Putting Out Fire with Mid-Eastern Oil

"The U.S. is playing with fire, with nothing to put it out."

George Marshall opposed recognition of the new state of Israel in 1947 for strategic reasons: alienating Arab allies would eliminate an important strategic resource. The Secretary of State said Arab oil was necessary to American interests, and cahoots with Israel would interfere with that, possibly causing a geopolitical "fire."

But George, you don't put out fires with oil. So it's probably for the best that your access to that flammable Mid-Eastern crude was limited.

David McCulloch, Truman, pp. 604-05.