Explain why oil is so important to these countries, US, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, China, Iraq.

The United States' dependence on oil has long influenced its foreign policy. This timeline traces the story of U.S. oil development, and the resulting geopolitical competition and environmental concerns, in more than forty milestones. The three major periods include the rise of oil as a commodity, beginning in 1850; the post-WWII age of geopolitical competition; and the current era of deregulation and diversification.

john locke, hope this .