its resources. Klare uses previous research and other resources to validate his argument on how things will happen. The focus of this book is to inform the public on how fast resources of are being depleted and how countries are disputing about the lack of resources. From start to finish Klare shows that the rate at which resources are diminishing does not discriminate against any countries. Klare shows that resources are being depleted in all countries at rapid rates. At various points the reading became boring and uninteresting to read. Despite this small flaw, overall Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict is well written and made a nice book to read for casual reading.

To show the increasing amount of resources that are being used Klare uses the example of oil. Klare devotes an entire chapter to explaining how and why the oil supply is being used up so quickly. Klare shows as the world advances technologically the demand for oil is also increasing. Klare states that the world is consuming more oil than the earth can produce. In following chapters Klare uses oil in the Caspian Sean and water in the Jordan River and other major river systems shared by countries as examples of resource scarcities that might cause resource wars. Klare states that the water supply shared by bordering countries Syria, Jordan and Israel are becoming very scarce not because of technological advances but because of the rapidly growing population. Growing population is another major reason why resources are being depleted at rates never seen before. The population is reproducing at a rate much faster than the Earth can reproduce its resources.

As the world's resources are diminished Klare predicts that countries that hold the remaining resources will increase their military forces. Klare believes that increased military forces will be initiated to protect the scarce resources that they have. Klare believes that other countries that do not have the needed resources to support their growing population will use all means necessary including military action to gain the resources essential for their continued progress. Klare refers to the recent attack on the twin towers in New York and the United States attack in Iraq as an example of the conflicts that are to happen as the world's resources are depleted. Klare uses the example of the Unites States imposing on Iraqi government and attacking their city to show that as petroleum levels are decreasing globally the United States needs to way to guarantee