Oil and Military Intervention

Oil and Military Intervention

Oil and Military Intervention

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Oil and Military Intervention

Oil is one of the most important natural resources on the Earth and one of the most fought over. Since many nations on the globe are dependent on oil what happens in oil rich companies becomes a global concern especially for the United States. A lack of oil could potentially create major damage to the American economy but despite this military intervention concerning oil should only involve protecting this natural resource not going to war in order to obtain this resource. America’s military interest in a country should not be motivated by oil but a real need for military intervention.

There has been a great debate for years over the true reason America intervened in Iraq after 9/11 with some finding the motivation was less about terrorism but more about protecting oil sources in the country. American troops have been tasked with protecting petroleum pipelines in Iraq but this is not the only country where America has inserted their military power in order to provide a global oil-protection service. U.S. personnel in Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of Georgia, also protect pipelines and refineries and supervise the local forces assigned to protecting these oil sources (Habsburg, 2011).

Oil sources in unstable countries are not only important to America but countries across the globe. Even though there is much opposition to the United States military acting as global oil-protection service until there is a realistic alternative for fuel consumption the main oil sources in the world must be protected. The American military has been an asset in areas that are conflict prone and economically unstable but rich in oil in protecting this natural resource. While America should never use its global power to dominate a weaker country in order to take their petroleum but they should provide assistance where needed to protect this resource.

While many complain abut America’s foreign policy to use the military to ensure the flow of petroleum from these unstable countries is not stopped without these efforts the cost of fuel would only continue to rise and anger the American citizen. Protecting the words oil has been a policy since Truman and Eisenhower administrations and continues today in the Obama administration. After World War II there were many threats to Middle East oil which seemed to threaten the safety of Persian Gulf oil resulting in the American military being used to secure flow of Persian Gulf oil (Klare, 2004). Since oil in this area is vital to the global economy it is essential for America to use the military when necessary to protect the natural resource.

On the other hand America’s massive petroleum needs should not be the reason they send in the military. People in opposition with the policy of the United States to send in the military, in order to stop any interruptions in the flow of petroleum from unstable countries, find America dependency on oil is there true motivation. People opposing the American military’s role in foreign oil also complain that these measures only end up benefiting big business who exploits the instability of the area and lack of proper regulation (Foxiv, 2011).

Petroleum is the most common natural product in the world. Without it countries, like America, will experience grave economic disruptions. America should continue to protect the world petroleum but never force a country to accept the intervention of the United States. Many believe America has an alternative motive when they send in the military to ensure the flow of petroleum is not interrupted in unstable countries. Despite this belief without these efforts the westernized world would have less access to the world greatest resource and as a result the American economy would be damaged.

References

Foxiv, J. (2011). U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil Directly Responsible for Rising Gas Prices

and Our Costly Interventions in Middle East. Restore America Legacy, p. 201

Habsburg, J. (2014). Evidence of a serious conflict of interests in the U.S. government over Iraq.

Klare, M. (2004). Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing

Petroleum Dependency. Holt, Henry & Company, Inc., New York, New York