After the fall of the Soviet Union, NATO lost its raison d'etre and became mired in confusion. We got a debate on what the mission of NATO should be now that the End of History and the Time of Eternal Peace and Stability had arrived, as predicted by Francis Fukuyama.

Well, it was not to be. After two decades of confused flailing, President Putin has graciously found NATO a new mission: the same as the old one. General Ismay, the first Secretary General of NATO, said it best. The purpose of the Alliance is "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down".

I'll drink to that.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.