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Source: http://mideast-mirror.net/
Handing Over the Gulf to Iran
(Al-Ittihad-UAE-Mideast Mirror) Salem Salmin al-Nu'aimi - Those who speak of the U.S. and Europe's need for Gulf oil and gas do not seem to realize that it is the Asian countries that are the main consumers of Middle Eastern oil. By 2035, 90% of the Gulf's oil exports will go to Asia. But that does not alter the fact that it is the U.S. that is the main guarantor of the naval passageways, something that is directly linked to the interests of U.S. energy security. The U.S. needs markets that will consume its products if it is to remain a superpower, and if it is to protect its economic interests, political influence, and commercial, industrial, and technological presence in the region, let alone secure the Gulf's oil trade. All this affects the global price of oil and gas, whose rise will halt the ongoing efforts to recover from the global economic crisis. So, where does the failure lie in the U.S. attitude towards Gulf security? The failure lies in the notion that Iran can take the place of the U.S. as a strong military power in the region. This is a scenario that some American politicians view as a solution for the problem posed by Iranian threats to the Straits of Hormuz, on the grounds that Iran is a regional power with a secret network that stretches across the entire region.