Oil scarcity drives Red Storm Rising's NATO war

In the novel, Muslim terrorists destroy the Soviet Union's largest petrochemical plant while believing they are striking a blow for freedom. The resulting oil shortage pushes Kremlin leaders toward Persian Gulf supplies as the answer to an energy-security crisis. They conclude that reaching those supplies first requires neutralizing NATO's ability to respond. A resource seizure therefore expands into a general war built on diplomatic deception and operational surprise, including the invasion and occupation of Iceland.