But there is a trade-off here: a heavy short-term price may be worthwhile to stabilize the battlefield and save lives thereafter.
The same company that pushed the short-term price down is now driving long-term prices up.
And long-term car purchase decisions aren't based upon perceived short-term price fluctuations.
The problem is that no one can predict the short-term price of natural gas or heating oil, let alone its price in five years.
According to Simmons, isolated events, such as the Iraq war, affect short-term prices but do not determine a long-term trend.
In some instances, the long-term benefit to the victim may be worth the short-term price, but it is a question which must be faced.
Since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, however, the short-term prices have been highest.
The short-term price may seem high, but the potential long-term benefits are limitless.
Decisions may also be influenced by favourable trends in short-term prices.
The United States may well have to pay a short-term price to achieve that end - in the coming year and even beyond.