Oil, The Persian Gulf, and Grand Strategy. Contemporary Issues in HistoricalPerspective

摘要

This report is part of a larger RAND project on U.S. interests in and strategiesfor Southwest Asia that is being sponsored by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Joint Staff. Other parts of the project address political-military issues in the Persian Gulf and assess military capabilities and strategies for Persian Gulf contingencies (an exploration of methods and concepts for political-military contingency planning is included). The purpose of this report is to place contemporary issues of oil supply security in historical perspective, with particular emphasis on the concept of grand strategy. Given that recent events in the Persian Gulf have thrust such issues to the forefront, it is hoped that this report will provide a useful background for policymakers, observers of international and strategic affairs, and others interested in the role of Persian Gulf oil in U.S. and allied strategy.