A Survey of the Importance of Persian Gulf Region Energy in Political and Security Strategies of the United States

Subject Areas :

Abolghasem Taheri ¹ , Mehdi Zare ²

1 - استاد و عضو هیات علمی گروه علوم سیاسی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران
2 - دکترای روبیط بین الملل دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران

Received: 2012-02-14 Accepted : 2012-04-07 Published : 2012-01-01

Keywords: System, Energy, Persian Gulf sub, the greater Middle East, newly emerged rivals, Fight against terrorism,

Abstract :

The disintegration of the Soviet Union and rising of the United States as a hegemon power coincided with the change in the power structure of international system. In the international structure, economy became the center of emphasis and security preoccupation has interwoven with economic concerns. In the post- Cold War era the international politics has linked indispensably with the relations of security and economy. In this situation, the role of energy in international economy is indisputable and prominent. The United States dependence on energy despite the development and expansion of new energy sources and energy from Persian Gulf region and also the attempt of newly emerged rivals to have strategic links with the countries of the region has led the United States to adopt a strategy of controlling the region and its valuable energy sources. The increasing growth of demand for energy by European Union, China, India and Japan and also the expansive attempt by Russia to monopolize energy and use it as a lever to influence the already mentioned powers have visualized the possibility of formation of alliance and coalition out of the control of the United States hegemony. Besides these threat perception the activities of anarchist non-state actors with the support of some of the regional states of Persian Gulf threatens the existing international system which is not based on the balance of power system but on hegemony system. Thus the main mission of the United States is retaining its powerful position in a new competitive game and if need be ending the principle of competition in Persian Gulf and setting up a new structure for institutionalizing American values and fight with the elements that destabilize the situation. The United States policy is creating extreme fear about terrorism and fights against this menace and this in fact is a realistic method for achieving its objectives.