AllMovie

Filmmaker James Earp draws on the theories of Nation magazine defense correspondent Michael T. Klare to challenge conventional wisdom regarding the theory that America's military engagements in the Middle East are motivated by oil, and correct the historical record surrounding the controversial theory. By exploring recently declassified documents and recalling forgotten passages in prominent presidential doctrines, Earp highlights how America's obsession with oil has driven our country's foreign policy for over sixty years. In the course of that time, our energy and military policies began to mirror one another in a way that is deeply unnerving to some. In order to prevent America from stumbling from one oil war into the next, says the filmmaker, we must radically rethink our energy policy and shift our focus away from the hunt for diminishing petroleum supplies.