Never Happen

If there’s one part of the world that America would like to be less encumbered by, it’s the volatile and oil-rich Middle East. But energy independence will not likely spell the end of our engagement in that region.

On the contrary, lower energy prices will undermine the stability of the Persian Gulf monarchies, whose oil revenues have enabled them to win their populations’ loyalties through patronage. These countries seldom share American values or interests. Thus, anything that destabilizes them would create problems that Washington will probably not ignore.