By Jeremy Schupbach jshoebox@mac.com Fareed Zakaria's Newsweek piece is well worth reading as an analysis of the foreign policy implications of America's dependence on foreign oil. Zakaria, is dead on in his dissection of the problem, namely that our dependence on foreign oil is crippling our foreign policy. He argues that the money and energy being spent advancing our foreign agenda is nothing compared to the money and energy being pumped right back into the regions we are so rightly trying to change. We are frustrating our own agenda.
It's a great piece, but then he jumps ship and blames SUVs. No kidding. So I'm going to help the guy out.
The solution to decreasing American dependence on foreign oil is not increasing government fuel mileage requirements. More efficient cars, solar energy, wind power and all the other green fads may very well have their place in the future. But right now, when "America's foreign policy is being crippled" we don't have time to convert to hydrogen.
The solution now is to expand capacity at home. Increase domestic oil production, build a few refineries -there hasn't been a serious increase in production capacity since I was in diapers- and drill ANWR.
If we expand our domestic capacity we will be far less dependent on foreign oil, and a strong and secure home lead to a confident effective foreign policy, and that, Mr. Zakaria, is what leads to a "stable, peaceful and open world."