Posts Tagged ‘Libya’

Days of rage at the pump, in Libya, and in Saudi Arabia

March 9th, 2011
By: Eric Lundin

Judging by the political developments in Libya and the current price of petroleum, you’d think that Libya was some sort of heavyweight exporter. Last fall West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil was trading at less than $85 per barrel on the spot market. Protests in Libya started in February, and WTI reached $99 per barrel in early March. Granted, Libya isn’t the only country in the region recently shaken by a political disturbance. Protests in Tunisia in December spread to Egypt in January, then Libya in February.

Still, they’re lightweights. (more...)

You can’t manufacture human rights

February 22nd, 2011
By: Tim Heston

The news from North Africa and the Middle East has been truly amazing lately. It’s a little scary for business owners and everyone else who depends on oil (in other words, nearly everybody).  Recent unrest in oil-rich Libya has sent oil prices skyward. But over the long term, expensive oil may be a small price to pay.

Nobody knows what kind of change is happening; all that’s certain is that change has come and likely will continue. The ideas behind the gathering, singing, shouting, and violence are contagious: Wanting basic human rights shouldn’t be too much to ask. North African countries are swept up in it. News of at least some unrest has also trickled out of China.

(more...)