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Hello and here is my newest and hopefully less ASB TL. I'm basing this on an extended Arab oil Embargo due to Israel in the wake of the Yom Kippur war being more militaristic and refusing to move out of the occupied territories on the Sinai. This flies in the face of promises made by the US to OPEC for their withdrawal, thus extending the embargo. I'm exploring the effect this may have on the Cold War and Western nations in general. I hope if you read this you enjoy.

1974: Amid a continued oil embargo by OPEC the United States under Gerald Ford seeks a diplomatic solution to the current oil crisis. Negotiations with Israel have broken down after Israel has staunchly refused to evacuate the Sinai Peninsula or the Golan Heights. With OPEC seeing the American promise of Israeli troops with drawls fall flat on its face the Arab nations flat out reject any chance of lifting the embargo past 1975 in order to give the US a little extra incentive to continue their negotiations.

In Asia as the Vietnam war grinds on communist guerrillas continue to wage a vicious campaign against American service men. North Vietnam resolutely continues its campaign to control the south. At home American support for the war dwindles rapidly as more and more young men are sent to the front. Protests become more common. Gas prices soar and the government considers rationing fuel and broadcasts such warnings to the public. Further earning resentment. The withdrawal of troops begins in earnest as more men are brought home in order to appease the popular demand at home.

In Europe the oil embargo sparks fierce criticism of NATO. England is the first nation to publicly condemn the United State's lack of progress in stopping Israels aggression. France soon follows as other NATO nations seek to distance themselves from the the US. Turkey begins to question its part in the Alliance and there are protests demanding the nations withdrawal from the alliance. Japan seeks more business with the Arab states and seeks to compensate by increased trade agreements.

The Soviet Union reacts lethargically. The corrupt government under Leonid Brezhnev has little to say on the issue. They provide support to OPEC diplomatically but do little else save import more oil to their Warsaw puppets. Little does Brezhnev know that more aggressive players wait in the wings.

The world stands on a knife edge as black gold seems to become more scarce in the West.
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