Tag Archives: Saudi Arabia

Libya: Operational Success, Strategic Failure

Posted on Friday, September 2, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Last week, Bloomberg’s Jonathan Alter posed a tantalizing question: “you think Obama’s been a bad president? Prove it.” More specifically, Alter challenged the president’s detractors to identify specific administration policy failures. On Monday, conservative David Frum responded to Alter’s throwing down the gauntlet … Continue reading →

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Posted in Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Middle East, Nuclear Power, Nuclear proliferation, Policy, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Game Theory for Middle Eastern Dictators

Posted on Monday, August 15, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Towards a Dominant Strategy In “Saudis Shrug Off Day of Rage: Three Strategies to Suppress a Revolt Before It Starts“, I argued that there are two archetypal models for a dictator to deal with popular revolts in the Middle East: crush them or … Continue reading →

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Posted in Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Mathematics, Middle East, Policy, Politics, Predictions, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

New Fuel Economy Standards a Good Thing

Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

This past Friday, President Obama announced new corporate average fuel economy or CAFE standards that would require the average vehicle sold in the United States to provide 54.5 miles per gallon. The White House estimates the program will save consumers … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, California, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Middle East, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Taxes, Technology, Unions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

President Obama Releases Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Why?

Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Last week, President Obama ordered the release of 30 million barrels of crude oil from America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in concert with a broader International Energy Agency (IEA) effort to release 60 million barrels. This action was only the third … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Central Asia, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Middle East, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Twilight in the Desert: Well-Documented Warning on Peak Saudi Oil

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy is Matthew Simmons’ thoroughly researched and well-documented account of Saudi Arabia’s aging oil fields and what it means for the global economy. In the book, Simmons argues that Saudi … Continue reading →

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Posted in Book Reviews, Business, Clean Energy, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Middle East, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 59 Comments

Libya and the Sunday Morning Pundits: Illuminating Answers to Questions About American Involvement

Posted on Sunday, March 27, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Is Libya in the United States’ vital national interest? How does the Libyan intervention affect America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia? What do we know about the rebels in Libya? How much will it cost?

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Posted in Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Middle East, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Attacking Libya Serves Iran’s Security Interests

Posted on Friday, March 25, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

What Qaddafi has done to his people is morally reprehensible, but why is it any different than events in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, or Bahrain? More importantly, how does intervention in the conflict meet vital American interests? On the contrary, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Middle East, Nuclear proliferation, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Saudis Shrug Off Day of Rage: Three Strategies to Suppress a Revolt Before It Starts

Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

While the world was understandably distracted by Japan’s terrible earthquake and the tsunami in its wake, I have been monitoring one local Saudi woman’s blog to get a sense of how the March 11th Day of Rage progressed in Saudi … Continue reading →

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Posted in Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Investing, Middle East, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Decision Points: Good Read, Bad Style

Posted on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Source: ©2011 Reflections of a Rational Republican Decision Points is President George W. Bush’s personal account of the most consequential decisions that impacted his controversial presidency. Whether one likes President Bush or detests him, this book is a must read … Continue reading →

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Posted in Book Reviews, Business, China, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Middle East, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Felling Pharaohs (Part VI): The Beatings Continue Because Morale Has Not Improved

Posted on Sunday, March 6, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

A little over a month ago in the midst of Egyptian unrest, I warned that U.S. policy-makers should “be very afraid” of these developments because of their impact on crude oil prices. Now that Libya is in flames, its oil … Continue reading →

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Posted in Clean Energy, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Middle East, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments