It's a little startling how many people talk up the notion of American energy independence - usually dressed up in why are we buying oil from people that hate us rhetoric - without it seems ever stopping to consider what the strategic consequences of America no longer being tied to Mideast oil would be - these people are making statements that are ostensibly strategic in nature and yet they completely ignore the the strategic fallout of such a turn. Seems pretty odd to me - maybe not too surprising though, level of discourse in Washington and elsewhere being what it is.
In short - if we're no longer addicted to Mideast oil, what happens to our military commitment to the region? What's our motivation, how do we rationalize the expenditure, the loss of blood and treasure, defending other peoples energy supplies? Even if we vow a business as usual strategic commitment to the region in order to preserve the world economy, in reality how will such a thing play politically, even psychologically? And what about Israel? If energy independence causes us to detach from the region and it's troubled cultures both civic and social, what happens to Israel? And what about China? If we pull back they will most certainly step in - hell, they're doing it now - how would the big picture strategic map change with such a dramatic upending of things?
Not once have I heard anyone bring up these issues when flippantly spouting off about American energy independence. I'd like to think these people understand the implications of what they're talking about but bury it because the real treat is the freedom from people that hate us silliness. Still, who knows - there are a lot foolish people out there.
