ssingh
July 1, 2007, 2:25am
20
Re: 3rd largest reserves in the world, Iran still imports 40% of petrol and rations!
I think WitchDr and Light Bearer hit the nail on the head. There was a study paper released a couple of years ago that inventoried the scientific papers released from Islamic countries. The vast majority of the papers released were on the topic of Islam. The number of papers on engineering, core science, medicine, and applied science were pitifully low.
Universities in the Arab (and Persian) World produce lots of “Islamic Scholors”, but the lack of engineers, mathematicians, scientists and managers make them totally dependent on the West for advanced technical skills. Worse yet, even Saudi Arabia cannot self fund it’s oil infrastructure. Despite all of the oil wealth in Saudi, when it comes time to build out a large pipeline, or a refinery, or advanced wells, they put out bids to the West to provide capital.
Iran is in even worse shape. They have enough refining capacity to meet the needs of 50% of it’s economy. Every time they contract with Russia to expand capacity, they refuse to pay, get in a political conflict, or they are subject to santions that inhibit their abilty to aquire advanced technology. Worse yet, all of the excess cash they are generating is pumped into projects of folly like their nuclear program, or quasi-obsolete weaponry, or gasoline subsidies to keep the masses appeased. When every drop of oil has been pumped out of the ground Iran will revert to a quasi-middle ages existance, because they have very little commerce to show for all of that wealth. Unemployment among the young is around 30%, and anyone with half of a brain flees when they can. Iran’s isolation because of the mullahs has cost them dearly.
it is good that they are not doing any research in science. With oil money and in depth knowledge in science and technology, they would have screwed the world. every thing is some how balanced in this world:halo: