You might think the petroleum has fulfilled its task, as the USSR communism dissolves. However, its weightiness rather increases. One of the key players is George Bush Sr., engaged in the events as the Vice President at first. After those beneficial years of cheap oil for the U.S. economy, he is concerned as participant in the oil business and its income and asks the Saudis to reduce the flow.

The man from the oil business becomes the President in 1989 and during his term of office a most peculiar history recurrence happens. It is perhaps only comparable with the war of Rome against Carthage, although in the Punic Wars there were only two parties, whereas in the Gulf wars there were at least three. In addition, one tracks down Saddam Hussein who uses even toxic gas against some parts of his people.

He invades Kuwait in 1990, naturally because of oil, too. Saudi Arabia fears already for some of its sources. Almost one million soldiers answer the call of the United States and in the 1st Gulf War Iraq is thrashed, ending with an area smaller than before. Now the world knows that the U.S. will fight any threat to oil sources or even the - in their opinion - too high oil price by all means.

The son of Bush becomes - after Clinton - the 43rd President of the United States and he continues in the Middle East, what his father started. He begins in 2003 the second Gulf War on the grounds of having to destroy weapons of mass destruction. In reality, this time he finally clears away Saddam Hussein, in order to pursue the oil in Iraq. A key player of this action is the Vice President Dick Cheney, very much involved in the oil business.

However, after Hussein's death sentence, the plan of "democratization" of Iraq fails entirely. Just as Bush proclaimed the successful end of the war, the guerrilla tactics of al-Qaeda begins. It is so successful that even today Iraq is still not stable, and anyway far away from any large profits from oil. It remains for the United States, after all, it controls the oil of the Middle East except for Iran.

As terrible as the threats of the Cold War were, it provided a certain degree of stability. Whether there is no other way between great powers than threatening each other, this remains to be seen in the relations between China and the United States. In the meantime, China is choosing other ways to secure its energy supplies, partially in Africa. It can only be hoped that this will bring a certain stabilization and prevention of wars and famine to this continent. Petroleum as a blessing - truly a new aspect. 05/18