Role of big oil

IS acts as if it’s a legitimate state claiming the right to violence in a given territory.

Not surprisingly, this requires finance and seemingly the IS treasury benefits from oilfields they now control.

Hence the “realpolitik” Bob Taylor refers to must take into account the role of “big oil”.

To what extent is global trade still dependent upon Middle East oil, especially Chinese economic growth?

Even the US, with its domestic supply, finds it difficult being independent from the Middle East.

Moreover, a three-state solution is difficult as the IS wants lucrative oil-producing Kurdish territory.

Arguably, it seems there is little Western diplomacy can achieve while military intervention is a high risk strategy.

Ellis Thorpe

Inverurie