Oil or more correctly untapped oil reserves and removal of oil producers that don't want to play nice,economically speaking. Namely Iran who now accepts euros for their oil instead of only dollars. Once the troops are drawn down from Iraq I believe Israel will move on Iran. The ME will get very hot for awhile so we are looking to cultivate other sources of oil and hopefully displace China in the process.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Sudan#Oil
http://www.economist.com/node/15825780
-——Once the troops are drawn down from Iraq I believe Israel will move on Iran-——
Interesting thought. Why should the Israelis wait till Iraq is evacuated? Why not now?