WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Center for American Progress’s John Podesta and Rudy deLeon warned that U.S. dependence on foreign oil and growing impacts of global warming threaten American security. CAP released “Securing America’s Future: Enhancing Our National Security by Reducing Oil Dependence and Environmental Damage,” which documents these threats, including reliance on unstable, hostile regimes for oil; sending $357 billion overseas in 2008; high oil demand driving up oil prices that fund petro-states such as Iran and Venezuela; and more global warming pollution leading to more floods, drought, famine, and instability in many regions.
“I think it’s fair to say that, in short, if we don’t change course, the United States will become even more invested in the volatile Middle East, more dependent on corrupt and unsavory regimes, and more involved with politically unstable countries. In fact [the U.S.] may be forced to choose between maintaining an effective foreign policy or a consistent energy supply as U.S. consumers face higher energy prices,” said John Podesta, President and CEO of the Center, “The good news is that there is something that we can do about it.”
Rudy DeLeon, Senior Vice President of National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress, added, "This is the time of transition, we’re going to have to accept this challenge, whether we do it today, whether we do it in five years—it’s just simply the nature of the supply that will force us to make changes. From this point forward it will only get harder to take action to reverse course on our energy consumption and to develop new sources if we fail to take action."
In addition, Podesta announced that the Center for American Progress is joining Operation Free, a coalition of leading veterans and national security organizations including the Truman Project, VoteVets.org, and the National Security Network. They’ve come together to combat the serious threat to our nation’s security posed by climate change. Operation Free has launched www.OperationFree.net.
- Read full report “Securing America’s Future” here.
- Listen to audio from the call here.
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