Energy

We Must Transition to Sustainable Energy Systems – starting now!

The many complex and often competitive aspects of the energy industry have made it virtually impossible for the U.S. Congress to craft energy legislation that actually solves many obvious problems associated with our production and use of energy.

America has abundant natural resources that supply a wide variety fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) and renewable energy sources (biomass, wind and sunlight). Our engineers command many wonderful technologies that convert these raw materials into useful forms of energy in a safe, efficient and clean manner.

But we don't use our resources wisely; instead this Administration and the Congress protect the status quo. Rather than embrace change and solve real problems, they cling to flawed models of free market competition, ignore opportunities to reduce pollution and continue to subsidize inefficient business practices. The result of these failed policies is ongoing conflict, such as the quagmire in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as air pollution, toxic waste, water pollution, price gouging, blackouts, market manipulation and greenhouse gases pollution.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita drove home our vulnerability of our dependence on petroleum transportation fuels. With gasoline prices spiking to more than $3 per gallon, the public is beginning to lose confidence in the integrity and competence of industry and government energy officials. I know we can do better.

Visit Americans for Energy Independence for more information. AEI is a group dedicated to creating Freedom Fuels that will provide America with independence from foreign oil, by the year 2025. They have a petition that thousands have signed, in support of this crusade. Their goals and solutions are very similar to my own, with regard to alternative energy research and development.

Do We Want Oil Dependency to Drive U.S. Foreign Policy?

The Bush Administration is losing the War on Terror because it continues to seek a military solution to an economic and cultural problem.

Until the root causes of terrorism are fully disclosed and understood, the War on Terror and the Occupation of Iraq will continue to waste resources and make America less, not more, secure. In an effort to promote honest discussion of these issues, I wrote Oil Funds Terrorism on 15 September 2001, only four days after 9/11.

A little background on global oil markets and US energy and military policy may help us understand the situation we face today.

The Texas Railroad Commission lost control of global petroleum markets when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was formed in the early 1970's and Saudi Arabia became the marginal cost supplier of crude oil. President Jimmy Carter, a nuclear engineer, took action to reduce American dependency on foreign oil with programs to stimulate investment in renewable energy and alternative fuels. The Iranian hostage crisis ended his presidency and his leadership on energy policy.

Since 1980 U.S. energy policy has focused on exploiting foreign sources of oil rather than investing in America. The Reagan Administration denounced big government and cut Carter's Energy Independence programs; he even junked the solar hot water systems installed to serve the needs of the first family. Unfortunately for the US taxpayer Reagan then initiated a massive military buildup that included construction of airbases and other military facilities in Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

The reaction of many Saudis to this new American military presence was swift and negative. Unfortunately oil industry needs for security outweighed cultural sensitivities and the military build-up continued. The situation exploded out of control in 1990 when Sadaam Hussain occupied Kuwait and threatened shipments of oil from Saudi Arabia to the West and Japan. The US military moved 500,000 troops into Saudi Arabia and we subsequently drove Saddam's army back into Iraq. But Bush I did not finish the job. He left Sadaam in power and established "no fly" zones that required America to maintain a force of about 40,000 troops to monitor Iraqi aggression.

The tragedy is that, despite complete lack of democracy and many human rights violations, American money and military power has protected the House of Saud for more than 30 years. Political factions in Saudi Arabia resent what they perceive to be our interference in their internal affairs. Not only does the House of Saud repress political dissent, it manipulates oil markets to satisfy the Western needs for cheap oil. We are now reaping the fruits of terrorism that have erupted from seeds planted and nourished by our long-term military presence in Saudi Arabia and our support of the King and the Royal Family.