Debunking numerous myths that have emerged about the world's resources
of oil, this book argues that the use of U.S. military power to secure
oil is not only needless and costly--in both lives and money--but also
counterproductive to U.S. security. Intended to make government, the
media, and citizens think more rationally about oil and the use of
military power to secure it, this account suggests that the free market
is still the best vehicle to deliver the product most efficiently from
producer to consumer and that a withdrawal of U.S. forces from the
Persian Gulf would be beneficial in the context of potential terrorist
threats. Thorough and invaluable, this focused analysis chronicles the
history of the battle over oil.