The Policy Of Oil Diplomacy Of America

In the early 1970s, the first global oil crisis occured, which made the United States fall into the energy dilemma. This paper is based on the recently declassified archives of the Uniterd States and studies the U.S. diplomatic strategy to deal with the oil crisis.After World War Ⅱ, American policy in the Middle East was primarily to support Israel, and to ensure that Israel had strong enough military force against foreign invasion, which prevented Soviet involvement and inference in the Middle East affairs. As for the other Great power in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. The United States just took Saudi Arabia as a economic pillar in the gulf, and did not give enough attention to Saudi Arabia in politics. In 1969, when Richard Nixon took office, The United States relationship with Arab countries were nervous, the Soviet Union took advantage of tensions between the Arab countries and strengthen the contact with the radical Arab countries. At the same time The United Kingdom withdrew its forces in the Gulf region, forming a "power vacuum". With the withdrawal of British, Making the United States could not protect its interests in the Middle East.Therefore, the United States formulated and implemented a new policy in gulf. The "Twin Pillars" policy supported and rellied on the two gulf countries:Iran and Saudi Arabia, To strengthen the United States strategic position in the Middle East.After the World War II, European countries were on the brink of economic collapse and political unrest. The United States need to help Western Europe recovered from war and take Western Europe as a whole into America’s strategic track, in order to Contain the Soviet Union with the Western Europe. For this purpose, the United States launched the "Truman Doctrine" and the Marshall Plan. The former aimed at trying to expand worldwide anti-communism, and the latter was a plan of Europe renaissance for the U.S. It was a key factor in containing the expansion of the Soviet Union forces, and the most importana in this program was to solve the energy crisis of the Europe. Through the Marshall Plan, the United States not only expanded oil sales in Europe and restored the vitality of Europe, but also ensure the stability of the U.S.-Europe Union by controlling oil sales in Europe.After the crisis, the United States had taken a series of measures in order to disembargo. Firstly, coordinate the relationship between the Arab and Israeli. Kissinger launched "shuttle diplomacy" in the Middle East. He made use of the Geneva conference to attract the Soviet Union, and communicated with Egypt, Syria and Israel in private to ease relations with the Arab countries. In November 1973, Kissinger begun a Middle East tour, and raised a six-point plan. Egypt agreed to the views of the United States, this concession of Egypt made the negotiation between the United States and Israle faster and easier. After several Kissinger’s shuttle diplomacy peace talks in the Middle East made a major breakthrough Secondly, strengthen the "Twin Pillars" to expand on the sales of arms in Saudi Arabia and Iran, consolidate the status of Saudi Arabia and Iran in the gulf region, maintain U.S. strategic interests in this region, and to offset the trade deficit of U.S.. In addition, in order to reduce the balance of payments deficit of the oil-producing countries, the United States also implemented the oil dollars back plan and built "petrodollar system" to ensure the monopoly of the dollar as a medium of exchange for oil. Construction of the International Energy Agency, was the most significant initiatives for the United States. The establishment of the International Energy Agency Marks the international energy and oil security cooperation has entered a new era, which not only promoted the coordination between the countries within the organization, but also ensured the dialogue and cooperation between the organization of petroleum exporting countries. After the oil crisis, the United States begun to adjust its Middle East policy. Establish a special relationship with Saudi Arabia and Iran. Continue to strengthen the "Twin Pillars" policy. Consult with the oil-consuming countries and unite the oil-consuming countries to establish a united front.The foreign policy of U.S. in oil crisis, our country had reference significance to our country oil problem:expanding the sources of oil, and strengthening the exploration and development of domestic oil resources, exploring overseas oil resources actively; reducing over-dependence on oil, adhere to the priority of the coal, developing alternative resources actively;adopting various means to ensure national oil security; attaching great importance to energy conservation and so on.