Originally published on the CGS blog on May 4, 2007.
An article by Scott Baldauf in today’s Christian Science Monitor on the ongoing turmoil in the Niger Delta reminds us that the cost of oil is much more than the price we pay at the pump.
In the U.S., when we talk about upheavals in oil-producing countries such as Nigeria we focus on how an interruption in the flow of oil will impact our economy. Yet, as we debate what sources of energy we will rely on in the future, we should keep in mind how oil itself has helped create those upheavals, and the human cost that lies behind supply interruptions.
For many people living in developing countries, the gift of oil resources has turned out to be a curse. Oil production has devastated the environment, bred corruption and produced conflict, while promised economic benefits have come slowly, if at all.
Reliable, affordable sources of energy are a core element of our national security, and will remain so. How can we ensure that we meet our energy needs without inflicting suffering on those beyond our borders?
