The Power and the Peril of Oil is a passionately written account about how oil has given strength and empowered some Middle Eastern countries while it has imperiled others, causing numerous problems. This book documents the history, politics, and players in the quest for dominance of the region and its highly prized resource. It explains how oil has been the criteria for choosing allies or enemies for the U.S. disregarding the hidden consequences.
It is an eye opening, captivating read, full of scintillating documents, maps, images, and facts, peppered with straightforward information about the history of Iran’s nuclear program. Written from the author’s firsthand experiences, personal knowledge, and research, the book provides information on the major players and moneymakers in oil, the influence of Islam, the complexity of the Middle East, and Iran’s geopolitical importance today for control of oil.
The Power and the Peril of Oil, ISBN 978-0-9941070-8-4 can be purchased from book stores or direct from the publisher: The Copy Press. Phone: 643-547-2972. Fax: 643-547-2973. www.copypress.co.nz. E-mail: infor@copypress.co.nz. Price $27.50
The E-book version is available. Both the hard copy and electronic (Kindle) version of the book may be purchased from Amazon.com, as well as major book stores. ISBN # 978-0-9941070-8-4
INTRODUCTION:
The failure of the U.S. to gain control of Iraq and its oil has made Iran a more sought-after target for the greedy, rich oil companies. Iran’s nuclear program is being used as an excuse and a pretense for starting a war for oil with Iran. The accusation by U.S. politicians and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, that the Islamic Republic of Iran is trying to build a bomb to destroy America and Israel is far from the truth. It is one more deception by politicians and the mainstream media, deliberately trying to make the public believe something that is not true. Allegations in regard to Syria and Iran are similar to the erroneous claims made about Iraq.
Admittedly, Saddam Hussein of Iraq was a tyrant dictator. There are other dictators in our world like him and even worse, such as King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia with his notorious record on human right issues. Saddam was not a threat to the world or the security of the U.S., but he was to Israel. He was a stabilizing force and held his country together. Osama bin Laden himself called Saddam a “sick Arab,” for not aligning with Al Qaeda nor allowing militants access into his country. Today Iraq is divided, and insurgency and terrorism have made it a human slaughterhouse.
My intention in writing this book is to disclose enough information so that responsible leaders, politicians, and the general public can make wise and informed decisions, in the hope of preventing another war for oil and further economic hardship to the U.S and the rest of the world. Through my personal experiences, I have witnessed my birth country, Iran, ruined by oil and foreign politics. It is difficult for me to see my second country, America, possibly be destroyed because of wars for oil and politics of Israel and Saudi Arabia. By showing the other side of the coin, we could be one step closer to peace in the Middle East.
One of the hidden problems of a war with Iran, which the mainstream media does not report, is the possible negative consequence. I concur with General Dempsey, the former commander of Joint Forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East, saying that: “A war with Iran at this point would be disastrous, foolish, destabilizing, and not prudent”.
Iran is well prepared to defend itself as Persians are united. It is quite different from the situation in Iraq, where the population is divided into Kurds, Shi’ites, and Sunnis, and the U.S. was able to break the mold between the three groups and topple Saddam. Iran is a much larger country with a population three times greater than Iraq, and has the capability to close the Strait of Hormuz. In addition, it has several strong allies, such as Hezbollah and Russia. There is no doubt that Iran’s military is not comparable to that of the U.S., and the American military would be able to take over that country within a short time. However, I would expect that the guerrilla warfare and covert retaliations would never end. I fear that not a single foreign soldier would come home without harm – mental or physical.
Also, Russia would not want the U.S. to have another military base on its doorstep. Furthermore, Iran supplies natural gas to Pakistan. A war with Iran would interrupt the flow, and Pakistanis would have to live in the dark, which would not be without retaliation toward those who attack Iran.
I felt an obligation to write this book, because of my knowledge about the culture, the history, and the people of the Middle East, especially Iran. Therefore, after months of research for my well-received presentations on ‘The Power and the Peril of Oil’, as a guest-lecturer on cruise ships I began writing. I thought that more people in the world should be aware of the perils of oil, which are often hidden and much more damaging to countless people, than the power or value it brings to the wealthy oil companies, tyrants, dictators, religious leaders, and some countries.
Writing is my passion, and I want to make a difference, hoping that through my books I can be instrumental in fostering peace in the Middle East. “If I sit silently, I have sinned”, is a poignant and valued saying by Dr. Mossadegh. And to quote Nelson Mandela: “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace”. I, too, feel a moral responsibility.
AWARDS AND REVIEWS:
HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS
March 7th, 2015 Great Northwest, USA, Book Festival
June 23rd, 2015 Amsterdam Book Festival
June 19th, 2015 New York Book Festival
23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Books are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “needs improvement” and 5 meaning “outstanding”. Judge’s Comments:
Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5
Voice and Writing Style: 5
Production Quality and Cover Design: 5Congratulations on writing and publishing your book! The packaging is extremely professional. The front cover image immediately drew my attention and does a great job of marketing the book to your readers. The book is highly informative and is an important read for Americans and people from around the world. I appreciated that you included so many references and reading suggestions at the end of the book. You have clearly done a great deal of research and you present your material in a conversational, reader-friendly style. You present enough evidence to make your point without belaboring it, keeping the pace brisk. The structure and organization of the book are strong. You have a wonderful collection of photographs, maps, and other images, all of which are reproduced with great clarity on these pages. I particularly appreciated the excellent use of color, which really sets this book apart. Great job with grammar and proofreading. The formatting of the interior of the book is excellent.
Judge Number: 87
Firooz, I wish to congratulate you on a superbly compiled work on a complex topic – Oil and the Middle East. As an English teacher, I can scarcely believe it has been written by a non-native speaker. Your long period of earnest enquiry has paid off handsomely. This work should prompt those of us who are daily bombarded with journalistic half-dash truth and lazy untested assertions, to burrow further into this complicated world of intrigue and power politics. I look forward with eager anticipation to your next publication.
Mr. Doug Hill BA CELTA. Director, Richmond Hills Language School
Firooz your book is so timely and right on the spot about oil, Islam, Iran, and the Middle East. The way things are going you may have to make some changes! The USA may partner with Iran to save Iraq’s bacon from the Sunnis because there is no other option or another country to ask for help in this situation in Iraq. Also, now that the U.S. and Iran are actually in talks about Iran’s nuclear program the ball game has to change. So Firooz you, may have to change things from “why we should partner with Iran” to “why it was a good idea to partner with Iran”.
Chris Hill
The Power and the Peril of Oil, is an insightful and enlightening piece of literature. Firooz Zadeh gave me a rare insight into the complex and confusing world of the Middle East’s greatest ‘asset’ oil. It also introduced me to the life of the Iranian people, both in Iran and abroad. They truly live in a beautiful country and one they obviously love a great deal. Jenny Bates, Waimea Weekly and Nelson Weekly Oil’s Human Cost Divulged: For such a small book The Power and the Peril of Oil is an information blockbuster that reveals how greed and how the United States and Britain’s drive to control the Middle East’s oil has destroyed nations and democracy, supported terrorism and turned countries into future-less slaughterhouses.
Helen Murdoch, The Tasman Leader, July 31, 2014
The Power and the Peril of Oil, is a good read for those who would like to know more about the troubles which beset the Middle East. Written in a clear style, which explains the meaning of words and actions, which have been used by the propaganda machine to legitimize their actions of aggression and crimes against humanity. A wise person told me that, if you can find out who is making money out of war, you will see who is causing it. Thank you Firooz. I wish you well with your message of peace from John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’.
Alan Gardiner
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