US ‘Energy Dominance’ Myth Exposed: Gulf Oil Dependence Undermines Geopolitical Claims Amid Iran Crisis

Indigenous and local communities in the Gulf region have long contested the extraction and export of oil, framing it as a violation of land sovereignty and cultural heritage. The Bedouin and other tribal groups, for example, have historically resisted state and corporate control over their territories, viewing oil wealth as a tool of dispossession rather than development. Their perspectives are entirely absent from mainstream US-centric narratives, which reduce the region to a mere ‘chokepoint’ for global energy flows.

The US ‘energy dominance’ narrative ignores the historical continuity of US intervention in oil-producing regions, from the 1953 coup in Iran to the 2003 Iraq War, all justified under the guise of securing energy supplies. This pattern reveals how fossil fuel dependence has repeatedly been used to legitimise military and economic interventions, often with catastrophic consequences for local populations. The myth of energy independence is a recent rhetorical invention, masking decades of reliance on foreign oil.

In contrast to the US-centric ‘energy dominance’ framing, many Global South nations view oil as a double-edged sword—bringing wealth to elites while imposing environmental and social costs on marginalised communities. In Nigeria, for instance, oil extraction has led to decades of conflict, pollution, and state repression, with little benefit to local populations. This cross-cultural perspective highlights how the US narrative serves as a tool of geopolitical control rather than a genuine pursuit of energy security.

Scientific evidence demonstrates that the US remains structurally dependent on imported oil, despite claims of ‘energy dominance.’ US refineries are specifically engineered for medium-sour crude from the Persian Gulf, making the country vulnerable to supply disruptions. Additionally, the economic and environmental costs of oil dependence—including price volatility, air pollution, and climate change—are well-documented but rarely incorporated into geopolitical analyses.

Artistic and spiritual traditions in the Gulf region often frame oil as a ‘cursed resource,’ symbolising the moral corruption of unchecked extraction and consumption. In Persian poetry, for example, oil is sometimes depicted as a ‘black gold’ that brings both wealth and ruin, reflecting the duality of human ambition and environmental degradation. Western narratives, by contrast, often treat oil as a purely economic commodity, devoid of cultural or spiritual significance.

Future modelling suggests that the US could achieve true energy independence by accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources, reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports. Scenario planning indicates that investments in solar, wind, and battery storage could not only enhance energy security but also mitigate climate risks and reduce geopolitical tensions. However, current policies remain locked into fossil fuel infrastructure, perpetuating dependence on volatile global markets.

Marginalised voices—including indigenous communities, environmental activists, and Global South populations—are systematically excluded from mainstream narratives about US ‘energy dominance.’ In the Gulf, these groups bear the brunt of oil-related conflicts, pollution, and economic instability, yet their perspectives are rarely heard in Western media. Their exclusion reinforces the illusion of US energy security while obscuring the true costs of fossil fuel dependence.