Will the US come out of all this remaining the world's sole superpower?

[Keirador]

Over 80% of our nation's energy needs are met by oil. It's not just transport that's getting more expensive with the gas hike, it's heat and electricity. New Orleans was our nation's busiest and most productive port city, being the point of export for most of our nation's agricultural goods, which form the backbone of our economy. Our southeast has had it's pipelines broken, and once they run out of their reserves of oil, they're out. For a year or so. Sure, we will rebuild, but where will we be when all is said and done? Will the United States remain the world's only superpower?

 

[Dreadnought]

Hmm....thats a good point. The lack of oil will hit us hard and unless something is done (aka different fuel type or something) the US will not be a superpower. Can you imagine the chaos when the oil runs out?

 

[Meleager]

If the US ecconomy goes they they will all go. Another great depression. I dont know what the outcome would be. However, I suspect that other ports will just get alot buissier and they will just have to import more oil, so there might not be a big depression.

 

[Keirador]

It's almost like the Americans' Golden Age ended. . .

 

[Marla_Singer]

New Orleans isn't the only harbour in the United States, there are others.

About oil refineries, well maybe for a time the US will import more refined oil but once the destroyed refineries will be rebuilt it will be back to normal. Furthermore, in case of a real gas shortage, which isn't the case yet, the US still possesses huge strategic reserves of oil (which isn't the case in most industrialised countries).

All this to say that the US won't be harmed that much. There's really no reason to panic. If there's a reason why the US status of sole superpower is threatened, it would be because of the raise of China, and it's a long term issue.

 

[Marla_Singer]

It's almost like the Americans' Golden Age ended. . .

Are you sure you aren't exagerating a bit ?

 

[amadeus]

Odds are I think we'll actually come out better because of this. Not to say that hurricanes are productive -- they certainly aren't. But you have to make do with what you have.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

It’s too early to tell but even before Katrina, the US hasn't felt the same since the 9/11. I honestly remember having an optimistic outlook during the Clinton years. The economy was good, we had a balanced budget and our future looked secure. We were a progressive nation that was liked by the world.

Now... We're occupying two nations halfway across the world and not having much success, soldiers are dieing everyday, our economy has been flat since 2000, oil prices have been rising, our debt has increased, the world is pissed off at us, military spending is up, and we have a President fiddling while Rome burns (or New Orleans floods). It seems like scientifically we are regressing in favor of Christianity. What the hell happened...?

 

[Ramius75]

Well, the american will pull out from this. but my point is, the status of Superpower is overblown. As a Superpower from CIV III teach me is to have oil in my own backyard along with iron, coal, aluminum and uranium.

America still depends very much from oil from other countries and this issue only shows to the public about the American's dependancy.

Still America is the single strongest country in the world atm based on its Economy and military. It will remain so for quite sometime.

BTW, i voted same as Russia as i found Russia to be an incredible strong country still. Its economy may not be as strong but Size still matters. Russia is also a net exporter of Oil with potential huge reserve in the Siberia region. Russia is basically selfsustainable.

 

[Zelig]

Bugger, I voted #2 before I actually completely read the first post, thinking it was talking about when the world's oil supply runs out.

My vote goes to #1 in this case.

 

[I am the Future]

This is a stupid poll

OFCOURSE the US will stay the world Power. On Natural disaster wont make the US drop in POWERDOM. We still got a good 50 years left with it let us have that.

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

Over 80% of our nation's energy needs are met by oil. It's not just transport that's getting more expensive with the gas hike, it's heat and electricity. New Orleans was our nation's busiest and most productive port city, being the point of export for most of our nation's agricultural goods, which form the backbone of our economy. Our southeast has had it's pipelines broken, and once they run out of their reserves of oil, they're out. For a year or so. Sure, we will rebuild, but where will we be when all is said and done? Will the United States remain the world's only superpower?

Rebuilding will not be that big of a problem, but even if it is, it will not matter. The US is a large country and it can absorb the temporary loss of a small stretch of coastline. There have been catastrophes in the past that were as bad if not worse (ex: in 1906, the entire city of San Francisco was completely destroyed by an earthquake), and we've bounced back. In fact, one can argue that this event was not even as bad as the 9/11/01 attack, in that far fewer people have died.

 

[Godwynn]

Can you imagine the chaos when the oil runs out?

A Mad Max scenario is playing out in my head.

 

[JohnRM]

You guys are over-exaggerating this.

And by the way...

71.4% of our energy comes from fossil fuels.
20.7% of our energy comes from nuclear power.
05.6% of our energy comes from hydro-electric power.

A significant portion of the fossil fuel energy comes from coal-fired power plants.



Busiet port depends on viewpoint.

By volume - South Louisiana, not just New Orleans.
By container - Los Angeles/Long Beach, California.

Overall, it would be safe to say the Los Angeles/Long Beach is the busiet port in America, due to the fact that it is the busiet port by container and second busiet by volume.

 

[Nobody]

I didnt read the whole thing before voting, i voted #2 while if i read it i would have voted #1 this is nothing to america. If indonesia can take a tsunami then america can take a hurricane. Didn't this happen to florida a few years ago?

 

[searcheagle]

I didnt read the whole thing before voting, i voted #2 while if i read it i would have voted #1 this is nothing to america. If indonesia can take a tsunami then america can take a hurricane. Didn't this happen to florida a few years ago?

While I agree with your conclusion, there is a big difference between South Louisiana. (BTW, if it sounds like I'm talking down to you, I'm not. I just don't know how good your US geography is).

Florida, where Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992?, was mainly a commercial and residential area. There are no major ports or habors that supply the surrounding area. Therefore, dispite the damage done, it didnt affect the area outside of the strike zone. Also, this Hurricane looks like it will be the US's worst disaster, beating out the San Francisco Earthquake and Hurricane Andrew.

South Louisiana/New Orleans is a major Port in the US that is on the Mississippi River, in a major oil producing region (some sources say the greatest in the world-another story), that is vital to refining oil.

 

[Evie]

A hurricane alone is one thing. A hurricane that pulls a hard hit on US oil production with oil prices already rising like mad, a hurricane that wipes a major city off the map, and that does all this while the US *must* keep throwing resources in the black hole called Iraq...

It might not pull the US out of power - but it might, too. It entirely depend on how the administration play its game, I think.

 

[Godwynn]

South Louisiana/New Orleans is a major Port in the US that is on the Mississippi River, in a major oil producing region (some sources say the greatest in the world-another story), that is vital to refining oil.

Another thing to consider. Are the ships and freight from St. Louis and Memphis able to get into the Gulf of Mexico now? Or even go up the Mississippi to those two cities?

 

[Keirador]

Many people are saying we can rebuild, so it's not that bad, but why rebuild? According to a recent National Geographic article, we are entering a period of increased hurricane activity where increasingly violent hurricanes will strike the Southeastern United States with significantly greater frequency. All we rebuild will be re-destroyed next hurricane season.

 

[searcheagle]

Another thing to consider. Are the ships and freight from St. Louis and Memphis able to get into the Gulf of Mexico now? Or even go up the Mississippi to those two cities?

That was something I was wondering. I would bet not due to all the rubble in the water. I would imagine to get out, they would have to go through the ST. Lawrence Seaway.