As if they don't have enough money...

by George Dienhart

Our “allies” in Saudi Arabia have denied the President’s appeal to lower crude oil process. From CNN:

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s leaders made clear Friday they see no reason to increase oil production until customers demand it, apparently rebuffing President Bush amid soaring U.S. gasoline prices.It was Bush’s second personal appeal this year to King Abdullah, head of the monarchy that rules this desert kingdom that is a longtime prime U.S. ally and home to the world’s largest oil reserves. But Saudi officials stuck to their position that they will only pump more oil into the system when asked to by buyers, something they say is not happening now, the president’s national security adviser told reporters. “Saudi Arabia does not have customers that are making requests for oil that they are not able to satisfy,” Stephen Hadley said on a day when oil prices topped $127 a barrel, continuing to set records. “What the Saudis wanted to tell us was we’re doing everything we can do ... to meet this problem, but it’s a complicated problem.”

No, what the Saudi’s want to tell is “We want more money” and “Yes, we forgot that little thing back in 90-91 where you came over here and saved us from being over run by Iraq.”

With friends like these…

Energy independence means doing away with these 2-bit dictators who seem to be more willing to be helped than to help. It means we need to be drilling in the Gulf and in ANWR. It means we need to start building John McCain’s 20 nuclear power plants immediately- and we also need the refineries he has promised. The change we need does not come with Obama’s smiles and platitudes- it comes in our energy policy, and McCain is the only one to announce one. If only he would drill in ANWR.