Comments on: Qatar Signs Massive $25 Billion Deal with Germany’s DB to Develop Rail Network http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/23/qatar-signs-massive-25-billion-deal-with-germanys-db-to-develop-rail-network/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:43:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Wad http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/23/qatar-signs-massive-25-billion-deal-with-germanys-db-to-develop-rail-network/#comment-17613 Wad Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:31:35 +0000 http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/?p=4714#comment-17613 Alon, from what it sounds like in your description, Qatar is a supply region that is trying to transition away from oil, but using momentum growth to get there. It's trading one bad economic situation for another. Alon, from what it sounds like in your description, Qatar is a supply region that is trying to transition away from oil, but using momentum growth to get there.

It’s trading one bad economic situation for another.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/23/qatar-signs-massive-25-billion-deal-with-germanys-db-to-develop-rail-network/#comment-17599 Alon Levy Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:35:17 +0000 http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/?p=4714#comment-17599 Ocean Railroader, some of what Matt Simmons says in Twilight in the Desert is true. Some isn't. The oil in most Middle Eastern countries goes to all citizens. Where there is great inequality, such as Kuwait and the UAE, is where there are so many migrant workers on the oil rigs and the associated service industry, that citizens are a minority in their own country. All of those countries abuse non-citizens with low pay, long working hours, and few labor protections. Ocean Railroader, some of what Matt Simmons says in Twilight in the Desert is true. Some isn’t. The oil in most Middle Eastern countries goes to all citizens. Where there is great inequality, such as Kuwait and the UAE, is where there are so many migrant workers on the oil rigs and the associated service industry, that citizens are a minority in their own country. All of those countries abuse non-citizens with low pay, long working hours, and few labor protections.

]]> By: Ocean Railroader http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/23/qatar-signs-massive-25-billion-deal-with-germanys-db-to-develop-rail-network/#comment-17584 Ocean Railroader Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:43:31 +0000 http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/?p=4714#comment-17584 There was a book called Twlight in the Dersert and it was about the world's biggest oil field in Saudi Arabia and it did mention that the oil will start to run out in a few years. But it also mentioned something else about the oil in the middle east that most of the money goes to a very few rich people while the rest of the place rarely gets anything such as good roads and railroads long with good housing. By this county investing money in roads, rails and housing it is dealing with something that if not fixed could ruin it. This great railroad system is a very good thing in that it will make jobs and help the county's population feel the effects of the oil money. Now in response to that great railroad bridge we in the US should consder building a new railroad link across the Chesapeak Bay from the easten shore to Virginia Beach to keep us as players in the building race. There was a book called Twlight in the Dersert and it was about the world’s biggest oil field in Saudi Arabia and it did mention that the oil will start to run out in a few years. But it also mentioned something else about the oil in the middle east that most of the money goes to a very few rich people while the rest of the place rarely gets anything such as good roads and railroads long with good housing. By this county investing money in roads, rails and housing it is dealing with something that if not fixed could ruin it. This great railroad system is a very good thing in that it will make jobs and help the county’s population feel the effects of the oil money.

Now in response to that great railroad bridge we in the US should consder building a new railroad link across the Chesapeak Bay from the easten shore to Virginia Beach to keep us as players in the building race.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/23/qatar-signs-massive-25-billion-deal-with-germanys-db-to-develop-rail-network/#comment-17518 Alon Levy Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:59:10 +0000 http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/?p=4714#comment-17518 Qatar's economic structure isn't the same as the USA's. The USA can count on continued real per capita growth averaging 2-3% per year, due to its large industrial and service sectors. Qatar can't; its economy is based on oil, which means that its GDP per capita will plummet when the oil runs out. Already, peak oil and population growth are straining the country: its GDP per capita in real terms is actually lower than what it was in 1980. This means that for Qatar, it's rational to spend money now so that it won't need to spend it later. Norway and the UAE have sovereign wealth funds, i.e. negative national debt; Qatar has disproportionate infrastructure investment. Qatar’s economic structure isn’t the same as the USA’s. The USA can count on continued real per capita growth averaging 2-3% per year, due to its large industrial and service sectors. Qatar can’t; its economy is based on oil, which means that its GDP per capita will plummet when the oil runs out. Already, peak oil and population growth are straining the country: its GDP per capita in real terms is actually lower than what it was in 1980. This means that for Qatar, it’s rational to spend money now so that it won’t need to spend it later. Norway and the UAE have sovereign wealth funds, i.e. negative national debt; Qatar has disproportionate infrastructure investment.

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