Myth: Energy Independence is Good ?

Mother Jones recent article, The Seven Myths of Energy Independence, starts with the premise that energy independence is far too expensive and time consuming to actually be a good thing. What authors neglect to analyze is the long term geopolitical consequences of energy dependence.

Independence may be expensive and difficult, but our current policy is much more destructive long term. We are putting money directly into the hands of one of the most repressive, anti-democratic governments in the world - Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is funding the spread of ultra-conservative Wahhabi Islam across the globe. Despite its alliance with the United States, the KSA continues to export thousands of textbooks each year teaching young children to "Hate unbelievers," aka Christians, Jews, Shiias, and anyone else who is against their brand of Islam...basically the entire U.S. population. The propagation of religious, ethnic, and gender inequality by concerted effort is being funded by our own hands and will cost far more than energy independence in the long term. Saudi is just one example...oil money has also hampered democracy in Russia, Nigeria, and Venezuela. We will be posting more on those countries in the future.

More on Mother Jones' myths in posts to come...