 Press
Release
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US
energy needs and foreign policy investigated on the BBC World
Service
Pipeline Politics, beginning 15
September, questions whether America's requirement for oil
determines its foreign policy.
The programme takes a considered look at the
connections between the United States' energy needs and its
international relations in a four part series presented by
writer and broadcaster Maurice Walsh.
The first programme, Addicted to Oil
on 15 September, reveals that America needs 22 million barrels
of oil a day to keep its economy on the road and imports more
than half this amount.
By 2020 forecasts suggest 70% of its oil needs will be
served by overseas suppliers.
The programme finds that although the oil shocks of the
1970s prompted some efforts to curb oil use, successive US
Governments have focused mainly on diversifying oil supplies
by importing oil from as many different parts of the world as
possible.
Iraq's Oil on 22 September
investigates the claim from opponents of the recent conflict
in Iraq who said it was all about oil - a war fought to allow
America access to the world's second largest reserves.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissed this as
"nonsense".
The programme quizzes Washington policy researchers on
plans to privatise Iraq's oil wealth, and serving and retired
US diplomats reflect on controversial suggestions that oil –
so often a cause of conflict around the world – might be used
to promote democracy and stability in the Middle
East.
How comfortable is America buying its oil from regimes
of which it disapproves such as Venezuela, a major oil
supplier whose political leadership has clashed ideologically
with Washington.
Venezuela's Oil Coup on 29 September
asks if there is truth in the rumours that America lent
support to last year's attempted coup in Caracas.
The final programme, A Geopolitical
Pipeline on 6 October, looks at cheap gasoline which
has always seemed part of an American's birthright.
The programme charts the race to open up a new oil
frontier in Azerbaijan where Washington's diplomatic muscle
has ensured the oil flows west towards Europe and the USA,
rather than northwards to Russia or South to its old enemy,
Iran.
Notes to Editors
Pipeline Politics is a series of four programmes, 23
minutes each.
The presenter is Maurice Walsh and the producer is Andy
Denwood. Both are available for interview.
International Broadcast Times:
West Africa: | Mon 09:06 rpt 16:06 | Tues 00:06 | Sun
22:06
Europe: | Mon 08:06 rpt 13:06, 18 :06 | Tues
00:06 | Sun 19:06, 23:06
E and S Africa: | Mon 07:06 rpt
16:06 | Tues 00:06 | Sun 19:06, 23:06
Middle East: | Mon
07:06 rpt 16:06 | Tues 00:06 | Sat 18:06 | Sun 13:06,
23:06
South Asia: | Sun 23:06 rpt Mon 05:06, 09:06, 14:06 |
Sun 06:06
East Asia: | Mon 02:06 rpt 07:06, 12:06, 18:06 |
Sun 08:06
Americas: | Mon 14:06 rpt 19:06 | Tue 00:06,
05:06 | Sun 23:06
Listen online from 13 September (updated weekly on
Mondays) at bbcworldservice.com/programmes
- choose Pipeline Politics from the drop down list of
programmes
BBC World Service broadcasts programmes around the
world in 43 languages and is available on radio and online at
bbcworldservice.com.
It has a global audience of 150 million.
All
the BBC's digital services are now available on Freeview, the new
free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview offers the BBC's eight television channels,
interactive services from BBCi, as well as 11 national BBC
radio networks.
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