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I appreciate your courteous input but still stand by all of my original comments. By the way, I have visited the great state of Alaska, where I took a ten day hike and canoe trip in the Brooks Range with my brother. (I have a cousin who used to run the trading post in Bettles.) We were after the wilderness experience so the lack of facilities was a good thing. And we came in early August when the weather was still good but the mosquitoes weren't much of a problem. Footprints were all we left behind...in fact, we picked up some trash others had left. I don't feel that someone has to visit the area to have an appreciation for it, but since I have been there I value the Alaska wilderness even more, just as it is. Even if I didn't have that appreciation, I would still be against the drilling in ANWR for the reasons stated earlier.

Sounds like a great trip, so few of our visitors take the time to see the real Alaska. Nothing like a little time on the river...

I also appreciate your politeness, it is a thing lacking in some of the discussions around here. Although I think we will have to agree to disagree on this subject, I will say that I believe both sides inflate the "facts" they have on hand to distort the picture. For instance, there is no way that all of those jobs will be created, yet any increase would be welcome. I believe you can find similar issues from your side.

Take care, come on back up and see some more!

skytoo member since March 20,2002

You have about as much time in Free Republic as you have in Alaska. I suggest you get educated about Alaska,Before you try to tell ALASKANS how to run their state. I will abstain from telling you how I feel, till you go do some intelligent reading on the matter.

America and Alaska BOTH need ANWR drilled! It's economical, environmentally safe, and a requirement for national security. Wonder when the Chinese hired Dashole....bout the same time they hired Hill and Bill??? Quick education for those not familiar with Alaska - seeings I was born in the territory of Alaska and have over 40 years there.

Alaska was purchased from the Russians in 1876. Other than a couple of gold rushes and furring, not much changed the place.

First oil exploration was by Cordova, and the Kenai Penninsula between the 1930's and 50's.

World war II saw Japanese land, and ocuppy Shemya and Attu. Canada and U.S.A. built the Alcan highway to Alaska - basically overnight (no idiotic environazi's in those days)This also made Alaska accessable for the first time to the rest of the world.

Alaska slowly grew as a Military outpost for the most part and mining and furring was still good. In 1959 Alaska became a state.

In 1969(this is from memory so it may not be exact) Arco drilled discovery well #1. The beginning of the biggest oil boom in modern day. A pipeline was built for 8 billion dollars between 1974 and 1977(that's 3 years total). and the rest(including well over 13 billion barrels of oil to date) is history.

With government, over time(50 years) the government was supposed to divvy up the country, in regard to properties and ownerships, and Alaska's contract with America called for 90% of all revenue to go to Alaska - Not the FED. Today as you read this, over 86% of the land is held by the Fed's. There is more private ownership of property in Russia than in Alaska!

In 1986, thanks to an everexpanding environazi movement, we lost our 250 claims to an expansion of a park(WITHOUT REDRESS!)to the government. The property is now offically a U.N. biospere. This could be a great opportuity for private enterprise (and citizens) to help gain back some of it's losses (land-wise in other activities in the state) because of the green machine. With over 7 years in the oilpatch industry in Alaska, let's be among the many screaming to....

DRILL
ANWR

It's good you saw and walked on the land in the Brooks Range. I have been there, too. In the summer, and in the dark winter at 85 below zero. The howl of the wolves carries miles and miles when it's cold. I have been to Prudhoe Bay as well. Dug gravel out of the Sagavanirktok River at 40 below at midnight. Could be another planet, but it isn't, it's still earth. The oil and gas is on earth, too, and it must be developed where it happens to be rather than where it isn't. It's some kind of rule of geology.