The Political Economy Of Us Wars Of Choice: Are They Really Oil Wars?
This chapter argues that while, prima facie, Peak Oil sounds like a reasonable thesis, it is dubious on both theoretical and empirical grounds. It shows that war and military force are no longer the necessary or appropriate means to gain access to sources of energy, and that resorting to military measures can, indeed, lead to costly, not cheap, oil. The chapter demonstrates that, despite the lucrative spoils of war resulting from high oil prices and profits, Big Oil prefers peace and stability, not war and geopolitical turbulence, in global energy markets. It discusses a case that behind the drive to war and military adventures in the Middle East lie some powerful special interests that use oil as an issue of "national interest"""as a facade or pretext""in order to justify military adventures to derive high dividends, both economic and geopolitical, from war. Keywords:Big Oil; Middle East; Peak Oil; war for oil