America's best offensive is exporting energy

Eastern Ukraine to Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, much of the rest of the Middle East and a chunk of Africa are awash with tyrants, thugs and terrorists. They have one thing in common besides their deep hatred of America. They receive the bulk of their funding from the oil revenues of renegade states or very wealthy True Believers.

Waging international bullying and terror is not cheap. Just beating up the locals for lunch money will not finance decent training camps or provide missiles, bullets, bombs and lavatory paper. The U.S., the world's only policeman, is very tired. Most Americans get that. But even if well-rested and better armed, he could not be in all the places on the above short list of current hot spots.

However, there is an alternative to wringing our hands at the lack of U.S. options or retreating to Fortress America and hoping for better days. This country is sitting on a geyser of oil and so much natural gas that many companies just flare it (i.e., burn it) off because they lack the means to transport it. We can open the regulatory spigots and begin flooding the world with American energy. Permit requests for building the Keystone pipeline (and others) and constructing liquefied natural gas plants are dammed up in Washington but could flow with the stroke of the president's pen.

The effect on the plans of many of our avowed enemies would likely be immediate. The prospect of a robust energy-exporting U.S. would start an ever-steepening slide in world energy prices, which are the budget underpinnings of the nasty groups in the listed areas. Instead of pumping lead at those who would harm us, we can pump oil at them and give them gas. What are we waiting for?

Chris Ellis

Palatine