The real *problem* is that the American people refuse to coinsider CONSERVING energy and doing with less fuel like every other major western country can and has. This then dictates their foreign policy which is to trade peace for oil.
Simon, I don't know if this is really an accurate statement but it may certainly qualify for a general one.
It isn't the American people who refuse to consider, its the government who are run by corporations who realize their billions of dollars in profit might be reduced if they allow the oil consumption to drop. One of the last reports I read, gave a clear indicator that the US has enough coal of its own that can be converted into clean diesel fuel to last the next 500 years. Instead of spending three trillion dollars on a war for oil, they could have spent the money on getting those systems up and running and been non oil dependent in short order. They opt not too. With the amount of money corporations save(d) by moving head quarters off shore to avoid paying taxes, there could have been enough windmill farms installed that would generate electricity for dozens of cities.
Many, not all, do want the oil dependency reduced but how? The transportation systems are a mess - there is not the same level of public transportation in the US that you see in England, Germany or most other countries and that's simply because of the geography. Most people outside the cities need cars in order to make a living - they can't live in the cities because they don't make enough money, so they move to the outskirts which then forces them to drive longer to retain their employment.
If the US decided tomorrow they were going to fire up the coal mines and use their own resources, the price of oil around the world would plummet and at that point, I could see the government easing up on their new plan because oil is cheap again and so the circle goes around and around. By the way, I heard yesterday on some show or other, that the US actually only uses 20% of their consumption of oil for transportation - I didn't hear what the other 80% is used for. sammieswife.
