42
various private and state partners. The dominance of most oil reserves and control
over its passageways has been one of the levers of American domination and
supremacy as the world’s largest power. The Middle East region, especially the
Persian Gulf, has the world’s largest oil reserves and a large part of the world’s gas
reserves. Therefore, the Americans’ effort has been clearly aimed at maximizing its
control over this region and invariably taking opportunities to minimize its dependence. This has the secondary effect of acting as a warning to rivals in the energy
games, that they will be less likely to succeed without American cooperation,
thereby creating superiority over their economic rivals. American politicians have
always said that energy policy lies at the heart of their foreign policy. This study has
aimed to give more specific attention to both domestic and international dynamics
which have affected US energy diplomacy toward the region. Which dynamics and
factors have more effect on US policy and why? Which domestic developments in
the energy sector, such as the shale gas revolution, have affected US foreign policy
toward the region? What has been the US reaction to other major policies in the
region? This study may help students, researchers, and those interested in the
region’s energy policies.
With regard to foreign policy traditions it can be said that the US it can be said
that the developments of the twenty-first century have molded America’s foreign
policy so far this century, rather than the leadership of particular administrations. It
must be acknowledged that if another nation with different values had been settled
in the lands of today’s USA, the willingness of the US to identify with North
America and shape it into the world would not have been so dominant. As far as
foreign policy analysis is concerned, we see that Rosenau’s “pre-theoretical” variables, particularly the social system, play a major role. Along with the domination
of neorealist influences, an active foreign policy has become a necessity. There is a
lower and upper tier of American foreign policy encompassing a very broad range
of movements which differ from foreign policies of other foreign states. However,
increased interventionism shows that American foreign policy is disconnected from
its known roots. The fact that the US has been involved in almost all regional problems has had a constricting effect on its ability to maneuver in areas in which it is
not the sole regional power (Gültekin 2008:119–144).
From the point of view of the United States, breaking Russia’s monopoly in the
flow of energy resources from one such region, the Caspian and Central Asia,
equates to establishing its dominance in the region. Naturally, the political, economic, and military power centers that have risen in recent years to check the efforts
of the United States with the potential to eradicate its status as a sole global
superpower.
Today, the United States is cooperating closely with the world’s most important
oil and gas producing countries to gain energy security and continuity of the global
economic system. Within this group of countries are also new independent republics
of Central Asia. The continued empowerment of other regional actors, especially
Russia, China, and Iran, the rising investments of American companies, and military
conflict in Afghanistan, make Washington’s interests crucial to understanding events
in the region. Supporting ongoing operations in Afghanistan and the fight against
2 Literature Review
various private and state partners. The dominance of most oil reserves and control
over its passageways has been one of the levers of American domination and
supremacy as the world’s largest power. The Middle East region, especially the
Persian Gulf, has the world’s largest oil reserves and a large part of the world’s gas
reserves. Therefore, the Americans’ effort has been clearly aimed at maximizing its
control over this region and invariably taking opportunities to minimize its dependence. This has the secondary effect of acting as a warning to rivals in the energy
games, that they will be less likely to succeed without American cooperation,
thereby creating superiority over their economic rivals. American politicians have
always said that energy policy lies at the heart of their foreign policy. This study has
aimed to give more specific attention to both domestic and international dynamics
which have affected US energy diplomacy toward the region. Which dynamics and
factors have more effect on US policy and why? Which domestic developments in
the energy sector, such as the shale gas revolution, have affected US foreign policy
toward the region? What has been the US reaction to other major policies in the
region? This study may help students, researchers, and those interested in the
region’s energy policies.
With regard to foreign policy traditions it can be said that the US it can be said
that the developments of the twenty-first century have molded America’s foreign
policy so far this century, rather than the leadership of particular administrations. It
must be acknowledged that if another nation with different values had been settled
in the lands of today’s USA, the willingness of the US to identify with North
America and shape it into the world would not have been so dominant. As far as
foreign policy analysis is concerned, we see that Rosenau’s “pre-theoretical” variables, particularly the social system, play a major role. Along with the domination
of neorealist influences, an active foreign policy has become a necessity. There is a
lower and upper tier of American foreign policy encompassing a very broad range
of movements which differ from foreign policies of other foreign states. However,
increased interventionism shows that American foreign policy is disconnected from
its known roots. The fact that the US has been involved in almost all regional problems has had a constricting effect on its ability to maneuver in areas in which it is
not the sole regional power (Gültekin 2008:119–144).
From the point of view of the United States, breaking Russia’s monopoly in the
flow of energy resources from one such region, the Caspian and Central Asia,
equates to establishing its dominance in the region. Naturally, the political, economic, and military power centers that have risen in recent years to check the efforts
of the United States with the potential to eradicate its status as a sole global
superpower.
Today, the United States is cooperating closely with the world’s most important
oil and gas producing countries to gain energy security and continuity of the global
economic system. Within this group of countries are also new independent republics
of Central Asia. The continued empowerment of other regional actors, especially
Russia, China, and Iran, the rising investments of American companies, and military
conflict in Afghanistan, make Washington’s interests crucial to understanding events
in the region. Supporting ongoing operations in Afghanistan and the fight against
2 Literature Review