US oil policy pursued access rather than direct control

Evidence

The supply of oil is a more complex business. Some argue that whoever controls the oil will have to sell it and that we need not therefore concern ourselves with regional political squabbles. Some, while recognizing that such squabbles might endanger the supply, nevertheless maintain that since other countries—notably in Europe and the Far East—consume a far larger proportion of Middle Eastern oil than does the United States, it is their responsibility to maintain order. There is however some doubt whether they have the will or the power to discharge this responsibility. The prevailing view is that only the United States is able to maintain political stability in the oil-producing countries and, in particular, to prevent the monopolization of Middle Eastern oil by an aggressive dictator. This, it is argued, requires the protection of existing regimes, at least from external attack. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1658 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: US Middle East policy aimed at access to, not control of, oil; US Middle East oil policy pursued access, not territorial control; US policy judged Islamist groups by oil access, not their record (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• US policy judged Islamist groups by oil access, not their record #corroborates (1.00)
• Oil access was a major covert driver of the Iraq invasion #corroborates (1.00)
• America’s case for Middle East intervention rested on disputed oil arguments #corroborates (1.00) — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1658
• The US conceded leverage by separating security from economic issues #complicates (0.85)
• Majority-supported U.S. policies pass only rarely, making countermajoritarian entrenchment tests unusable #complicates (0.80) — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 421
• U.S. political institutions structurally hinder majority-driven policy change. #complicates (0.80) — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 106
• U.S. policy responds to elites and interest groups, not the public. #complicates (0.75) — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 93
• The forward strategy detached US security from national territory #complicates (0.75) — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 23
• States pursue conflicting policies by ignoring cross-policy implications #complicates (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2589
• US policymaking institutions are structurally designed to block policy change #complicates (0.75) — Nathan Kelly and Jana Morgan, How US Policymaking Institutions…, 46