The answer must be yes, if the vaunted new world order is to be anything but a rationalization for protecting the oil lifeline in the Persian Gulf.

Even if Saddam Hussein had a stranglehold on the oil lifeline, he would still need to find buyers on a world market.

Examining Iraq's outsize military and unresolved territorial claims, the report talked about possible attacks on Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, which would give Iraq control of the West's oil lifeline.

In this way, they appeared to be willing to defend their oil lifeline by putting as little as possible in the kitty to remain in the game.

We cannot allow Mr. Hussein to blackmail us and our allies into accepting his aggressive goals by giving him a choke hold on our oil lifeline.

The pipeline is the United States' most important oil lifeline and may also be its most vulnerable.

Our purpose should be to keep the Russians out of the gulf, away from the West's oil lifeline.

Iran Is Dependent on Gulf Iraq says Iran's oil lifeline through the gulf is a legitimate, military target since Iranian oil revenues provide the funds for weapons purchases.

Then the White House worried about securing the oil lifeline through a cease-fire, though this mainly protected Iranian oil.

"Iraq is intent on cutting off Iran's oil lifeline, and vice versa," Mr. Mizrahi said.