Energizing peace : the role of pipelines in regional cooperation

This paper will review the performance of existing routes in the Middle East and North Africa to glean lessons for proposed pipelines in Southwest Asia. With sufficient political will -- and a more informed understanding of the binding power of pipelines -- the United States, European countries, and international bodies can begin to utilize pipeline construction as both an engine of cooperation and a tool of diplomacy. What is needed is a longterm policy outlook that integrates energy transit and transport as part of a broader framework for economic and security cooperation. In this vein, the paper proposes a number of policy recommendations for both the international community and countries directly involved in pipeline source, transit, and point of demand.