This was official US policy for much of the post-war era and a large part of the reason the US encouraged the development of oil fields in the Gulf. In WWII th

This was official US policy for much of the post-war era and a large part of the reason the US encouraged the development of oil fields in the Gulf. In WWII the Allies deeply learned the benefits of having vast, safe oil resources in lands untouchable by the enemy. US policy after the war called for encouraging foreign development, especially by the US majors, in order to keep our reserves in tact for the next war.