"..America was prepared to start a war " *sigh*...no, one administration official was found to have raised the question of 'whether' America should consider certain actions. That is FAR from "...prepared to start a war..."
There is ALWAYS someone who will raise these issues in almost every country, but 'usually' they don't get quoted and publicized. (and, in some ways, it is important that such questions BE considered, even if it is only to generate discussion and expose them as BAD ideas!) It WAS rejected, you notice.

We all know that the world will soon be faced with some major decisions about how to deal with declining oil reserves, but hyperbolé and exaggeration will not help.