| As a matter of principle and practice, I believe in | | | | represents slightly more friendly and reliable |
| Win-Win solutions whenever possible, and that life | | | | sources of imported oil for the United States, we |
| presents us with a virtually unlimited number of | | | | should not allow this to give us a false sense of |
| opportunities to break out of "zero-sum" | | | | security. |
| assumptions to create abundance. In fact, this is | | | | A protracted war in the Middle East, for example, |
| the magic of American-style capitalism. The | | | | could create scarcity and have a significant and |
| economic decisions of millions of individuals | | | | direct impact on oil supplies and oil prices in the |
| throughout our society have for generations | | | | United States, and ultimately on the American |
| created sufficient wealth to ensure an American | | | | economy. Adding to the direct impact, countries |
| standard of living that has been the envy of the | | | | such as Japan, Germany, South Korea, France, |
| world. To be sure, oil is not yet a scarce | | | | Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands import more than |
| resource, but is becoming more costly to | | | | 90 percent of their oil. And nations like China and |
| produce, and the politics of petroleum in the world | | | | India, as well as much of the developing world, |
| today threatens the very foundation of our | | | | are consuming more oil every year. Interruptions |
| national wealth. | | | | in supply from Middle East oil producers could send |
| Petroleum is a commodity, in fact, a market | | | | the global economy into economic free fall. Our |
| basket of commodities that has over the years | | | | Strategic Petroleum Reserve provides little more |
| been priced roughly in relation to the cost of | | | | than short-term protection from interruptions in |
| production. The reality of petroleum supply is that | | | | petroleum supplies, as it amounts to only about |
| it is becoming increasingly costly to produce. | | | | 37 days of United States oil consumption, and |
| Although oil is not yet in scarce supply, low cost, | | | | only 75 -85 days worth of imports. |
| domestic sources have in recent decades been | | | | There is also the unstated cost that the United |
| replaced by increasingly costly "tertiary recovery | | | | States has been incurring to secure Middle East oil, |
| methods", and risky domestic off-shore drilling. | | | | namely, the cost of the umbrella of military |
| Now let's look at how much oil we are importing, | | | | protection we have been providing to the ruling |
| and from where. The top ten oil producers in | | | | elites in the Middle East. Our military supports |
| 2008 were, in order: Saudi Arabia, Russia, United | | | | unstable governments such as Saudi Arabia, |
| States, Iran, China, Canada, Mexico, United Arab | | | | United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait - all of which |
| Emirates, Kuwait, and Venezuela. Several of these | | | | would likely fall into the hands of extremists in the |
| source countries are less than reliable, subject to | | | | absence of support from the United States. |
| political instability, and/or capable of using oil as a | | | | Our economic security and political independence |
| political weapon. Two-thirds of oil imported into | | | | are increasingly at risk. Who will lead us to the |
| the United States comes from five countries (in | | | | energy solutions we need to secure our freedom |
| order of most oil imported): Canada, Mexico, Saudi | | | | here in the United States for generations to |
| Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria. Although from | | | | come? |
| among the world's top producers this list | | | | |