“God was on the side of the nation that had the oil.” —Prof. Wakimura, Tokyo Imperial University
Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
In Europe, despite decades of taxes on hydrocarbons, subsidies for green energy, and net-zero plans, hydrocarbons still supply 70% of EU energy.
And Russia supplies the lion’s share of this: 40% of EU gas, over 25% of their crude oil, and nearly half of their coal come from Russia.
Russia is also a big exporter of energy-dependent metals such as iron, steel, and aluminum, and is the world’s third-biggest producer of gold, the money for troubled times.
Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was the birthplace of Russia twelve centuries ago, and many Ukrainians speak Russian and feel Russian.
If Western hostility to Russia causes more Russian fuels and food to go East to China, Siberia, the Koreas, Japan, or Taiwan, there will be a mad scramble by Europeans to replace them.
Australia is vulnerable.
Before we celebrate how the brave Australian Terrier baited the Russian Bear and the Chinese Dragon, we should first check Australia’s fuel supplies.
Australia has limited domestic production of oil, rapidly falling refining capacity, and only three to four weeks supply of fuels like diesel, petrol, and avgas.
Despite having extensive sedimentary basins and world-class geological skills, Australia buys most of its crude oil and refined products.
Russia remembers defeating two European “Grand Armies” – both Napoleon and Hitler were beaten by cold weather and the lack of fuel and food.
Napoleon’s horses ran out of hay, Hitler’s Panzers ran out of fuel, and both invaders faced starvation and frostbite.
“The war was decided by engines and octane.” —Joseph Stalin
“Above all, petrol governed every movement.” —Winston Churchill
Putin is unlikely to fear energy competition from Danish windmills, Spanish solar panels, or Australian ethanol.
Russia is building gas pipelines while Biden and his green friends closed the Keystone XL pipeline (to deliver oil from Canada) and declined to renew US gas drilling leases. The USA even became an importer of Russian crude oil and gas in 2021.
Russia has a huge landmass. It is the world’s largest exporter of wheat and a big exporter of barley, corn, sunflower, and canola.
Anything that impacts Russia’s exports of food or fuels will cause chaos in world energy and food markets.
Just one wicked winter may destroy Russia’s enemies once again.
Australia needs to dump its fuelish green energy policies and ignore its woke green capitalists.
Otherwise, it will become collateral damage in the coming world energy/food crisis.
And if the two super-powers of Eurasia do decide that this is the time to enlarge their empires, we will not stop them with net-zero energy, wind power, battery-powered tanks, a biofuel navy, or submarines on the never-never.
Net Zero? Might as well try and make the Sun stand still or turn Water into Wine then try to reach that impossible goal
The Eternal Mystery: How do all of the world’s most ignorant folk end up in government?