Energy is used as a weapon
In just five short years, through advances in technology, we have become the top energy producer in the world.
The United States has reduced oil imports by half, from 53 percent to 23 percent since 2010. We’re at a point now where we can use our energy abundance to supply our allies with both natural gas and oil. By keeping this domestic production momentum going, we become less reliant on adversarial regimes for our oil supply and avoid sending our uniformed men and women overseas to protect the energy reserves of those who willingly take our money while stabbing us in the back.
As a veteran, I know energy security is critical to our national security. Today, energy is used as a geopolitical weapon. How many remember the first Arab oil embargo, when OPEC nations suspended oil shipments to the United States as punishment for backing Israel in 1973? In 2016, nothing has changed. Many of America’s closest allies are being held hostage by nations that provide them energy and extract Mafia-like tributes for those supplies.
With sound energy policies, the United States can become the world’s leading energy supplier. We can meet our own demands and aid our allies at the same time. Additionally, our secure access to energy increases our war-fighting effectiveness and safeguards America’s military strength.
For the environmental community, nothing has done more to reduce our greenhouse-gas emissions than our shift toward cleaner-burning natural gas. This shift has made us the world’s leader in reducing emissions. This fact alone should encourage, not stymie, the industry as a whole.
By focusing on this issue, we have an opportunity to become more economically sound, more environmentally friendly, all while making our homeland a safer place to raise a family.
Anthony Caldarelli
Conneaut Lake
Caldarelli, the state chairman of Pennsylvania Vets4Energy, is a former infantry captain in the U.S. Army who served in Iraq in 2004-05.