l producing countries that did not consult with the Middle Eastern oil states before lowering their crude oil prices. The producers feared that other countries would establish monopolies. The aim of OPEC was to create a universal price between the countries, in order to ensure peace between oil producers throughout the world. OPEC also wanted to provide its members with technical and economic support in times of need, since not all the countries were completely stable. Even though the goal of OPEC was to establish firmly unified prices among their members, the organization was not always successful. In their quest for control over the world market of oil production, they have run into several obstacles and setbacks. OPEC has barely survived due to internal conflicts among its members. Since OPEC almost has a complete hold on the worlds oil supply, the United States is extremely concerned with the areas instability. The Middle East and the Persian Gulf area, where most of the members are located, are extremely prone to wars, both civil and cross borders. They are often plagued by religious battles and positions of power are frequently overthrown, making it hard for any stability to come out of the area. Anytime there is chaos in the Middle East, the United States thinks back on "... memories of other troubles in the Persian Gulf area: the Arab oil embargo in 197374, the Iranian revolution in 197980 and Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990" (Hancock 53). The area is also vital to our allies, who would be crippled without Gulf oil, whose livelihood we are dependent on. In 1973, OPEC raised oil prices 70%. "The dominant Middle Eastern members of OPEC used succeeding price increases as a political weapon. They aimed it at Western nations in retaliation for their support of Israel against its Arab neighbors in the so-called Yom Kippur War of October 1973. They accordingly raised prices another 130% at the Tehran Conference of Dec...
