cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/46788659
Looking at how much conflict natural resource-rich countries (oil, gold, diamonds…) seem to attract, I wonder whether such wealth is more a curse than a blessing.
Many regions with scarce natural resources, adapted & perform very well. Some of the richest are examples (Switzerland, Luxembourg, Singapore…)
Looks to me like the greed for them attracts conflicts: civil wars, invasions etc. Cultural, ethnic, religious reasons often just seem to be used to cover it.
Plus all the environmental destruction / pollution that come with the extraction & processing.
I would argue the opposite, on a drilling rig, you have 0 cover or military infrastructure, so any missile or drone can come hit it or tankers or pipes. Permanently parking a capable ship there might make it economically unfeasible and additionally expose that ship to risks: https://www.warcosts.org/how-much-does-an-aircraft-carrier-cost