ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the US Defence Department's recent focus on operational energy security is relatively new. The chapter explains that in the short run, America's major European allies are hobbled by institutional and organisational limitations, including an overly ad hoc approach and a lack of bureaucratic champions. Historically, American interest in military operational energy security has been episodic, ebbing and flowing depending, first, on conditions in the global energy system, and second, on extant military operations. The chapter shows that the available evidence appears to indicate that when energy is expensive, unreliable and/or scarce, the USA cares a great deal about operational energy security. It posits that the primary reason for American inconstancy in this issue area is cultural. The chapter addresses the intermittent nature of America's interest in operational energy security. It then discusses European approaches to operational energy security before offering some thoughts on the way ahead.
