Whatever happened to OPEC? This text unravels the puzzle: why did countries with such major divergences in size, population, resources, economic structures, governmental systems, culture and ethnicity all follow the same path to political and economic development, and with such wretched results? How did OPEC members benefit from their three trillion-dollar windfall? And where did all that money go? Why did the anticipated plenty, affluence, political stability and liberation all turn into austerity, deficits, debts, disappointment and decay? It explores OPEC's rise, decline and virtual disappearance as a world commercial force.