Discussion with Steve LeVine, author of The Oil and the Glory

The CSIS Energy and National Security Program hosted author Steve LeVine for a discussion on his new book, The Oil and the Glory. In attendance were many with first hand experience in the negotiation and crafting of the deals made a decade ago that eventually brought the first oil and gas from the Caspian Sea region to global markets. LeVine’s discussion centered on the convergence of interests among Caucus states, commercial entities and U.S. policymakers that led to construction of the Supsa and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipelines. He addressed in detail the views of Clinton administration officials that shaped U.S. policy towards the region, seen as a "battleground for influence" with surrounding powers. In addition to assessing the current state of oil and gas development in the Caspian, LeVine also described some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for resource-rich Caspian Sea nations wishing to leverage their endowment to create wealth and support greater political sovereignty.