Ep. 5328 – Michael Klare on War in the Middle East and the Politics of Oil – 8/7/2020

Scott talks to Michael Klare about the incentives behind America’s involvement in wars in the Middle East. One common narrative says that Bush invaded Iraq simply because America needed the oil—the truth, says Klare, is somewhat more complicated. He explains that American war planners see a combined strategic interest in U.S. involvement in the Middle East that includes military positioning and the economic interest of exerting control over the oil trade. For one thing, America has essentially promised Saudi Arabia that it will defend their kingdom forever in exchange for a privileged position in the oil business. Even if the U.S. is energy independent, says Klare, oil prices here depend on the global market, so there will always be incentive to try to maintain stability in the Middle East. With the current state of global economy, there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.

Check out the interview page here: https://libertarianinstitute.org/scotthortonshow/8-7-20-michael-klare-on-war-in-the-middle-east-and-the-politics-of-oil/

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