[hchutch]

There is one reason why we cannot fully support Israel: Half of our imports come from OPEC, which is, for all intents and purposes, run by the Saudis. Guess what happens if our support of Israel gets too strong: Oil embargo, followed by economic downturn.

We need to remove the leverage that OPEC has over us. David Frum's book, incidentally, points us in the direction we need to take that could remove the leverage.

[DoughtyOne]

I used to harbor the same theory you do on this subject. I have since come to realize that the oil embargos create severe hardships for the states imposing them. They have become accustomed to the major cash flow oil sales generate, and when that cash flow is interrupted, they actually do feel it severely.

As for cutting our dependence, I think every new home in this nation should be self-sustaining, with other homes converted at the earliest opportunity. In my opinion we have allowed the power producers to subsidize an insane policy that sees them able to demand large fees when we would be better served if by different policies.

This would not only bring our energy problems under control, it would insulate us against attack on our major energy resources.

[Tree of Liberty]

There is one reason why we cannot fully support Israel: Half of our imports come from OPEC, which is, for all intents and purposes, run by the Saudis. Guess what happens if our support of Israel gets too strong: Oil embargo, followed by economic downturn.

A pair of Ohio class subs beats a full Saudi house. An oil embargo by OPEC against the U.S. or our allies would be tantamount to a declaration of war.

[kevao]

Guess what happens if our support of Israel gets too strong: Oil embargo, followed by economic downturn.

Guess what happens to the Saudi economy and to the Royal Family without oil sales to the world's #1 oil-consuming nation. There's not much of a world market for sand these days.