For the last few years, less and less of our oil has come from the MidEast, not only because of an increase in domestic oil production over the last four years, (have you noticed how the Republicans have failed to give Obama any credit for his expansion of oil leases?) but because Canada, Mexico and Brazil are increasing their sales to us. Most MidEast oil is now going to China and Japan and India, very little comes to the US.

But it makes no difference. Even if we discovered a Saudi-sized lake of easily recovered oil right here in CONUS, it would still make no difference. It's not American oil. It belongs to private corporations who will sell it wherever someone will offer a good price for it.

In other words, even if we were totally oil independent, if trouble broke out in the Persian Gulf the Chinese, Indians, Japanese and Europeans would bid up the price and we would still pay a premium price determined by the world market for oil from Bakke, the Gulf of Mexico, or Texas. Its not American oil, its multinational corporate oil, and they don't give a damn about America. They would love to see a bidding war, an oil shortqge hurts everybody's economy, not just the nations with no oil. Only countries who have nationalized their oil companies are guaranteed a secure source of oil.

We are now militarily involved in the MidEast not because we need their oil, but because it keeps global oil prices down. And if we pulled out, the Chinese would have to step in and patrol the Gulf sea lanes (that's why they're building aircraft carriers) to protect their sources. I don't think we want that either.