David goldwyn , a consultant and until recently the us state department 's top diplomat for oil affairs , said weak economic growth demonstrated that the oil disruption was inflicting " severe and long lasting damage " a precondition for washington to authorise the release of the oil reserve .
" Countries want to make sure they have the ability to develop resources and to make sure their trading routes are protected , " said david l. goldwyn , a former special envoy for international energy affairs at the state department .
