While I normally eschew anything French when it comes to the Middle East, in this case, however, I am reminded of the Gallic saying – “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” This certainly applies, because for the past 20 years or so, the U.S. Congress has been debating whether to open up a small portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration – and two decades later, Congress is still debating this issue. Attempts to obtain the 11 billion barrels of oil locked in there have been blocked by Senate filibusters or threats thereof, spurred on by the fierce opposition of environmental groups who loudly decry the despoiling of what they describe as a “pristine wilderness”. Preventing us from gaining greater energy independence from mid-east oil, while our nation’s addiction to oil continues to grow, is the height of shortsightedness – or to be more accurate – stupidity.
The reason for my outburst came about when I recently came across testimony I had offered to the Senate Energy Committee urging development in ANWR back in the year 1987! At the time, I argued that the decisions Congress must take with regard to development in ANWR “will undoubtedly have important ramifications for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and also for Israel’s future security.” So much for my powers of persuasion – or the good sense of the U.S. Congress. But at the time of this testimony we imported only 30% of our oil needs from abroad. Today this is close to 70% – and counting. Also, then we were talking about $15 for a barrel of oil – today we are paying five times as much with prices at the pump going through the roof based on speculation, not the cost of production. But aside from the economic and political benefits of opening up ANWR, there is the added attraction of having fewer billions of dollars in oil revenues going to states like Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose petrodollars fund terrorism throughout the world. What is particularly galling is that we are prevented from producing the equivalent of thirty years of Saudi imports (at a million barrels a day) due to the largely bogus arguments presented by the opponents.
One startling figure which stands out is that of the more than 19 million acres in ANWR – only 2,000 (or a footprint the size of Dulles Airport) would be needed for development. This would have a minimal adverse effect on the relatively scant wildlife found in this barren region. In fact, the most populous animal species there – the caribou – have flourished, and quadrupled in size from 6,000 when development began in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to 12,000 today. In the area where the existing pipeline runs, locals insist that the caribou’s increase can be linked to the herds congregating there for its warmth, which in turn has led to increased procreational activity among the caribou. While I cannot personally attest to having witnessed this phenomenon – it seems both compelling and somewhat romantic.
As for the people who would be directly affected by development in ANWR, these are the 200 or so native inhabitants of Kaktovik, the only village adjacent to the Costal Plain. Not surprisingly, they are all for development in order to improve their lives. As for the rest of us, the latest polls show that 70% of the American public – a vast majority – believe we should develop oil and gas in ANWR. So what is still holding this up when we are paying more than three dollars a gallon for gasoline? Originally, Congress designated 1.5 million of the 19.6 million acre refuge for energy exploration. Over the years, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to open ANWR on ten different occasions only to have it filibustered to death in the Senate, ironically with the support of some lawmakers who consider themselves close friends of Israel and supporters of greater U.S. energy independence. Something is either wrong with their logic here, or the environmental extremists who have lobbied so hard on this issue are prepared to defy both logic and the national interest.
Last May, the House again passed a bill permitting development in ANWR. But today, with all that is happening in the Middle East and with oil prices incredibly higher, there are still 40 some Senators who still don’t get it. Of course our nation can and should do more about conservation and encouraging the development of renewable sources of energy. But this takes time and much more effort than is being expended now. In the interim, developing ANWR offers a quick fix and sends an important message. Congressional passage of legislation permitting drilling in ANWR would immediately lower prices and would reduce the obscene profits that are funding terrorism directed at us and our friends.
With so much else on the pro-Israel community’s plate right now – Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran – why raise this issue now? Because it is one which is amenable to immediate, positive action. But this can only come about if we let Congress know that they have the responsibility to act responsibly, and to do what has made sense for so many years already – but especially now.
Morrie Amitay, a Washington attorney, is a former Executive Director of AIPAC and founder of the pro-Israel Washington PAC (www.washingtonpac.com).