The Paranoia of the Superrich and Superpowerful: Washington’s Dilemma on a “Lost” PlanetQ: Does the United States still have the same level of control over the energy resources of the Middle East as it once had? A: The major energy-producing countries are still firmly under the control of the Western-backed dictatorships. So, actually, the progress made by the Arab Spring is limited, but it’s not insignificant.