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I would not be so sure that would make the Middle East less volatile though...

• gkya 9y ago
  Not really. Without oil the monarchies would struggle to survive. According to this article Qatar was just a poor city by the sea until oil was found: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/magazine/how-a-ransom-for-royal-falconers-reshaped-the-middle-east.html https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/magazine/how-a-ransom-...
  • jabl 9y ago
    In the long term, if/when the world moves to non-fossil energy, then one could make an argument that, broadly speaking, the capability of ME nations to wage war would be commensurate with their non-oil economic power [1]. The question then, how are they going to reach that future equilibrium? Slowly and peacefully, or quickly and violently? Or even quicker with a nuclear Hail Mary pass? [1] See how they all are scrambling to diversify their economies to not be as reliant on oil?