American History and the Middle East

1. Lt. William Francis Lynch Expedition to the Jordan River and Dead Sea (1848) Mexican American War Scientific, Commercial, Institutional, Biblical Agenda Waterway from Mediterranean to Red Sea Manifest Destiny in the Middle East Narrative of the expedition a national bestseller Cotton: the oil of the 19 th century—Egyptian Cotton Ottoman Turkish Empire and former American Slaves

2. Americans increasingly obsessed by the Eastern Mediterranean Greek/Egyptian revival post Napoleonic invasion of Egypt (late 18 th century) Muslim/Arab world a mirror of decay and decadence—captive narratives Validation of biblical stories by on-site verification. Abraham Lincoln first American president to confront Jewish homeland issue.

5. Growing American commercial interest in 19 th century but actual activity limited prior to 1920 Between 1869 and 1876, 7584 ships passed through the Suez Canal. Of that number, 5317 were British and 11 were American. Suez Canal (1869) & Bombardment of Alexandria (1882) U.S. Transcontinental Railroad completed (1869) Suez Canal receives very little coverage In U.S. press British complete Indian Railway System (1870) In 1882, elements of U.S. Mediterranean Naval Squadron were present when British bombarded Alexandria, Egypt in response to the Arabi Revolt. U.S. Navy helps to put out the post-bombardment fires. At home in the U.S., Endicott Board convenes to assess U.S. port vulnerability.

6. Dr. Walter Clay Lowdermilk, Assistant Chief of the Soil Conservation Service (1930s) Author of Palestine: Land of Promise (1944)—Jordan Valley Authority Lowdermilk’s work helps cement a growing informal yet formal relationship with Zionist elements in Palestine, a relationship that began in the immediate post-World War One period. This relationship emerges in a parallel with U.S. foreign oil strategy. Lowdermilk School of Agriculture at Technion University (Haifa, Israel) Pathways to A Troubled Parallel Relationship: Israel and Saudi Arabia (Oil)

8. U.S. Secretary of Interior, Harold Ickes, understood the geopolitical realities of petroleum fueled warfare. U.S. oil left in the ground, foreign oil sources developed. Although Nazi Germany was an earlier practitioner of ‘blitzkrieg’ and mechanized warfare, the United States and Soviet Union employed this style of warfare to greater effect, thereby elevating the primacy of POL. Impact of The Second World War—Birth of Petroleum Fueled Warfare

9. Sign reads: “Middle East” The American Century Is Shaped by Petroleum Arab language media and other press sources regularly reference America’s long-standing interest in Middle East oil. “ The American Century” was a petroleum century. Oil that fueled reconstruction of Europe (Marshall Plan) flowed from the Persian Gulf

10. Growing Relationship With Saudi Arabia—A Key Piece of Oil Strategy On February 14, 1945, immediately following the Yalta Conference, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Saudi King Ibn Saud. Two critical topics were discussed: oil and Palestine Col. William Eddy, USMC, formerly of Standard Oil, translated for the President.

11. President Harry S. Truman and U.S. Security Concerns in the Middle East President Truman is typically recognized for his role in the creation of Israel. Truman’s interest in Middle East went far beyond Israel. Saudi Delegation to the United States (1952) indicative of growing strategic relationship. Emerging multi-layered relationship: cultural exchanges, airlift of stranded Muslims from Beirut to Mecca. 1948 ENERGY CRISIS, US NAVY OIL SUPPLY, CHANGES IN US SOCIETY ( Car Culture)

12. Securing or Denying Oil Resources to Adversaries As Iraqi forces retreated in 1991 they sabotaged Kuwaiti oil fields, a fact that is well-established and regularly advertised. President Harry S Truman reviewed plans for the United States to destroy Middle East oil fields in advance of a Soviet invasion. This fact ‘re-emerged’ from the Truman Library with some embarrassment in 1994. US plans included the use of explosives, cement, and radioactive dust.

13. Middle East Airbases During the Early Cold War—A Key Asset Due to Location and Technological Limitations Dharan, Saudi Arabia, 1950 Southern Flank Strategy U.S. aircraft limited in load capacity and range Gradual expansion of aircraft range & load and miniaturization of nuclear weaponry B-29 crew in Germany immediately after returning from deployment in Saudi Arabia in 1948. NEW SOUTHERN STRATEGY—Iran, Russia, China

14. Arming Saudi Arabia and Other Regional Partners King Khalid Military City (KKMC) 1981 AWACS Sale a Foundation for Major US Investment in Saudi Arabia. Saudi financing & American weaponry. This development was a logical outgrowth of both the Nixon Doctrine & Carter Doctrine. Subsequent applications by later administrations. Impact of Petrodollars: SAMA Investing $16 million an hour by the late 1970s.