Oil, War, and Strategies

The US War on Terrorism seems to be part of a larger strategy to control (or have military access to) oil and gas fields in the Middle East and Central Asia (the Greater Middle East) by establishing small air bases in that area. The Manas Air Base, in Kyrgyzstan, serves as a model of the bases the US is establishing there:

"at Manas Air Base, nestled in a valley surrounded by the snowcapped, 12,000-ft. peaks of the Ala-too Mountains (..., s)ome 1,100 airmen are stationed at the base, which lies east of the city of Bishkek. Since 2001, the strategic air hub has executed some 18,000 missions - ranging from early combat flights by fighter planes during the Afghanistan war to the current logistical runs transporting troops, cargo, and refueling."

As the commentator, Juan Cole, explains: "the US is seeking to encompass the "Greater Middle East" with small bases, each with 1,000 to 3,000 personnel. In emergencies, these bases could quickly swell to 40,000. Like a lily pad, they can "open up" and accommodate a landing frog." "If you include the Caspian region, Tengiz, and the gas reserves in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan along with what is in the Persian Gulf, the vast majority of proven oil and gas reserves are in this circle of
crisis."

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