ix
Introduction
Book Statement
As of World War II, energy became a major component of US foreign diplomacy.
The concept “energy geopolitics” was first ushered in by Britain, when Winston
Churchill, in his role as First Lord of the Admiralty, decided to shift the fuel used by
British naval ships from coal to liquid fossil fuels. Unlike coal, which could be
extracted locally in Britain, oil could only be sourced from Persian, Caspian, and
Middle Eastern territories, and thus it is easy to see how this decision soon had
repercussions internationally, with various other nations following suit in the switch
to petroleum. The concept of energy diplomacy and energy geopolitics having
entered the vocabulary of public diplomacy, the stage would soon be set for the
United States to take the mantle, immersing itself in the cut-throat competition for
resources characterizing relations between the major western powers throughout the
Cold War. After the Soviet Union collapsed and disintegrated, a combination of
political opportunity and economic imperative made the new Caspian region states,
which were landlocked, commercially attractive in the quest for new energy supply.
In terms of foreign policy, this venture was inextricably tied to the goal of connecting these states to the west through major infrastructure projects and strengthening
the power of energy transit states in both regional and international political capacities. Essentially, the US sought to create interdependency between producers, transit
nations, and consumers to the advantage, and expansion, of countries within its
sphere of influence (Shaffer 2009:51).
The US has a broad interest in maintaining access to energy resources and markets throughout the world, since it is not only a major energy producer but a leading
consumer in the world as well. Access to energy resources is fundamental to the
stability and economic development of not only the US but also the world, affecting
the productivity of every industry and sector and having deep economic, social, and
political consequences if left unmanaged. With its rich stockpiles of resources, the
Caspian Basin and Central Asian regions are thus a focal point of US policy.
Furthermore, the US is strategically interested in maintaining the stability of the
Introduction
Book Statement
As of World War II, energy became a major component of US foreign diplomacy.
The concept “energy geopolitics” was first ushered in by Britain, when Winston
Churchill, in his role as First Lord of the Admiralty, decided to shift the fuel used by
British naval ships from coal to liquid fossil fuels. Unlike coal, which could be
extracted locally in Britain, oil could only be sourced from Persian, Caspian, and
Middle Eastern territories, and thus it is easy to see how this decision soon had
repercussions internationally, with various other nations following suit in the switch
to petroleum. The concept of energy diplomacy and energy geopolitics having
entered the vocabulary of public diplomacy, the stage would soon be set for the
United States to take the mantle, immersing itself in the cut-throat competition for
resources characterizing relations between the major western powers throughout the
Cold War. After the Soviet Union collapsed and disintegrated, a combination of
political opportunity and economic imperative made the new Caspian region states,
which were landlocked, commercially attractive in the quest for new energy supply.
In terms of foreign policy, this venture was inextricably tied to the goal of connecting these states to the west through major infrastructure projects and strengthening
the power of energy transit states in both regional and international political capacities. Essentially, the US sought to create interdependency between producers, transit
nations, and consumers to the advantage, and expansion, of countries within its
sphere of influence (Shaffer 2009:51).
The US has a broad interest in maintaining access to energy resources and markets throughout the world, since it is not only a major energy producer but a leading
consumer in the world as well. Access to energy resources is fundamental to the
stability and economic development of not only the US but also the world, affecting
the productivity of every industry and sector and having deep economic, social, and
political consequences if left unmanaged. With its rich stockpiles of resources, the
Caspian Basin and Central Asian regions are thus a focal point of US policy.
Furthermore, the US is strategically interested in maintaining the stability of the