Geopolitical Significance of West Asia

West Asia has been the focus of the international attention for a number of reasons. Historically it was a central meeting place of the three old world continents. More recently, it has become the world?s premier geopolitical flash point for two major reasons: (I) the establishment of the state of Israel centrally in the Arab core of a region which is overwhelmingly Islamic, and (II) the realization by a few West Asian states that, between them, they possess the world?s major reserves of petroleum. War and military forces have long affected the development and security of West Asian energy supplies.