No War for Oil

Overview

Debunking numerous myths that have emerged about the world’s resources of oil, this book argues that the use of U.S. military power to secure oil is not only needless and costly—in both lives and money—but also counterproductive to U.S. security. Intended to make government, the media, and citizens think more rationally about oil and the use of military power to secure it, this account suggests that the free market is still the best vehicle to deliver the product most efficiently from producer to consumer and that a withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Persian Gulf would be beneficial in the context of potential terrorist threats. Thorough and invaluable, this focused analysis chronicles the history of the battle over oil.

Reviews

“No War for Oil is a tour de force of history, myth-busting, and sturdy policy analysis. It is at once an excellent overview of the development and quirks of the world oil market, a slaying of eleven monstrous but widely believed falsehoods, and a description of how and why our wars for 'energy independence' have had quite the opposite effect. . . . This book could not be more valuable or more timely.”  —Michael C. Munger, professor of political science, public policy and economics, Duke University

“Here at long last is a book that explodes all of the myths underlying the use of military force to protect the global flow of oil. [No War for Oil] not only provides an invaluable account of the misguided policies that have led to ever-increasing U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, but also shows how the demilitarization of U.S. energy policy would better serve the nation's long-term interests.”  —Michael T. Klare, professor of peace and world security studies, Hampshire College

“Eland beautifully weaves history and economics to tell a compelling and, more importantly, true story. He has hit a home run.”  —David R. Henderson, associate professor of economics, Naval Postgraduate School

“In [No War for Oil], Eland provides a catalog of sharply argued rebuttals of the many myths that pervade Americans understanding of oil and national security. His comprehensive, methodical presentation will be very useful for reorienting the policy debate to firm, analytical ground . . . the book convincingly presents the case for substantial changes in American foreign policy.”  —Eugene Gholz, professor, University of Texas

Author Biography

Ivan Elandis a senior fellow and director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at the Independent Institute, a former director of defense policy studies at the Cato Institute, and a former principal defense analyst with the Congressional Budget Office. He is the author of The Empire Has No Clothes, Partitioning for Peace, and Recarving Rushmore. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including the Chicago Tribune, Northwestern Journal of International Affairs, and the Washington Post, and on television programs such as ABC's World News, CNN's Crossfire, and Fox News. He lives in Washington, DC.