Paul Eaton
Does climate change threaten U.S. national security?
Retired Army Major General Paul Eaton thinks so, and he is touring New Mexico saying just that. (Full disclosure: I am a member of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, a sponsor of General Eaton’s Las Cruces talk.)
Short-term security flaws
General Eaton claims that investing in renewable energy technology would greatly improve national security on several fronts. Based on his comments in previous interviews, he will likely mention the dangers of relying on energy import from non-friendly nations, the growing potential for an oil crisis with Iran, the heavy burden placed on the U.S. Navy in securing energy resource lines of communication, cyber-attacks, and the vulnerabilities in the current American energy grid. (These are all just what the general refers to as “short-term threats.”)
I can see where Eaton is coming from. Here in Southern New Mexico, with ample sun and wind, it makes sense to ensure that White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base have off-the-grid energy sources, so if our energy grid is made useless from an outside attack, our defense centers will still be operational.
I spoke to my dad on father’s day, and his perspective surprised me. (In addition to his two years in the L.R.R.P in Vietnam, my dad, Reed Cundiff, has spent over 20 years at White Sands Missile Range as a physicist for the defense department, and also spent his fair share of time in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. So, he’s got a little more “inside scoop” than I do.)
Reed said “General Eaton’s vision is a good one, since WSMR’s primary mission is during daylight hours, almost all workday power requirements could be met by solar, with generator and line-power backups.” He also agreed with General Eaton that foreign oil dependence is a threat to our national security on several fronts.
As it turns out, my dad isn’t the only vet who agrees with Eaton’s arguments. Many veterans’ organizations are rallying behind clean energy policy. Check out Operation Free and Votevets.org to see national veterans’ organizations pushing for clean energy legislation.
The climate change argument
What I am most intrigued about are General Eaton’s “long-term” energy related national security issues. General Eaton insists that climate change will have lasting effects on our country that would result in numerous security vulnerabilities. I haven’t heard this argument before from a defense specialist, even though scientists have speculated for years that climate change could stress global food and water systems. I am curious about what arguments and insight he might add to the conversation.
For those interested in attending the talk on U.S. energy policy, it’s at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Good Samaritan Village in Las Cruces, 3025 Terrace Drive.
Elisa Cundiff is the blogger behind NMPolitics.net’s Balder and Dash. E-mail her at elisa@nmpolitics.net.