The United States bumbled its role in the Egyption revolution. Now the successful overthrow of Mubarak leaves the country without a government plan. The risk that the militant factions in the country will seize power are real. If that happens, the oil commodities in the Middle East may become unpredictable. We are a nation that is absolutely dependent on oil. The Middle East is a region that needs our dependence on oil to stay financially sound. If war becomes the only way to acquire and protect the region’s reserves, then oil is a very unstable commodity.
Those who trade in commodities are probably some of the most stressed out people in the world. Even though the unrest was there, Washington seemed to miss it. If Washington missed it, what was Wall Street doing? Once again, the nation’s gasoline prices are on the rise. Commodity instability is passed on to the consumer. Instead of falling victim to politics, it’s time for the United States to invest in other energy commodities. The technology is there. We just have to figure out how to make it affordable.
As a nation, we have resisted a trend towards renewable energy because the commodity market and the companies who back it are so entrenched in their oil fields. It’s as if they are desperately holding onto something that they can never wholey own in the first place. If rogue goverments take over important Middle Eastern countries, they have the ability to paralyze the oil hungry west. When something like the revolution in Egypt happens under the U.S.’s nose, it puts our oil partners in a defense position. The commodities market will reflect this. The American people will be the ones to pay for something we had no control over.
As a nation, we have to support and demonstrate an interest in renewable energy so that the commodities markets have no choice but to meet the consumer’s demands.