Crude Interventions: The United States, Oil and the New World (Dis)Order

by Garry Leech

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new world disorder is emerging in which battles over resources are playing an increasingly prominent role. The importance of oil to this picture is underscored by the unilateral and militaristic foreign policy of the world's largest power in its attempt to secure access to this critical resource. In this global context, oil-rich communities of the South are being drawn into struggles to defend their sovereignty, cultural integrity, human rights and threatened ecosystems.

Crude Interventions examines the military and economic policies of the Bush administration in oil-rich regions of the world. More precisely, it examines the socio-economic and human rights consequences of these policies, as well as those of recent US administrations and multinational energy companies, for the peoples of oil producing nations in the global South. With only four percent of the world's population, the United States consumes 25 per cent of global energy production. This thirst for energy has played a significant role in determining US foreign policy in recent decades. The desire to secure access to reliable supplies of oil has played an even more prominent role in determining the foreign policy of the government of George W. Bush than previous administrations.

By focusing on the US role in Iraq, Central Asia, West Africa, Colombia and Venezuela, Crude Interventions makes evident the connections between US energy interests, the war on terror, globalization, human rights abuses and other social injustices endured by those peoples of the South cursed with an abundance of the world's most sought after resource.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Garry Leech is an independent journalist and author whose work is rooted in the global struggle for social justice. He also teaches international politics at Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Reviews

[Himadri Pandya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am usually inclined against reading any genre other than fiction for the reason that non fiction is seldom well written. I will take this book as a sign to read more journalistic accounts.

Guess I owe a thanks to the friend who accidentally piqued my interest by leaving it unattended in front of me XD

[Timothy Kaiser · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book is clearly written from a anti-US position and does not take into account the conflicts already happening in those countries before US involvement. Also the countries written about are countries that have a long history of drug running, gang violence, and conflict. While the US tried to help these people in order to benefit the US as well, the book continually focuses on what the US did for themselves.