Blood and Oil Movie - Essay Example

Blood and Oil The blood and oil is a movie that addresses the dangers and consequences of overwhelming increase or over dependency of the United States over imported petroleum. Klare provided comprehensive details concerning the increasing United States dependency on the petroleum importation as well as the related impacts on the nation, particularly on United States’ military and political activities with the main interest in the Middle East and Central Asia. It is noted movie denotes the relationship between the United States government, and the nations that export oil that began on a meeting that was held on 14th February 1945. This meeting took place between the Saudi Arabia’s King Ibn Saudi and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This agreement progressed at various foreign policy doctrines with the subsequent United States presidents to George W. Bush. The 2008 Klare’s documentary film; Blood and Oil featured much of what was presented in the Klare’s book; that is, the conflict of oil. The oil reserves in the Middle East have long been regarded “a stupendous source of strategic power” by America. This claim is evidenced by a memo to the state department that is dated August 1945. According to Michael Klare, a progressive energy analyst, in his documentary, Blood and Oil, the Middle East oil resources contributes to the United States’ weakness (Morris&Young 6). Based on the same documentary, Blood and Oil, Klare examines the relationship between United States foreign policy and Oil. Plying the part of a film commentator, Klare hints on the importance of accessing and controlling oil within the presidential doctrines right from FDR through the administration of George W. Bush. On this point, Klare argues that controlling of the world’s energy resources is foundational to the United States of America foreign policy as from the World War II. Notably, the notion of Blood and Oil administrations demonstrates how the United States’ energy policy and foreign policy to be very essential intertwined (Morris&Young 9). Since the year 1860, the United States of American is known to be the leading petroleum consumer. Despite its worldwide low population of approximately five percent of the entire world population, the United States’ oil based economy consumes approximately twenty five percent of oil that is produced globally; this can be approximated to twenty million barrels per day. In the 1960s, the United States became intensively self sufficient and was producing over eighty percent of its own oil. Nonetheless, the United States reliance on the imported oil experience a drastic growth during the last two or so decades. According to United States’ energy department, the United States is expected to import seventy percent of oil to be used domestically by 2025 (Morris&Young 13). The United States’ foreign and energy policy was developed by FDR during the Second World War. In fact, the film indicates the archival footage of the February 14, 1945 meeting betwixt King Ibn Saud and Roosevelt (Morris&Young 8). Klare indicates that the blatant misunderstanding of the Roosevelt meeting with a person who has exemplified the United States’ values with the claim that there was war during the time of the meeting. The meeting was viewed as solidifying the pact of the United States development and protection of the kingdom for oil. Klare added that the current or the modern Saudi military is greatly the initiation of the United States, so that they could supply the kingdom with weaponry, technology, and advisers. This was demonstrated in a phone call conversation that, basically, aimed to highlight how United States of America wanted to enforce the democratization ring as a terrible hollow as a steadfast, and longest ally of the Middle East. They as well considered the relationship with the Middle East as a feudal monarchy. Klare reveals through the film that Middle East nations have different policies and mechanisms that presidents apply to retain the America’s hegemonic status within the Middle East. The majority of the foreign policies of these presidents are usually informed by what Klare refers to “strategy of maximum extraction.” The strategy herein requires that the reliable regime and compliant that provides the united states with a continuous access of oil reserves in the Middle East (Morris&Young 16). In other words, the governments of the Middle East are governed by those who shall ensure that objectives of Washington are met regardless of the seeming commitment to democracy. The film has also covered the prospective of Africa. It reveals Africa’s increasing dependence of the imported oil. Klare is contents that Africa should be of growing importance to the United States geostrategic interests. The documentary reflects that there is a looming renewal of colonialism, especially in the oil rich regions of Africa. In February 2007, British administration created a command post for African that was named AFRICOM. This was an indication of their development in the region that is in Africa. Additionally, China is noted to have a developing interest in an equal militarized foreign policy that would encounter the United States’ influence in the regions (Morris&Young 15). Despite the relevancy of the documentary on the political foreign policies of the United States, it has limitations as well. The major or troubling limitation of the film Blood and Oil is that there is an absence of absolute discussion that involved Israel. Moreover, Klare has not discussed the leverage of the United States gain over the Middle Eastern regimes (Morris&Young 11). However, he has only indicated withdrawal of ideologies and material support from the brutal occupation of Israel on Palestinian territories. Furthermore, the film does not analyze or examines the beneficiaries of the United States oil policy since it has not discussed the roles of corporations. Notably, the analytical focus of the film is a little bit tenuous. The first half of the film concentrates or examines presidential doctrines and the other half deals majorly on the recent foreign policy endeavors. In addition, the film has over emphasized on Saudi, particularly at the beginning of the film that makes its hard for important players such as Iran not to understand the basis of these policies in their historical context (Morris&Young 17). The connections between other regimes and Saudi Arabia are depicted in the film as a concrete connection. Finally, the movie has weak on prescriptions especially when dealing with hazardous and criminal nature of the United States foreign policy. Klare warns that if the United States fails to implement a different directional policy; otherwise, the twenty first century will become “a very bloody and dangerous as we as painful time.” Relating to the recent historic events and exhaustive United States’ presidential election, klare asserts that it will be virtually impossible to ignore such foreign policy problems that are currently affecting or facing Obama’s administration (Morris&Young 14). Despite the analytical non comprehensive sides of the film; Blood and Oil, compels it to a case that needs confrontation; thus, Obama’s administration must prioritize the issue of foreign policies that regulates or governing the energy and to make the same policies their central agenda. This will be a comprehensive and advancement, since it is an imperative consideration of the remaining oil production globally has become a political sordid. Moreover, it has created instability in the region that possesses more than two thirds of the global oil reserves. These concerns are reflective of five Middle East countries. As it remains visible, the current prospects are not promising, especially after considering all other establishments of foreign policy hawks particularly those that have been tapped in the new administration. At the realm of foreign policies, at least in the declaration of Obama’s campaign that asserted for change. Unfortunately, such declarations have leaned closer and even closer to the platitudes that are more than new paradigm. The films, Blood and Oil, should be viewed as a definite statement, and be approached as a much needed a way to start a much desired dialogue with regards to some problematic consequences and characteristics of the United States policy (Morris&Young 15). Finally, historians may have envisioned that the end of the cold war could have led to a relatively peaceful globe. However, George W. Bush introduced a new world order that has led to a continued post-Cold war error and is what led the development and growth of more dangerous wars that resulted to terrorism. Klare searched the understanding and the emergence of this war that has continued and has a postulate of possible expansions. According to Clash of civilization, theories have it that it is the peoples’ religious identity and culture that forms the primary source of the conflicts. According to Klare, there are certain wars and conflicts that fit political explanations and they include Kashmir conflict, Bosnian war, first and Second Chechen War. Klare added that there are some wars that require no political explanations, but are due to oil reserve controls, and they include the Gulf War that is “uncompromisingly Muslim” Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The only possible way Klare could find an explanation for the recent wars between nations is the crumble for resources. Other than oil in resources, there are certain wars upon diamond, gold, and copper. The resource conflicts that sometimes results to war form the main findings of the film; however, petroleum forms the major potential of these wars (Morris&Young 14). The administration of George W. Bush was characterized by release of National Energy Policy that coincided with the Notational Energy Development Group (NEPDG) that was chaired by Dick Cheney. The development of these policies leads to the search of explanation of oil import, especially from Persian Gulf as well as the drilling of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuse. The September 11th 2008 attacks followed only four months after Al-Qaeda operation (Morris&Young 14). Subsequently, there were numerous evil events that recuperated after the developments of listed policies. From the film’s understanding, these attacks on the Middle East were initiated with the demand of controlling oil reserves in the Middle East. For example, are the Bush talks on the Iraq inversions? Through his own ways, Klare soughed to show the world through a documentary; Blood and Oil, why oil had seemingly outpaced the United States’ other resources to the extent of provoking conflicts and wars in the middle east in order to take control over such oil reserves. Therefore, he opted to present his studies in geopolitics, oil, and American foreign policy in the film. Some of the bloody wars in the Middle East are initiated by the urge of the western countries to control the oil mines in the Middle East and other parts of Africa. However, there are numerous opposing claims that numerous invasions in the Middle East are oil driven. Works Cited Morris S, Young J. "Blood and Oil." Media Education Foundation Study Guide (2008): 1-23. Print Retrieved from: http://mediaed.org/assets/products/124/studyguide_124. pdf Read More