Playing politics at the expense of national security

December 29, 2016

In recent days, President Barack Obama has taken sweeping measures to shore up his environmental record and legacy.

Not only has the president taken one last swipe at the coal industry with new regulations intended to protect streams near coal mines, but he also has acted against the oil and gas industry.

A new “permanent ban” of drilling activity in areas of the Arctic and the Atlantic could potentially cause irreversible damage to our national security, and significantly hamper the ability of the U.S. to achieve and maintain energy independence from unfriendly foreign nations.

Unfortunately, President Obama has chosen to play political chess — this time at the expense of a cleaner global environment, U.S. national security and the American economy.

First, you may ask how President Obama’s decision is more harmful to our environment. The goal of the permanent moratoria on drilling is to protect the environment, right? In the words of ESPN’s Lee Corso, “Not so fast, sweetheart!”

Does anyone truly believe that if the U.S. curtails oil and gas exploration, that other developing nations, like India, China or any OPEC member for that matter, are going to stop their production activities? The answer is an emphatic “No.”

Our world needs petroleum to power our lifestyles, so why would other nations stop producing...

See entire article on Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail (subscription may be required).