# Is the war in Libya a conspiracy to raise oil prices? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855 "2011-04-18T16:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/1 "2011-04-18T16:59:11Z")
I’ve been thinking about the civil war currently going on in Libya. One thing that’s struck me, which many other people have also commented on, is that NATO doesn’t seem to be very committed to this fight. They’re not sending in ground troops, not targeting Qadaffi, and generally are only helping the rebels just enough to keep them from getting wiped off the map. If they really wanted Qadaffi gone, there’s a lot more they could be doing. And if they don’t care, then why are they/we involved at all? The overall situation suggests that what Western leaders really want is to keep the civil war going as long as possible. If Qadaffi’s troops start to get the upper hand, NATO steps up the bombing and beats them back. If the rebels start to advance, then NATO suddenly decides to sit on its hands until Q-ball’s troops kick the rebels’ butts. As for why Western leaders would want to play this sort of game, all I can think of is because the war is keeping the price of oil high. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/2 "2011-04-18T17:06:05Z")
If most Western leaders are net oil importers, why would they want that cost to remain high? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/3 "2011-04-18T17:24:59Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > As for why Western leaders would want to play this sort of game, all I can think of is because the war is keeping the price of oil high. The only countries whose leadership have an interest in keeping oil prices high are oil exporters. The only Western states which export significant amounts of oil are Norway and Mexico, neither of which are members of NATO. This is, in short, the worst thought out conspiracy ever, if it exists. ETA: Correction- Norway\* is\* a NATO member state, and its contribution to Operation Unified Protector is… 6 planes. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/4 "2011-04-18T18:39:47Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I’ve been thinking about the civil war currently going on in Libya. One thing that’s struck me, which many other people have also commented on, is that NATO doesn’t seem to be very committed to this fight. They’re not sending in ground troops, not targeting Qadaffi, and generally are only helping the rebels just enough to keep them from getting wiped off the map. If they really wanted Qadaffi gone, there’s a lot more they could be doing. And if they don’t care, then why are they/we involved at all? The UN Security Council approved a no-fly zone over Libya, not invasion and regime change. For NATO to do anything more than what they’ve been doing would be to overstep the bounds of that resolution, and require a _much_ larger force commitment from the member nations and the US in particular, which nobody really wants at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Bibliovore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Bibliovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliovore)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/5 "2011-04-19T16:13:10Z")
No, it isn’t a conspiracy to deliberately hike up the price of oil. Sheesh. The West want Gaddaffi out and the conflict over as quickly as possible, but they can’t simply blow his ass up. They’re not playing games, they’re just restricted by the UN resolution - and rightly so. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/6 "2011-04-19T16:41:50Z")
Gee, the country to the west of us was able to get rid of their brutal dictator by protesting in the street. The country to our east was able to get rid of their brutal dictator by protesting in the street. Took a little longer but it worked. Let’s raise oil prices! ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/7 "2011-04-20T00:27:07Z")
I find it hilarious that with all the things that are done half-assed in this world, you see something that you perceive to be a half-assed effort and instantly assume, “They must secretly be working twice as hard!” Never presume malice when incompetence is just as possible. The West doesn’t want another Iraq. They also don’t want to let He-Who’s-Name-Must-Not-Be-Spelled-Uniformly to butcher the rebels. So they undertook a moderate response. As other dopers have pointed out, The West imports oil. Why would they want prices high? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/8 "2011-04-20T00:37:49Z")
The fact is that most of the world’s people don’t give a crap if Dave from Schaumburg has to pay a bit more for a tank of gas. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/9 "2011-04-20T18:16:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The only countries whose leadership have an interest in keeping oil prices high are oil exporters. The only Western states which export significant amounts of oil are Norway and Mexico, neither of which are members of NATO. > > This is, in short, the worst thought out conspiracy ever, if it exists. > > ETA: Correction- Norway\* is\* a NATO member state, and its contribution to Operation Unified Protector is… 6 planes. Canada is an exporter and member of NATO. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/10 "2011-04-20T19:44:00Z")
So we’re thinking a Norwegian-Canadian conspiracy here? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/11 "2011-04-20T21:09:14Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > So we’re thinking a Norwegian-Canadian conspiracy here? Absolutely! All the plotting was done here in Frostbite Falls, Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/12 "2011-04-21T03:46:48Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > …This is, in short, the worst thought out conspiracy ever, if it exists… That’s exactly what is so brilliant about it. The people behind it think, it’s so ludicrous no one would ever expect it, much less believe in it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/13 "2011-04-21T03:51:56Z")
The big oil companies want oil prices high so their profits are bigger. The governments of the west are all in the pockets of big oil, so it’s in their interest to keep prices high. I don’t believe that for a second, of course. I’m just sayin’… ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-war-in-libya-a-conspiracy-to-raise-oil-prices/578855/14 "2011-04-21T07:26:28Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > The overall situation suggests that what Western leaders really want is to keep the civil war going as long as possible. If Qadaffi’s troops start to get the upper hand, NATO steps up the bombing and beats them back. If the rebels start to advance, then NATO suddenly decides to sit on its hands until Q-ball’s troops kick the rebels’ butts. If that were the case then you would want the middle east to be destablized across the board, not just libya itself. The holy grail would be saudi arabia to go into a full court press civil war. The nato members simply expected that the USA would play a major role, and not a supporting role, hence the current situation. It would be nice if the state depart were to lean on Saudia Arabia, nice country, be a shame if something were to happen that got the folks all fired up about regime change, now pump more oil. But I doubt thats going to happen anytime soon, so much for all those tankers that are parked some place with holds full of crude that they could not sell, back a couple of months ago. Declan