As far as alternative energy goes. If we are the largest consumers of energy resources woudln’t it make sense to develop a source of energy that is a little more self sustaining? If the middle easy lives a baller lifestyle and their income is reduced, how can they continue to afford to lead some baller lifestyle. It’s not that easy to just give up a way of life.
I don’t think that if we stopped using the oil from the middle east that China would all of a sudden have some sort of leverage (but honestly I don’t know the oil market so I can’t say with certainty). China already has leverage in terms of manpower, lack of environmental restrictions, resources and the consumption of our old resources (scrap).
Either way, you take away an income and you can cripple an economy. Especially one soo built around a product.
The US has its own reserves for the reasons of national security anyhow. Why do you think we use foreign oil. Once it’s gone, we still have ours. AMERICA FUCK YEAH.