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'Blood of the Earth: Dilip Hiro on the Battle for the World’s Vanishing Oil Resources

In his new book, veteran Middle East Journalist Dilip Hiro offers a detailed account of how and why the planet’s limited supply of oil has come to revolutionize human behavior, politics and warfare across the globe. He joins us for a wide-ranging interview.

As scientists in Paris finalize their report on the adverse effects of human-caused emissions on climate change, a new book offers a detailed account of how and why the planet’s limited supply of oil has come to revolutionize human behavior, politics and warfare across the globe. “Blood of the Earth: The Battle for the World’s Vanishing Oil Resources” is a detailed account of the history of oil. It reveals that when states replaced coal with oil, they scrambled to meet an unprecedented global energy demand.
The book details how states have attempted to meet a growing thirst for oil through economic expansion and all-out war. It also explores developments in alternative and renewable sources of energy. With us now is the author of the book, Dilip Hiro. He is a veteran journalist on the Middle East. His trilogy of books on Iraq and Iran are considered some of the most definitive histories of the wars in the Persian Gulf.

Dilip Hiro. Veteran journalist on the Middle East. His trilogy of books on Iraq and Iran are considered some of the most definitive histories of the wars in the Persian Gulf. His latest book is called “Blood of the Earth: The Battle for the World’s Vanishing Oil Resources.”

AMY GOODMAN: We’re joined now by the book’s author, Dilip Hiro, veteran journalist in the Middle East. His trilogy of books on Iraq and Iran are considered some of the most definitive histories of the wars in the Persian Gulf. Welcome to Democracy Now! How did oil become so central, Dilip Hiro?
DILIP HIRO: I think oil became important when the internal combustion engine was fueled by petroleum. See, in 1905 that happened. Before that, you could fuel internal combustion engine with electricity or with steam. You know, but then oil proved to be the most important. And then, 1905, Henry Ford, his mass production of cars, that really made the whole thing go up.
And in terms of warfare, it was during World War I that in the tank, internal combustion engine was fueled by petroleum products. And that made the whole technology, certainly of war, change in the way like the first finding of gun powder in 1041. Because, see, as a general you could now -- see, before that, they had to depend on horses, cavalry, and the horses had to be fed, they had to rest and so on. But once you had a tank, you could go 30, 40 miles in a day. And that changed the whole way the war was fought. So oil is very important.
AMY GOODMAN: You begin your book with the Nobel brothers.
DILIP HIRO: Excuse me?
AMY GOODMAN: The Nobel brothers, who --
DILIP HIRO: Oh, yes, yes.
AMY GOODMAN: -- who introduced the first oil-fueled steamship.
DILIP HIRO: Absolutely, Amy. You know, of course, there is a great book by Daniel Yergin called The Prize. You know, and when he goes on, it’s in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, oil was first drilled properly. I’m sorry, he is wrong. It first happened near Baku in 1846, and it was a Russian engineer, he did that. And everything we know about oil happened there first. It was first in the Caspian they changed from coal to oil. It was the first time in that part of the world they set up oil pipeline made of wood. For the first time, they had a tanker, oil tanker. So all of that actually originally comes from Azerbaijan and Baku. And, of course, you mentioned Nobel brothers. And, of course, you know, Rothschilds, they made their money there, as well. So I think the oil has been so important.
But what I have done in my book, I point out there was local Azeris who became very rich. One of them was totally illiterate, but he had a most wonderful library, and he built something like 135 buildings. So, I think the oil has been this very powerful mineral.'

Lees verder: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/31/1543222