Includes bibliographical references and index.

The dependency dilemma: imported oil and national security -- Lethal embrace: the American alliance with Saudi Arabia -- Choosing dependency: the energy strategy of the Bush Administration -- Trapped in the Gulf: the irresistible lure of bountiful petroleum -- No safe havens: oil and conflict beyond the Persian Gulf -- Geopolitics reborn: the U.S.-Russian-Chinese struggle in the Persian Gulf and Caspian Basin -- Escaping the dilemma: a strategy for energy autonomy and integrity. A world security expert assesses the critical role that petroleum plays in America's actions abroad, warning that the nation's ever-increasing dependency on foreign oil from turbulent countries is bound to lead to recurrent military involvement in these areas.