Secret Documents Reveal US-British Cold War Plan to Keep Soviet Hands Off Middle East Oil

MOSCOW, (ST)-The American Politico Magazine has revealed “top secret” documents including a plan prepared by the United States and Britain in the 1950s to use nuclear weapon to prevent Soviet Union from getting its hands on oil resources in the Middle East.

“Russia Today” cited “Politico” as saying in a report published recently that the documents, which were classified as confidential for years, expose features of a US- British plan to keep the Soviet Union away from Middle East oil during the 1950s.

 According to the magazine, the plan, known as “denial policy” was drawn up in 1948 during the Berlin Blockade, when the Soviet Union tried to block the West’s access to the German city, so the American and British air forces were forced to air-drop aid to provide vital supplies to Berlin. The plan provided for destroying oil fields and refineries and damaging the pipelines.

 The magazine said that the then US President Harry Truman feared that the possible control of the Russians over Iran and Iraq and probably the Arabian Peninsula would lead to curbing oil supplies to America and Britain and that Soviet expansion in the Midlle East would be impossible. Therefore, an official plan was set to destroy oil facilities in the region.    

The magazine pointed out that the American National Security Council drew up a plan, officially known as NSC 26/2, and was approved by President Harry Truman in 1949. The plan was for American and British companies to destroy all Middle East oil resources and facilities so as they don’t fall under the Soviet Union’s control.

Based on National Security Council documents, the Central intelligence agency undersecretary Allen Dulles immediately approached Terry Duce, Aramco’s vice president of government relations, for advice about implementing a covert denial plan in Saudi Arabia. Aramco owned the rights to produce Saudi Arabian oil and had a working relationship with the country’s government.

“Aramco” Company, which was jointly owned at the time by predecessor companies of Exxon Corp., Mobil Inc., Chevron Corp. and Texaco Inc. threw itself into the effort by providing the CIA with crucial advice, including how to plug oil wells and disable refineries. Through Duce, Aramco also volunteered its employees to execute the plan and was even willing to consider their induction into the military if the plan were triggered.

The documents point out that Britain has successfully tested its own nuclear weapons in early 1950s and stressed that the perfect way to destroy oil facilities would be by the use of nuclear weapons.

Hamda Mustafa