United States has about 25 billion barrels worth of proven oil reserves in US soil. The United States on average per year uses about 6.7 billion barrels of oil in vehicle fuel, certain liquid products, make technology, etc. That generates the oil industry about $750-800 billion dollars worth of oil. US already controls oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE. That's why those countries have developed so much after the Gulf War. This can gain massive profits to oil companies around Western nations. Gas companies like BP, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, HESS, and so much other companies. Controlling middle eastern oil reserves promises Western oil industry humongous profits and promising futures for the next 50-60 years. Most people don't notice this. But the war benefits us a lot. The war also helps gains in weapons industry,keep dollar value, etc.
Sorry if confusing. May have left out some info. This is me trying to simplify everything. US Middle East interests is a very long a complex history.
Honest answer is oil. Yes, we have seven times the reserves here, but the left refuses to let us explore and develop that oil. In the USA we have over 400 years of oil in the Green River reserve alone.
We could break the back of all this nonsense by opening these reserves. Why fight for Iraq's oil if we were pumping here.
We let China drill of our shores and say it is illegal for us to do so. Why?
To eradicate terrorism, to stabilize an incredible unstable region, to setup self governing countries and to reduce the heroin trade
IT'S NOT ABOUT OIL
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I think the answer's above are correct but I believe there is more to it . Other that the spread of democracy the U.S goals are much broader . Yes there is the hope of eradicating terrorist's and the dictatorships and slowing the heroin trade but there is also the protection of Israel ( One of the USA's main allies in the region ) and the stabilization of oil . Everybody in the government say's its not about the oil but if that was the case I don't think we would be doing as much . Now there is talk of military action against Libya ,Libya has OIL
Yes there is civil unrest and the Gadaffi govt is killing its own people but this has happened in many countries around the globe and other than Afganistan all the other military action happens in the countries that have OIL . Not the genocide in Darfer or the killing fields in Cambodia .
The US wants and needs the oil, and therefore it is allied to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, which are all among the top oil producers. The US is also allied to Israel, with which it has a very strong bond because there are many Jews in the US. Iran and Syria, on the other hand, are enemies of the US, and that is because Iran denies Holocaust, wants to exterminate Israel and is likely developing nuclear weapons, and Syria is allied to Iran.
The US conducts a lot of trade with the middle east. The US buys oil and gas from the middle east. Also, the US has conducted air strikes and military operations in the middle east.
The primary interest of US is oil and also the middle east region is a trading crossroad.
The United States wants to make sure that the oil keeps flowing.
Maintaining stability in the region.
There are so many different political groups with absolute opinions that conflict in the Middle East will never be resolved.
Almost all political systems in the Middle East have caused conflicts with the exception of liberal democracies (such as those in Israel or Turkey). However, the governments of both of those countries have fought in international conflicts.
There are numerous movements and groups in the Middle East, stretching all extremes of the political, economic, social, militaristic, societal, cultural, religious, and intellectual spectrum. To learn about any specific movement or group, you may need to narrow down the question by either (1) using the specific name of the group, (2) listing the group's particular aspirations, and/or (3) giving a where and when this movement existed.
The Social and Cultural Identity of the Middle East and of North Africa are profoundly defined by the intersection of tribal culture, ethnic nationalism, and Islamist Politics. All three of these are critical factors and the relative value of each is solely in the eye of the beholder.
Blogs -plato
Stanley Andrew Morrison has written: 'Middle East survey' 'Middle East tensions: political, social, and religious'
Silk Road.
The recent revolutions in the Middle East could be seen as a call for a new social order to move away from the stagnant political arena of the decades before.
political stability
There are so many different political groups with absolute opinions that conflict in the Middle East will never be resolved.
political stability
political stability
The Middle East
because of political instability, violence, and terrorism.
Almost all political systems in the Middle East have caused conflicts with the exception of liberal democracies (such as those in Israel or Turkey). However, the governments of both of those countries have fought in international conflicts.
Leadership is decentralized within small, virtually powerless groups.
political forums