Why it matters

Behind most modern wars isn’t ideology — it’s ownership. Of land, oil, minerals, and water. These are the real prizes of conflict.

“War is a racket.” — U.S. General Smedley Butler, 1935

What drives war?

• Oil fields and pipelines
• Gas reserves and coastlines
• Rare earth minerals and mining rights
• Fertile farmland and water access
• Strategic ports and infrastructure control

Bottom line: Displacement and violence are often tools for resource extraction.

Case Studies

Gaza and the Mediterranean Gas Fields

Offshore gas reserves like Gaza Marine have drawn interest from global energy firms for decades. Energy access is a hidden front in this conflict.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Guardian, Middle East Eye

U.S. Wars and Native Dispossession

Iraq was invaded under the guise of WMDs — but oil was the prize. U.S. expansion displaced Indigenous tribes for land, gold, and fossil fuels.

Sources: The Intercept, Smithsonian, Cost of War Project

Brazil’s Amazon War

The Amazon is ground zero for resource conflict. Indigenous land defenders are attacked as agribusiness and mining move in with state support.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Global Witness

Africa: Minerals and Militias

DR Congo’s cobalt powers the world’s batteries — and fuels militia violence. Sudan’s conflict is tied to gold and water. France and China battle over Sahel resources.

Sources: Amnesty International, Bloomberg, UNCTAD

 Resource War Breakdown

Resource	Regions Affected
Water	Israel–Palestine, Nile Basin, India–Pakistan
Oil & Gas	Middle East, Venezuela, Nigeria, Gaza Strip
Rare Earths	DR Congo, Myanmar, Afghanistan
Farmland	Brazil, Ukraine, Ethiopia
Forests	Amazon, Congo Basin, Indonesia

The Bottom Line

War isn’t just political — it’s profitable. Until we address who controls land, water, and minerals, conflict will be dressed as democracy but waged for domination.

Real peace requires: local sovereignty, land back, and equitable resource governance.