Before the Gulf war, Iraq imported about two-thirds of its food.

ECONOMIST: Iraq

The Gulf is so far away that prior to World War Two, few Americans thought there was any reason to visit the sparsely populated region, much less establish a permanent military presence there.

FORBES: What Happens When America No Longer Needs Middle East Oil?

Thanks to the Lockerbie disaster, the Gulf war and a recession, air travel then fell for two years in a row.

ECONOMIST: Aircraft industry