The United States' Energy Transition

At a time when the recent oil and gas boom in the United States has generated great hopes for energy independence in North America, its implications on U.S. policies in the Middle East have been widely misunderstood. Contrary to common understandings, the United States is not dependent on Persian Gulf oil, but remains affected by the global oil prices which are partly determined by the political environment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The U.S. energy transition...
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At a time when the recent oil and gas boom in the United States has generated great hopes for energy independence in North America, its implications on U.S. policies in the Middle East have been widely misunderstood. Contrary to common understandings, the United States is not dependent on Persian Gulf oil, but remains affected by the global oil prices which are partly determined by the political environment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The U.S. energy transition is unlikely to shield the U.S. economy from oil price fluctuations emanating from the MENA region and thus even less likely to weaken U.S. diplomatic and military commitment to the region.