The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series The Revolution in Military Affairs: Water Wars || Peter Zeihan
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Aug 14, 2025 Dive into the intricate relationship between water management and military conflict. The discussion highlights how access to freshwater resources can determine agricultural and industrial strength. Rising tensions in regions like Egypt and Central Asia reveal the potential for future wars driven by water scarcity. The complexities of managing these essential resources and their impact on military power are explored, particularly the fraught dynamics between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, along with alarming environmental consequences.
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Water Is Hard To Move
- Water is intrinsically hard and expensive to move because it clings to surfaces and itself due to hydrogen bonding.
- Large-scale water transport relies on gravity and canals rather than pumping, making long-distance transfer costly.
Municipal Limits And Political Overrides
- Municipal water distribution uses pipes but remains energy intensive and limited in scale.
- Nations sometimes override economics and physics for political unity, as China diverts rivers northward despite huge costs.
Don't Expect Dry Powers To Project Long
- Expect meaningful military projection only from societies with sustained local water and industrial bases.
- Do not assume arid conquerors will become lasting projecting powers unless they secure water and industrial capacity locally.