sesamosinsal
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expatinowncountry said:I have the right to be amuse by the naivete of some people in some areas/issues.
I tend to see the Middle East important for about four reasons: 1) A large percentage of the world's oil supply is in the ME, 2) China is a big customer of ME oil, 3) The petrodollar, and 4) Iran (a threat to the petrodollar, allied with China/Russia/India/Brazil). With all four being issues, policymakers will maintain the status-quo. The U.S., I imagine, isn't quite so worried about getting ME oil. I'd suppose we're more worried about stability and who is receiving the oil.
I'm certainly not trying to justify it, but most states act in the same manner as the U.S. Argentina, for example, recently decried the so-called "coup" in Paraguay and the threat to Paraguayan democracy. The following week, Cristina Fernandez welcomed the Chinese Prime Minister. If the lack of democratic rule in Paraguay is a factor in (not) meeting with the new Paraguayan president, then why isn't it a factor in meeting with the Chinese PM Jiabao? (And why meet with the President of Angola?)
The fact is that the U.S. needs stable oil prices, and Argentina needs soybean buyers (and new economic partners). Otherwise, both fall economically. Democracy, human rights, etc. almost always take the backseat if economic issues are in play.