The United States' Strategic Insecurity-The Oil Nexus
Abstract
There's not any doubt that oil is a finite resource and that the United States relies heavily on oil for homeland security, defense security, and economic security. Every facet of the American lifestyle is dependent on oil. The United States secured its status as a world Super Power around an industrial base driven by oil; accessible, cheap, and plentiful oil. The United States has enjoyed virtually unhampered access to oil for over one hundred years. However, in the first decade of the 21st Century, global demand for oil has accelerated at an unprecedented pace. As global supplies have become tighter, global competition for oil has increased. This study set out to answer the primary question of: "How does the United States? dependence on oil create national security vulnerability?" Secondary questions include: Is America's dependence on oil a strategic vulnerability, what hazards are associated with America's dependence on oil, and how can the United States mitigate those hazards? The findings of this study revealed that U.S. vulnerability to dependence on oil manifests in the realm of national homeland security, economic security, environmental security, and geo-political security, with economic security posing the greatest security vulnerability. Since the U.S. economy is driven by oil, it is a matter of national security that the U.S. maintains a safe, reliable, and ample supply of oil. As global competition increases for oil, securing those supplies will become more difficult, which leads to the most significant hazard associated with America's dependence on oil: energy supply disruptions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 11, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA531222
Entities
People
- John A. Gagan
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College