Saudi Arabia holds one-quarter of the world's proven oil reserves, making security of its oil infrastructure essential to the global economy. A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies cites the kingdom's "weakest link" as its 10,700 miles of pipeline. Still, security is taken so seriously there that "most foreseeable assaults are likely to be quickly confined and any resulting damage is likely to be repaired relatively quickly," says the report. @ Read it at SM Online.

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The percentage of U.S. crude oil imports that came from Africa in 2006, up from 15 percent in 2004. Africa is currently the largest supplier of U.S. crude oil, making strategic alliances in that region critical.