Sunday, May 8, 2011

Notes: Chapter 29 and Chapter 7

I have just a really brief outline by page number - its more of a reference guide, I'll put some more detailed notes up for the future chapters

Also - Chapter 7 is a good description of the beginning of oil in the ME (specifically Iran) I will post that below the required class reading notes

Chapter 21: The Oil Weapon – outline and brief notes
·         Pg. 570: Start of Yom Kippur War/October War in 1973
o   “new weapon” = oil embargo
o   “the embargo, like the war…came as a surprise and a shock”
o   “by 1973, oil had become the lifeblood of the world’s industrial economies, and it was being pumped and circulated with very little to spare” 

·         Pg. 571: Mandatory oil Import Program
o   Increase demand for oil
o   Suggested to get rid of quotas and impose tariff à negative response (in US)
o   No removal of import restrictions even after Iran asked for it
o   Increase demand for all forms of energy but decreasing availability of domestic oil
§  Quota system abolished (pg. 572)
·         Pg 572: Qaddafi nationalizes oil: difference between him and Mossadagh was timing
·         Pg. 573: Sadat – Egypt
o   Wants stabilization of Egypt and Israeli relations à need to change Egyptian position/Israeli attitude
o   Oil as a weapon now a viable option
·         Pg. 579: Warnings about potential war are ignored by US – Euro countries
o   Saudi warning, Soviet warning
·         Pg 581: Recognition for a need of secure oil supply
o   Negotiation in Vienna: west/OPEC on 2 different pages
·         Pg. 584: War - Egypt catches Israel by surprise àwarnings shouldn’t have been disregarded
o   US wants to focus on negotiations and not become overtly involved
o   Israel in dire need of supplies: Soviet Union resupplies Egypt and Syria
·         Pg. 587-88: US slow to resupply Israel because it didn’t want to appear outwardly supportive: soon become evident that they have to
o    Plan to deliver supplies quietly and at night fails – airlift happens publically because of weather
·         Pg. 590: Embargo agreed upon and implemented
o   Embargo + domestic trouble in the US
·         Pg. 594: Ceasefire put in place and direct talks between Israel and Egypt begin – oil embargo remains in place



Chapter 7: “Beer and Skittles” Outline and Brief Notes on discovery of oil in ME
·         Pg. 120:
o   Founder of ME oil = William Knox D’Arcy (in Iran)
o   “oil seepage had been noted for centuries in Persia…”
o   Prospects for oil and brief history of Iran (119-120)
o   Rivalry between Brit and Russians
§  Russians seeking fresh water port
·         Pg. 121:
o   British Oil concession – May 28,1901
§  Shah Muzaffer al-Din signed the historic agreement
§  Concession is good for 60 years, covering ¾ of the country
·         Pg. 122: Difficulty of the terrain and other early difficulties discussed
o   1903: 11 months after drilling had begun there were the first shows of oil (p. 123)
·         Pg. 124:
o   Financial difficulties and poor oil flow almost end work in Persia
o   Role of Redwood
·         Pg 125:
o   Burmah oil – Scottish company with head quarters in Glasgow
§  Needed in order to continue to search for oil in Persia (D’Arcy low on funds)
·         Pg. 126:
o   1905: “almost exactly four years …after the concession had been initiated by the Shah in Tehran the match was consummated between Darcy and Burmah oil in London” – called the Concession Syndicate
o   Exploration begins in SW Iran
§  Traces of oil at ancient fire temple site
·         Pg. 127:
o   Description of G. Reynolds and his role
·         Pg. 129:
o   1906: Political unrest in Tehran; results in the end of the Shah’s regime, a new constitution, and the establishment of a Majlis or Parliament
o   Local/ tribal concerns as well as national concerns plague project
o   Anglo-Russian Convention (1907) – “agreement to partition Persia into spheres of influence”
·         Pg. 130:
o   Strain between D’Arcy and Burmah oil- Burmah gives warning of last chance at site (running out of funds)
·         Pg. 131:
o   May 25, 1908: 7 years after the Shah signed the concession agreement oil was struck in Persia
o   Reynolds is eventually fired a couple of years later
·         Pg. 132-33:
o   New company: Anglo-Persian Oil Co. formed
o   Financial difficulties and Difficulties with refineries

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