In seven years the US is expected to become the No. 1 producer of crude oil.

If we aren't dependent on them for oil, who gives a rat tail? Not like there are any shortage of screwy governments in the world. The only reason people in the US care is the constant threat of cutting off oil.

 

That's just it. We've had to eat a lot of shit in Middle East policy over the years because of oil. If we make it to net exporter, that dynamic changes drastically.

 

Afghanistan and Somalia are both non-exporters of oil in that part of the world, and both have been misadventures initiated by oil-friendly Bushes.

 

A group of Wahabbist plutocrats who have a history of funding terrorism threatened with the loss of their kingdom angry at America... what could possibly go wrong?

 

Actually, terrorism be damned, it is more in our national interests to use up everyone else's oil before we use up our own.

No one is ever going to say that though.

Mad Max.

 

They're a year behind on reporting this.

 

Or maybe I should say this thread is a year behind.

 

I didn't see any threads on this subject, even though the story is old, so I thought I'd see what kind of discussion it might bring. It's been a decent-enough discussion.