Sea Lanes and Pipelines — Energy Security in Asia

Cole (international history, National War College) addresses energy security from the perspectives of its increasing importance to the coastal countries of Asia and the regional drive to develop the naval power to ensure energy security as the US navy pulls back from securing sea lines of communication important for energy security. Over the course of 11 chapters, he describes the regions maritime geography, discusses the energy situation for Asian coastal nations, discusses energy transport by pipeline and merchant fleet, explores threats to energy sea lines of communication, explores the regions maritime disputes, describes the national maritime strategies and naval capacities of the countries with significant naval and commercial fleets at sea, addresses multilateralism and energy security in the region, and considers future scenarios for the region. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bernard D. Cole (Captain, USN, Retired) is Professor of International History at the National War College in Washington, D.C., where he concentrates on the Chinese military and Asian energy issues. Previously, he served thirty years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy, all of them in the Pacific. Cole has written numerous articles and book chapters, as well as four books:Gunboats and Marines: The U.S. Navy in China, The Great Wall at Sea: China's Navy Enters the 21st Century,Oil for the Lamps of China: Beijing's 21st Century Search for Energy, and Taiwan's Security: History and Prospects.