ANWAR reserves are not proven. Repeat after me: ESTIMATE.

The 'low' ANWAR estimate is about 2 Billion Barrels of Oil, the high estimate is just over 4 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Even if we pulled all resistance today, it would be a decade, 2018 at the earliest, before the fields were fully online, the piplelines constructed and etc. So ten years before the Oil starts making a dent.

Impact on the world Oil markets by 2027 (when ANWAR would peak), are $0.44 per barrel in the low estimate, and $1.44 per barrel in the high estimate.

And where do you think Oil will be in 2027 when China will have passed the US in both GDP and Per-Capita GDP, and India will be nipping at our heels?

It is absolute insanity to think that we can ultimately drill our way out of dependence on foreign oil. There simply is not enough oil under the US to fundamentally alter the equation. We might be able to pump what, 60% of our needs instead of the around 50% we pump today? And we can do that only by shortening the lifespan of the proven reserves under US soil.

And who the hell do you think is going to own the rigs, have rights to the output, futures, leases and contracts? The US Taxpayer? American citizens probably won't even operate the rigs.

ANWAR is a stalking horse. The meme is simple: The political enemies of the Oil Companies, the Right Wing and the Environmentalists who want to see us get off OIL- they are the problem. BLAME them for $200/Barrel Oil and $6.00 gas. Those EVILBADBAD Meanie Geenies won't let us drill in ANWAR.

Its a powerful instrument for political Bullshitting of the American public, but like most such instruments- its absolutely devoid of merit in truth or fact.

The truth is, we are either close to a peak in the theoretical maximum of supply, or we have reached a limit in how fast we can increase the rate of production- which is itself a good forecast that we are nearing a peak. In either case, the economic considerations are unavoidable. Oil will continue to rise, indefinitely, until the price of oil squashes economic growth globally, and then the price of Oil and the global rate of growth will be intrinsically tied until we find another solution.

And I note that this is the monster you trot out and parade around with great pomp and ceremony at any point the word 'Environmental' is uttered: A Stifled economy, and a free market bound up by rationing.

So the choice is simple- we either pay the multi-trillion dollar cost and transition off of oil now, or we kiss your vaunted free market good-bye, and welcome government inteference and rationing into every aspect of our economy.

Let me ask you this: What do you think would drop the 2027 price of Oil more? If we went big into Alternatives such as Nuclear, Solar and Wind, or if we opened up ANWAR? If we decreased the amount of Oil we consume every year Now by 10%, that would account for (depending on which estimate) the entire amount of oil recoverable under ANWAR. By 2027? I would say if we replaced just 5% of our 2027 Oil requirements by Nuclear or other alternatives, we would have completely dwarfed the effect ANWAR could have on world Oil markets.

Lets just get this done. You don't 'believe' in AGW? Fine, many reasonably intelligent and well educated people don't 'believe' in evolution or 'believe' Little Green Men are flying around in saucers making crop circles. Stop the presses: Humans are not rational.

But your irrational ecstacy for Adam Smith, the glory of the Free Market and your faith in unbridled capitalism should substitute for rational argument: If you want capitalism, you have to have economic growth. If you want economic growth, then you have to have energy. If you want energy in increasing and unlimited quantity, you have to get off burning an inefficient and finite resource.

Too hard for you? Or is it because a Liberal is saying it?

Yeti