oil and strategy

Submitted by Dimitri (United States), Jul 25, 2007 at 16:11

I don't know if the "importance" of the Middle East is because of the oil. My opinion is that it is not. With or without American troops, arabs will pump oil, because it is their only source of revenue, and will sell it to those who pay. But "strategic importance" is something different.

Starting from 19th century, or maybe earlier, European powers invented for themselves some strategic aims, which were supposed to be very important, but really were not. WWI was started for some "strategic interests" in Lybia and Balkans. Who remember now, what those "strategic interests" were? I believe, it is like football: bringing the ball behind the line is really very important, especially if it is the World Cup. But what happens if they fail to do it? Nothing. Everybody will forget in a week. Same with "strategic interests" in the Middle East.

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