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11 reviews for:
The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America
Peter Zeihan
3.91 AVERAGE
11 reviews for:
The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America
Peter Zeihan
3.91 AVERAGE
Pretty decent book, the author started the book with an in-depth discussion of the shale revolution in the US as well as the world. I especially enjoyed the shale discussion because he helped dispel a lot of misinformation currently floating out there. Some of the topics he touched on were global energy chain, shale technologies, and a brief history of the shale revolution.
The author then moved on to a series of hypothetical wars and conflicts that he deem likely as a result of the shale revolution. Unfortunately, it is here when he starts to lose me. The series of conflicts and wars he outlined all predicated on one simple fact: the US disengagement from the wider world because we are no longer reliant on external sources for energy security. Region after region start spiraling into chaos with seemingly no one (read: US) willing to stop the chaos.
Taken at face value, nothing the author wrote was wrong, but if the world was to devolve in the way he described it, scores of nations would have had to act out of their character, with the most obvious one being the United States. In my opinion, the fundamental flaw in the author's argument was that the US is (almost) driven solely by energy needs, and that having our energy needs met, we would no longer have any reason to intervene in global affairs. No nations act solely to meet energy needs, especially not the US. If our energy needs are met, we can rest knowing that other national security concerns will bubble to the surface, forcing/encouraging us to act in one way or another. As written, because of the US's inaction, a certain region will flame up in conflict, and piece by piece in domino-fashion, the rest of the world is engulfed in flames. That view I find problematic and ultimately prevent me from rating it any higher.
For those that are looking for a quick, yet informative, discussion on shale, this book should serve that purpose nicely; but for those looking for a slightly more "realistic" take on how shale could impact US foreign policy and the larger global implication... this book could serve as a good "what-if" read, but not much beyond that.
The author then moved on to a series of hypothetical wars and conflicts that he deem likely as a result of the shale revolution. Unfortunately, it is here when he starts to lose me. The series of conflicts and wars he outlined all predicated on one simple fact: the US disengagement from the wider world because we are no longer reliant on external sources for energy security. Region after region start spiraling into chaos with seemingly no one (read: US) willing to stop the chaos.
Taken at face value, nothing the author wrote was wrong, but if the world was to devolve in the way he described it, scores of nations would have had to act out of their character, with the most obvious one being the United States. In my opinion, the fundamental flaw in the author's argument was that the US is (almost) driven solely by energy needs, and that having our energy needs met, we would no longer have any reason to intervene in global affairs. No nations act solely to meet energy needs, especially not the US. If our energy needs are met, we can rest knowing that other national security concerns will bubble to the surface, forcing/encouraging us to act in one way or another. As written, because of the US's inaction, a certain region will flame up in conflict, and piece by piece in domino-fashion, the rest of the world is engulfed in flames. That view I find problematic and ultimately prevent me from rating it any higher.
For those that are looking for a quick, yet informative, discussion on shale, this book should serve that purpose nicely; but for those looking for a slightly more "realistic" take on how shale could impact US foreign policy and the larger global implication... this book could serve as a good "what-if" read, but not much beyond that.