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With rapid population increases from year to year, the human consumption of fossil fuels is bound to increase by a very similar percent in relation to population growth. Given the predicted information from Shuster, pollution and the demand for energy that is now primarily derived from fossil fuels shall significantly increase by approximately 33% or 90 million people. The author claims that at the current rate of consumption, the world's conventional oil reserves will be depleted in approximately 28 years. If this predicted information is accurate, either the population size needs to decrease, or our energy sources need to be changed before that predicted date. The current sources of energy eventually have made us very aggressive with each other. Conflict and intrigue over valuable energy supplies have been features of the international landscape for a long time. Major wars over oil have been fought every decade or so since World War I, and smaller engagements have erupted every few years; a flare-up or two in 2012, then, would be part of the normal scheme of things. Instead, what we are now seeing is a whole cluster of oil-related clashes stretching across the globe, involving a dozen or so countries, with more popping up all the time. Consider these flash-points as signals that we are entering an era of intensified conflict over energy. In his article, Micheal Klare states that the clash between United States, Iran and Israel was inventible. Neither side seemed prepared to back down on key demands, especially on Iran's nuclear program, nor was any talk of a compromise solution deemed unrealistic. Today, however, the risk of war has diminished somewhat -- at least through this election year in the U.S. -- as talks have finally gotten under way between the major powers and Iran, and as both have adopted more accommodating stances. In addition, U.S. officials have been tamping down war talk and figures in the Israeli military and intelligence communities have spoke out against rash military actions.
