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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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