As far as oil, we'll always need oil...but protecting the US economy and having a foothold were the major issues. Not aquiring oil, and while being a side issue, its definitly a good side issue. Oil is massivly important...and its only going to keep getting that way.
I suggest anyone read the Long Emergency. Link here:
Long Emergency (Amazon)
It deals with the Oil Production Peak, which we are in, and what is going to happen as the resources start to dwindle out (about 20 years from now). The world is going to be an intresting place 20 years from now.
Rolling Stones website had an experct of this book. Its good stuff. Very intresting. Talks about how different life will be if new sources of energy are not found fast. The only problem with it, being later in the book you can definitly tell hes against globalism and big buisness...its still quite thought provoking and well researched.