While the world’s attention is focused on the aftermath of the Israel- Hizbollah war, more far-reaching and dangerous threats to global security are growing dramatically. In July, Samuel Bodman, US energy secretary, said that for the foreseeable future “we’re going to see oil demand exceeding supply”.

The month before, Bill Clinton, former US president, raised the alarm that the world could be out of “recoverable oil” in 35-50 years, elevating the risk of “resource-based wars of all kinds”. Last November, Joe Lieberman, former vice-presidential candidate, warned efforts by the US and China to use imports to meet growing demand may escalate competition to something “as hot and dangerous” as the nuclear arms race between the US and the Soviet Union. Yet all this passes almost without mention in Britain.