Around this time of year, with Veterans Day just behind us and the holiday season rapidly approaching, I become particularly concerned about the men and women currently deployed overseas. I thank God every day for their bravery and sacrifices to ensure the security of our great country.
At the same time, it disappoints me that we continue to occupy and do business with foreign hostile countries from which we purchase oil. Paying billions of dollars a year to these hostile countries is the exact opposite of what is best for our national security interests.
While it is extremely encouraging that we passed Saudi Arabia to become the number one oil producing nation in the world in 2013, the ceiling for our domestic energy production is so much higher. Producing energy here at home de-funds hostile countries while boosting our economy and providing jobs for millions of hard-working Americans. It would save trillions of dollars in military spending. It lowers our energy costs, which we feel not only through lower utility bills and lower prices at the gas pump, but also when we buy goods at cheaper prices thanks to lower manufacturing and shipping costs.
Energy is everywhere, in every part of our lives, all day, every day. Let’s take advantage of our domestic oil and natural gas deposits as we continue to explore and improve other exciting new energy technologies. Energy security is national security. Nothing can move us more quickly toward energy independence than hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
Sincerely,
Tom Coker
Retired Veteran, AREA Steering Committee member
It would help of we had a national energy strategy. Until then, we have a hodgepodge of efforts that are largely not politically correct enough to withstand the whims of the electorate.