|
Rank: 9
Why They Matter: They're a slippery cast of characters, and sadly, their influence is growing. America's petroleum addiction has left the U.S. economy at the mercy of a new generation of international strongmen, and among them, they control nearly half of the world's petroleum reserves. Worse, they're becoming more brazen and influential as the high price of oil adds billions to their national treasuries. They've got the U.S. economy over the barrel, and innovation industries aren't immune to their mischief. Inflation? Regional instability? Both threaten economic growth and the capital flows that are the lifeblood of entrepreneurship. But there's a silver lining: Those high oil prices also create new opportunities for alternative energy technologies.The New Oil Despots King Abdullah bin Abdul aziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia), Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iran), Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), and Vladimir Putin (Russia) |
| NEXT» |