None of the Pentagon brass, intelligence analysts, or academic experts present posed the big question that really needs asking. Fifty percent now comes from Canada, Venezuela and Nigeria. This is a lot of money, even for Uncle Sam. The US Navy is wearing out its ships and aircraft faster than they can be replaced by keeping battle groups on constant station off the Gulf. The US must defend the flow of Mideast oil, insist American defense wallahs.
Most Gulf states import almost all their food.
If they don't export oil, they don't eat. Ironically, the only major interruption of Mideast oil since 1973 has been caused by the US-led embargo of Iraq. But neither Europe nor Japan thinks Gulf oil needs much defending, and are happy to buy from whomever sells it at market prices. It's true US domination of the Mideast keeps down oil prices. Washington protects weak, unpopular feudal regimes in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.