“jean jaures” has a very distorted view of Middle Eastern realities. If he’s going to believe chomsky, judt, and edward said, then he’s going to be confused at best. Yes, oil is an American interest in the Middle East and various US administrations have frankly stated that. However, oil as a US interest has worked against Israel. The State Dept in the late Forties was very hostile to Israel becoming a state and was notoriously pro-Arab.
Starting in 1951, the US Treasury began what might be called disguised US foreign aid for Saudi Arabia, helping the Saudi royals to become fabulously rich. This foreign aid worked through the Foreign Tax Credit law on the books since about 1920. Most of the price of oil was paid as an “oil income tax.” Hence, it could be deducted dollar for dollar from the US corporate tax of ARAMCO. If chomsky, judt, and edward said did not mention this disguised foreign aid, then their accounts were distorted and misleading.
