Op-Ed: Obama, Oil, and Terrorism - Why We Need an Energy Revolution

If the goal of America, and indeed all Western nations, is to combat both climate change and terrorism, the best way to do so is to usher in a new era of energy production; and the United States 44th President, as promised, must lead the way.

“America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and (…) we are ready to lead once more.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, a new era of American politics is in motion. Promising liberty and justice for all, there is no shortage of issues that the Obama Administration must tackle. And while these many problems threaten the wellbeing of both America and the world in whole, priority number one must be to usher in, as explicated by Thomas Friedman, a new era of energy production. As is, the oil dependency that nearly all western nations are victim to is fuelling radical Islam, as well as indebting our future generations; all the while intensifying the pace at which climate change alters our only planet. Be sure, Middle Eastern oil – more specifically, Saudi Arabian oil – is not only costing us in terms of dollars; it is also reducing our ability to spread the rights and freedoms that any rational human being would desire and cherish, and thus, Middle Eastern oil also has a social cost.

“Saudi Arabia, which constitutes only 1 percent of the world Muslim population, (… supports) 90 percent of the expenses of the entire faith, overriding other traditions of Islam.”

What is troubling about this statistic is that in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic tradition is – in large – fundamentalist, violent, anti-western, and opposed to the social progress that has been painstakingly achieved through decades and centuries of Western thought. Wahhabism and Salafism (which are markedly unlike their sister faiths, such as Sufi Islam or populist, or urban Islam – faiths that seek to practice while accepting and incorporating modern life and progressive thought) are practiced, taught and exported in Saudi Arabia just as steadily as the millions of barrels of oil that leave the country. And so, as America, and indeed every nation that purchases oil from Saudi Arabia – or other extremist nations such as Sudan (from which China receives much of its oil) – we not only increase the debt due from future generations, but we also fund the advancement of particularly hostile sects of Islam which are antithetical to the norms of Western culture. While visiting the Peshawar region of Pakistan shortly after the deployment of US troops in Afghanistan, Mr Friedman had a conversation with a youth enrolled in a local madrasah – essentially a boarding school for the Islamic faith. The two discussed 9/11, and the young man, taught only by the Qur’an and educators funded by Saudi wealth, spoke sombre words:

“I am pleased that America has had to face pain, because the rest of the world has tasted its pain (…) They are unbelievers and do not like to befriend Muslims, and they want to dominate the world with their power."

And so we see the cycle. Western nations buy extremist oil, and that wealth is then spent on educating thousands upon thousands of poverty stricken children who are raised to believe that the reason for their hardship is due to America and the west. As Mr Obama gave his inaugural address, I was caught by a few of his words. So clearly aware of this cycle, Obama said, “Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. (… and) the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.” No kidding. So how do we end the cycle? The answer is surely not more Middle Eastern oil, and the answer isn’t even to buy oil from other nation’s such as Canada. The answer is new energy. An excerpt from Mr Friedman’s newest book “Hot, Flat, and Crowded” – an absolute must read for those interested in understanding both why and how we, America and the west, must shepherd in an energy revolution – illustrates the shift that must come in the next few years:

“(…) the Industrial Revolution gave a whole new prominence to what Rochelle Lefkowitz, president of Pro-Media Communications and an energy buff, calls “fuels from hell” – coal, oil, and natural gas. All these fuels from hell come from underground, are exhaustible, and emit CO2 and other pollutants when they are burned from transportation, heating, and industrial use. These fuels are in contrast to what Lefkowitz calls “fuels from heaven” – wind, hydroelectric, tidal, biomass, and solar power. These all come from above ground, are endlessly renewable, and produce no harmful emissions.”

Yes, the answer is to develop “fuels from heaven”. In one revolution, America and the west would reduce its impact on the environment, create countless jobs, shift from importer to exporter of energy (assuming we invested heavily enough to be able to export our “fuels from heaven”), and would eliminate the ability of extremist, anti-western nations to fund militant sects of the world’s largest religion. And so, If Obama was indeed sincere when he said “to the Muslim world we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect”, an energy revolution is the answer. And if Obama was indeed sincere when he said “America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace”, an energy revolution is the answer. Finally, if Obama was indeed sincere when he said “the world has changed, and we must change with it”, again, an energy revolution is the answer. In 2008, more Middle Eastern oil was purchased than in any other year; and thus, more than in any other year, Wahhabi and Salafi supporters were able to promote their militant sects of Islam. If we, America and the west, are truly concerned with combating climate change and combating terrorism, the best way to achieve both ends, is to change our means of energy supply. The man to lead the way is Barack Obama; and so, as we enter this new era of American politics, priority number one must be an energy revolution. Thanks for reading. GRMM