Any debate about how to fix the industry quickly becomes snarled in Mexico's passionate oil politics.

Usually Mexico, now the world's fifth-largest producer, is a bit of a loner in global oil politics.

That was before the days of Arabian oil politics, of course, when every white man was a big cheese.

For Mr. Naimi, oil politics are better left to the diplomats.

Moscow has also guarded its freedom to maneuver in oil politics.

He focuses on developing nations, energy and environment issues, Islamic faith, culture and law, and oil politics.

Engdahl began writing about oil politics with the first oil shock in the early 1970s.

"At a time when oil prices are already sky high and given how oil politics play into these conflicts, it strikes me as irresponsible."

An intensively productive scholar, he works on a variety of themes from African development to contemporary geopolitics, social movements and oil politics.

But again, in some ways oil politics may prove to be the most important field for Russia's evolving relationship with the West.