U.S. Imperialism Strives for Global HegemonyThe rapid development of energy demand in China and south Korea in recent decades and the continuing high demand in Japan has become a source of competition for existing and emerging energy producers. Russia with new pipelines into China has established itself as a large supplier of oil and gas in competition with Saudi Arabia and other west Asian and African producers and emerging LNG exporters in the United States. The obstacle for Russian energy commodities to reach greater markets in south Korea and Japan is the U.S. military occupation of both Japan and south Korea and blockade of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Russia and many oligarchs in Japan and south Korea would like to see both oil and gas pipelines come down through China or Russia directly into the DPRK and continue through south Korea and eventually underwater to Honshu in Japan. They also want rail lines in the Korean Peninsula to connect with Chinese routes to the west via the New Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative and with a possible tunnel to Japan. With U.S. energy production now greater than U.S. demand, the issue for a faction of the U.S. imperialists has become one of opening up energy markets in Asia and raising or at least stabilizing the price of oil and gas. When the U.S. was a large importer of oil and gas it sought to gain control of foreign energy suppliers and keep the prices low. The U.S. was the main opposition to OPEC and any attempt to restrict the supply of oil and gas in the international market to stabilize prices at least at their prices of production. For the U.S. a conundrum has developed from its fracking bonanza. The sudden quantity of oil and gas has meant downward pressure on prices. To deal with the problem, U.S. imperialism has unleashed new attacks on other producers to suppress oil and gas production and seize their markets.
In contrast, Japan, both south and north Korea and China are
keen on having increased oil and gas production,
lower prices and a wider number of suppliers.
Japan and the Korean Peninsula do not have
substantial proven oil and gas reserves and China
is only beginning to explore and develop its
energy resources, and is currently producing 3.9
million bbl per day, somewhat less than Canadian
production of 4.6 million bbl per day but well
below the 15 million bbl per day the U.S.
produces. Many in the ruling elite in Japan would welcome a resolution of the isolation of the DPRK because in their view that would open the possibility of Russian gas and oil being piped down to Japan through the Korean Peninsula and then underwater to Honshu, Japan. As well, they want to see rail lines and highways up the entire Korean Peninsula to China and Russia and beyond along the New Silk Road. Even within the U.S. financial oligarchy, opposition to the Russian energy and other sectors is not unanimous as some sections are connected to and profit from that sector and more broadly from the Russian economy while others welcome lower energy prices.
Canadians have the social responsibility to make Canada
a factor for peace. This requires Canada leaving NATO and NORAD and
breaking all military alliances and agreements with the U.S.
imperialists. On the economic front, Canadians must gain control over
the strategic energy sector not only as an economic measure
beneficial to Canadians and the social and natural environment but in
order to remove Canada's energy sector from global imperialist
contention and to make it a factor for peace not war.”
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In an unprecedented
frenzy the U.S. has unleashed sanctions and
boycotts against oil and gas producers and
invasion and war. Until recently before the U.S.
hydraulic fracturing allowed the U.S. to become
mostly self-sufficient in oil, Venezuela was a
major supplier to the U.S. Through sanctions and
sabotage, the U.S. imperialists have destroyed
much of Venezuela's oil production and markets.
Iran's oil production and economy are effectively
stymied by U.S. sanctions while invasion and war
have destroyed considerable energy production in
Libya and Syria. The U.S. imperialists have
pressured European companies and governments to
oppose Russian oil and gas projects through
sanctions such as those against the construction
of the Nord Stream 2 and Turkstream pipelines.
The situation in
east Asia and Europe and throughout the world is
perilous. In Europe the U.S. strives to retain its
dominance through sanctions and military threats.
In east Asia, the U.S. is repositioning its
military to directly confront China and the DPRK,
and any forces in Japan and south Korea that may
desire to break free from its domination. In west
Asia and north and sub-Saharan Africa, the U.S.
and other imperialists are waging open warfare
against the peoples that want to gain control of
their economies and countries.