Even though the embargo was aimed at the US and the Netherlands, market forces shifted oil among consumers, and in the long term all consuming countries suffered shortages of supply and the same price shock. Oil embargos turned out to be a blunt instrument that hurt many besides the targeted countries.
但是到了1973年的赎罪日战争的时候，由于美国对进口石油不断增加的需求，阿拉伯的石油禁运产生了更大的效果。这一禁运提高了物价，引发了世界范围的通货膨胀和经济停滞。它还表明，石油是一种可替代商品。尽管禁运针对的是美国和荷兰，但是市场的力量在消费者之中调配着石油。从长期而言，所有的消费国家都遭受供应短缺和相同的价格冲击。石油禁运到头来是一把钝刀，既打击了目标国家，也伤害了其他许多人。