THE CAUSE OF WAR

Socialists are probably the only people that say it but modern war is caused by capitalist countries quarrelling over trade routes, sources of raw materials and spheres of political influence so we may be the only people who are concerned about this development in the Mediterranean where Israel and Turkey are in dispute over who owns recently discovered gas sources. "Israel can support and secure the rigs that we are going to have in the Mediterranean," Landau told a security conference when asked if Israel would safeguard the gas platforms after the warship challenge floated last week by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "That's the simple answer that I can give," Landau said. .... Landau, whose formal title is national infrastructure minister, said there had been no claim so far by any state that the Tamar and Leviathan natural gas fields, estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, do not belong to Israel." (Haaretz, 22 July) Every war so far has always started with diplomatic nonsense about geography, ethics, philosophy and other high sounding subjects but usually descends into military conflict. This area has the potential revenue of 150 billion euros so look out for future conflict. RD