xACKNOWLEDGMENTSa beer, arguments (clarifications!), emailed links, or even copies of their
electricity bills.
I also met my wonderful wife, Chloe, in nearby Baghdad, and the
explorations of the Gulf that I describe in this book and my previous one
were done as much through Chloe’s eyes as mine. Saying I couldn’t have
done it without her is an understatement. Our adventures ranged from
hikes among the mountain villages and canyons of Ras al- Khaimah to
our secret campsites in Fujairah, the Musandam, Jebel Misht, and, most
memorably, Jebel Rawdah; our breakfasts on the beach; and cocktails
among the dunes and atop the Burj al- Arab. Best of all was the birth and
first year of life of our son, Jay.
After leaving the Gulf, we spent our next four years together in Cam-
bridge, where— on the first day of my doctoral studies— Chloe gave birth
to our daughter, Connie, to whom this work is dedicated. While Cam-
bridge was more work than fun, I came to enjoy its eccentricities, its
medieval pubs, and cycling under vast East Anglian skies churning with
clouds. Chloe’s backing was crucial in allowing me to spend a year doing
fieldwork in the Gulf, which I did in numerous three- week jaunts to all
six countries.
At Cambridge I was lucky to work under the impressive faculties of
David Reiner, whose knowledge of literature in political science, eco-
nomics, and energy policy is matched by his affability and dedication.
I am grateful for his diligence in providing comments and edits that
helped shape this book. We held many of our discussions at ancient pubs
in the medieval city as well as in attendance at two fabulous Cambridge
Beer Festivals.
Since leaving Cambridge, I have been extremely lucky to find myself
employed by the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, in
Houston. Rice deftly combines intellectual power and Southern grace
on a campus replete with live oaks, drenching humidity, and high- level
policy discussions. At Baker, I owe a huge thank you to Ken Medlock,
the director at the Center for Energy Studies, and Ambassador Edward
Djerejian, the institute’s founding director. Ken in particular has helped
shape my thinking on energy, as have the regular debates and events at
the center. For endowing my research fellowship at the institute I also