"Dutch disease" in economic theory was coined in the 1960's to describe the sharp rise in the value of a currency following the discovery of large energy reserves and its subsequent negative effect on exports.It is also known as the downside to discovering large energy reserves.It has nothing to do with economic dependence on energy exports or the lack of economic diversity.

In a SHTF situation a WROL zombie infestation post nuclear bomb you can forget about bikes or horses,trikes or soft skinned vehicles,you have heavily armed mobs of people running around chaos people looting and murdering for a scrap of food.You need a hardened bunker with NBC protection loaded with food , ammo,weapons,tools as a minimum as your primary bug out location and you need AT LEAST level III bullet protection on a bug out vehicle in case you need to fight your way through an angry mob and trust me if you are prepared and have gas masks and the other guy doesnt for his children he will kill to get your gas mask.Pull out your wallet this is serious the danger of a biological threat like a deadly virus popping up are real scientists say imminent.Cheapest would probably be something like a second hand armored truck then buy NBC protected clothing or install lead shielding in the truck.Get gas masks and build your bunker on a plot of farmland somewhere way out in no mans land.

Sure savages create fine art.One of the greatest tyrants in history Timur founder of the Timurid empire would slaughter everyone in a city but save the craftsmen and artists and had them brought to his capital Samarkand.Art and savagery go well together.The Europeans who Rembrandt was painting were busy comitting all sorts of attrocities at the same time.Hitler enjoyed his arts I mean jeez who can forget Hugo Boss uniforms? Or those lovely V2 rockets I mean it says so very little.

I like seeing my enemies in the open I also don't see an alternative.The Obama administration is only concerned with what is described as "American interests" these include access to markets,and control of the Middle East energy reserves.It's not ideological in the sense that it wants human rights or democracy.It's biggest ally in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia and has been since WW2.Even prior it was long recognized that control of the Middle East energy reserves gave the USA in large part control of the world.Where does Israel fit in? Israel really became an ally of the USA after the 6 day war in 67' before that they were mostly allies of the British and the French.The reason was that Israel had destroyed the armies of the pan-Arab nationalists under Nasser who at the time were threatening the Saudi dictatorship.Israel basically became an extension of US foreign policy,like a tool they can use.Like how the British and French used Israel before during the Suez crisis which was also the end of European influence in the Middle East region being told by president Eisenhower who was boss.Israel also functions as a tool for arms sales.Basically if the Israeli's get F-15 jets the Saudi's want them as well and they spend oil dollars.The USA has absolutely no issue with dealing with Islamists as long as they "behave" and do not damage US designs for the Middle East which have been pretty constant since WW2.If the Egyptians attack Israel they will get smashed if they attack Saudi Arabia they will get smashed.If they stone woman in the streets thats fine.It's also not a left or right issue.Both left and right have followed this policy.