Today, America stands at the forefront of a wave of historic peace deals in the Middle East. Contrast 19 years ago to today. America was reeling from the enormous destruction of 9/11. America’s values and freedom had come under attack by Islamic terrorists – eager to export their anti-American and antisemitic ideology around the world. That terrorist regime that became known as al-Qaeda has now been decimated – but we will never forget!
Earlier this month, the Kingdom of Bahrain became the second Arab state in under a month to formally establish diplomatic ties with the State of Israel. This follows the historic peace deal reached with the United Arab Emirates. Peace with the Kingdom of Bahrain represents a transformational and generational shift in thinking toward the State of Israel.
Recent American diplomacy has helped eradicate the antiquated, ill-informed, anti-Israel, Arab League policies of the past. A mere generation ago, the thought of an Israeli El Al plane crossing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s airspace and landing in Abu Dhabi was unthinkable. More so, the notion that two Gulf Arab League countries would establish ties with the Jewish state within 30 days was all but impossible.
The last peace treaty between an Arab League state (the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) and Israel was signed in October 1994. The last 26 years have included many ill-fated attempts at peace, dashed hopes and failed dreams. All of America’s leading diplomacy experts were unable to solve the Rubik’s cube of peace in the Middle East – primarily because America had to factor in OPEC’s reaction to any diplomatic peace initiative in the region. America was beholden to established overseas oil interests. Petro-diplomacy usurped the pathway to peace.
That’s no longer the case. Make no mistake, these extraordinary political accomplishments were all made possible by America’s energy abundance and new found independence. The Shale Revolution did not just lower the price of gas at the pump and create millions of American jobs, but it also raised the hopes of peace abroad.
America’s newly realized domestic reserves empower the US to fuel its own freedom – domestically – without being reliant on the Arab world for oil. Today, oil is no longer the currency that binds us to the region, and, in turn, real diplomacy is possible.
By taking oil out of the equation, the enemies of our enemies have become our friends, and America’s allies are overcoming their once irreconcilable differences and uniting to combat existential threats.
American energy independence has yielded a peace dividend. Not only does the US energy industry power the American economy but it gives America the tools it needs to exert its influence overseas and help broker peace in the Middle East.
America’s energy reserves have forced Arab League countries to diversify their one-dimensional economies, re-concentrate their efforts on peace and mobilize to combat the Iranian nuclear threat. Most importantly, this energy freedom has enhanced America’s national security interests.
In turn, 72 years after the State of Israel was founded in 1948, a lasting long-term peace has become possible, thanks to American oil and gas production.
Harold Hamm is executive chairman of the Council for a Secure America (CSA), chairman of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance and executive chairman of Continental Resources. Fred Zeidman is co-chairman of the CSA, chairman emeritus of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and chairman of Gordian Group. John McNabb is the co-chairman of the CSA, chairman of the Free Press Foundation, a director at Continental Resources, previous chairman and CEO of Willbros Group and serves on the Board of Trustees for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.