text: Difficult question you post that could cause many to drop down a "knee jerk" answer.  First of course everyone will say that human life is of more value than any natural resource.  But think of all the people who'd die of cold in the winter without oil.  And the economics of high priced oil can leave millions out of work and in some really dire circumstances.  However it's the "in the long run" portion of your question that makes me say that war for oil is not worth it.  The correct thing to do, and I believe this with every fiber in my being, is to find ways around the problem of oil.  Capitalism is suppose to be the perfect system where if a resource is not quite as abundant as one would hope, and therefore more expensive, then the market will find a way around it.  New energies, conservation, etc.  The fact that the powerful in business and politics right now don't want to "waste" their money researching these things and would rather ride on others backs to fight for cheaper oil is idiotic.  \nOn the bright side, the President mentioned this exact idea in his State of the Union Address.  Whether it was simple lip service or not remains to be seen.