The brave men and women of our military face life-threatening situations every day. Across the Middle East, they serve in the defense of our nation – from Afghanistan to Iraq to the seas off Somalia. We signed up for this; it is the job we do because we love our country and believe in our cause. Yet every day we face threats that can be prevented, if only the United States Senate would take action to end our dependence on energy from hostile nations.
In Iraq, every soldier is familiar with the IEDs – Improvised Explosive Devices – which have killed many of our fellow men and women in uniform. The newest and most deadly of these weapons are called EFPs, or Explosively Formed Projectiles. Able to penetrate our best armor, these roadside bombs are brutally effective.
These new, dangerous weapons are coming into Iraq from oil-rich Iran. In fact, for every $1 increase in the price of a gallon of gas, Iran makes another $1.5B to use against our soldiers. The connection between energy, our national security, and the sacrifices made by our military could not be clearer. Our dependence enriches the very people bent on doing us harm, funding the very weapons that are killing our soldiers.
As former CIA director James Woolsey has said, “Except for our own Civil War, this (the war on terror) is the only war that we have fought where we are paying for both sides. We pay Saudi Arabia $160 billion for its oil, and $3 or $4 billion of that goes to the Wahhabis, who teach children to hate.” In fact, every day, we pay $1 billion to some of our most dangerous enemies for energy. These are unstable, unfriendly regimes – and they’re funding terrorist organizations across the globe with our gas money.
That money is funneled through shady front groups in Saudi Arabia and ends up as AK-47 rounds being fired by the Taliban in Marja. It ends up in increasingly-dangerous and extremist Nigeria. And it is killing men and women in Iraq in the form of EFPs from Iran.
Dam the river of money flowing to our enemies
It is time for Senator Bingaman to respect the sacrifices of our military and dam the river of money flowing to our enemies. Right now, Senator Bingaman has the opportunity to join members of both parties in support of comprehensive clean energy legislation – a law that would free us from oil dependence, strengthen the economy, and prevent destabilizing climate change.
From both sides of the aisle and all parts of the country, veterans are speaking out in support of clean energy legislation – not because of environmental reasons, but because our dependence on foreign energy and continued climate change pose a threat to our national security. And as a member of Operation Free, I have been proud to speak out with them.
The Department of the Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Intelligence Council have all noted that energy security and climate change pose significant strategic threats to America’s strength and safety. From the vulnerability of our oil supply to the threat of weak nations destabilized by climate disruptions, we are threatened by our continued use of dirty energy from dangerous places.
We know that Senator Bingaman would rather stand up with military and security leaders than to blindly defend the interests of oil companies and our enemies. The right choice is clear; this is a vote to support the troops, defend our nation and de-fund our enemies.
It is time for the leaders of this great nation to be heroes, to stand with our military men and women to prevent more oil-funded violence. After all our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have sacrificed for this country, this is the least we can ask of our representatives in the Senate.
Tyler is a native Virginian who served in the Army for 10 years, ending his service as a staff sergeant. He is a veteran of both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Tyler holds a bachelor’s degree in military science and a master’s degree in strategic studies from American Military University. Prior to his new role with Operation Free, Mr. Tyler served as CEO of Millennium Ventures, a political consulting firm in Pittsburgh. In New Mexico, he will work closely with the veterans’ community to highlight the connection between climate change and national security, creating grassroots support for clean energy and climate change legislation.