Veterans examine links between energy independence and national security | Community Comment

Pictured, from left, are veterans David Whitaker, Larry Delashmit, Robin Eckstein and Matthew Victoriano.

By Larry Woodall
Special to Ozarks Unbound

Veterans for American Power tour visited Fayetteville on April 14 as part of a 27-state tour.  They stopped at the OMNI center in Fayetteville and spoke before about 50 guests.

Serious national security interests are at stake in our reliance on foreign energy sources, primarily oil, of which we import 60 percent, according to veteran Larry Delashmit. Becoming energy independent requires multiple energy sources.

He asked the audience what if America had followed the warning call from Washington 37 years ago? How much richer would this nation be had trillions of dollars been kept at home and circulated here?

Delashmit mentioned that a spokesman at Department of Defense told him if the cost of defending our oil interests and protecting shipping lanes were factored into the cost of imported oil then gas would be $10 gal at the pump.

David Whittaker, who is running as a Democrat for the 3rd Congressional seat, asked global warming deniers “if you think it’s all a hoax, why did Joint Chiefs of Staff think it’s a serious condition?”

David likened buying a barrel of imported oil the same as “buying Ahmadinejad a nuclear weapon on the installment plan.”

Iraqi War veteran Matt Victoriano said when serving in Iraq most in his company were guarding oil fields and pipelines. He noted that $70 Bn in Arab oil money has gone to funding terrorists.

Robin Eckstein commented that global climate change is contributing to instability in many areas of the globe due to droughts and flooding which will call for military action. She said it’s  ”an American issue, not a left or right issue.”

Veterans for American Power traveled to Little Rock the next day with a presentation at the Clinton School of Public Service.

The tour’s website is  http://www.operationfree.net/

[Larry Woodall is a resident of Northwest Arkansas who is in favor of energy independence.]

Christopher Spencer

Christopher Spencer, 36, is the publisher and owner of Ozarks Unbound and the food news site, The Fayetteville Food File. He is the chair of the Fayetteville Creative Economy Action Group and the social media chair of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He's also the founder of WordCamp Fayetteville. You can always contact him at cspencer@ozarksunbound.com

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• grant says:

  December 16, 2011 at 3:07 am

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1. Veterans examine links between energy independence and national security | Operation Free | Secure America with Clean Energy - 26 Apr 2010