HIGH ENERGY THURSDAY: THE SUBTEXT IN GEORGIA IS SPELLED O-I-L
Daniel Altman

New York Times Blogs
Aug 14, 2008
NY

Let’s see your pipeline now. (Sergei Grits/AP)Loyal readers, we have
Jad Mouawad to thank for revealing a big reason for Russia’s aggressive
tactics in Georgia. Every newscast during the past week, it seems,
talked about Russia’s fear of being isolated or surrounded by the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization and its allies. But Russia may have been
worried as much about being circumvented as about being boxed in.

Circumvented, that is, as a source of fuel. Georgia is part of the link
that the West has sought for many years between the Black Sea and the
oil- and gas-rich nations of Central Asia. By disrupting Georgia’s
stability, Moscow maintains its primacy as an energy supplier for
Europe, while forcing the United States and others to continue their
dependency on fuel from the Middle East. It’s a double-winner.

Now, the West may be forced to look for alternatives. Could Armenia,
for example, partner with its rival Azerbaijan to provide the needed
link to a Black Sea port? Perhaps, but be careful… that kind of
thinking could lead to a new kind of "domino theory" in what has
become a new kind of Cold War involving economic powers from around
the world – a grab not for territory, but for resources. If the West
gives up on Georgia and Russia brings its former satellite back into
its sphere of influence, could potentially useful neighbors like
Armenia and Azerbaijan be next?

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress