Sbsp affirmative- arl lab- ndi 2011
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- ***Middle East Oil***
- US imports a ton of oil from the Middle East- hamstrings US energy policy
- Global dependence on Middle East oil now
Solvency- EconomyReduced dependence key to economic recovery- must invest in clean energy Lefton and Weiss 10 (Rebecca, Researcher for Progressive Media and Daniel J., Senior Fellow and Director Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress., “Oil Dependence Is a Dangerous Habit”, 1-13-10, http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/01/oil_imports_security.html) OPA recent report on the November 2009 U.S. trade deficit found that rising oil imports widened our deficit, increasing the gap between our imports and exports. This is but one example that our economic recovery and long-term growth is inexorably linked to our reliance on foreign oil. The United States is spending approximately $1 billion a day overseas on oil instead of investing the funds at home, where our economy sorely needs it. Burning oil that exacerbates global warming also poses serious threats to our national security and the world’s security. For these reasons we need to kick the oil addiction by investing in clean-energy reform to reduce oil demand, while taking steps to curb global warming. Energy efficiency bolsters national security and shields the economy from crisis NRDC 4 (Natural Resources Defense Council, “Reducing America's Energy Dependence”, 7-2-04, http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/gasprices.asp#head5) OPThere is absolutely no reason why our elected leaders should not make a national commitment to reducing America's dependence on oil by investing in energy efficiency. This goal can be achieved through increased fuel economy for automobiles, greater use of renewable fuels, and other readily available measures. Based on today's oil prices, taking these commonsense steps would save Americans more than $20 billion dollars in annual crude oil costs -- while also reducing smoggy skies and combating global warming. Kicking our addiction to oil will not only achieve real, consistent savings for Americans at the pump and improve our environment, but reducing our oil imports also will bolster national security and shield the economy from market manipulation and price shocks. The United States has a proud history of technological innovation, and American companies have the know-how to solve our oil insecurity. We just need the political will of Congress and the Bush administration to deliver on this promise. So far, our political leaders have failed to put forth a serious plan to increase our nation's energy security. ***Middle East Oil***Inh- ME oil imports nowAmerica is becoming increasingly dependent on unstable, undemocratic Middle Eastern countries NRDC 4 (Natural Resources Defense Council, “Reducing America's Energy Dependence”, 7-2-04, http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/gasprices.asp#head5) OPAmerica's oil habit not only pinches our pockets and fuels OPEC's rising profits, but it also threatens our economy, national security and environment. According to the Department of Energy, the United States currently uses nearly 20 million barrels of oil a day, importing 55 percent of it. We spend more than $20 billion each year on oil from the Middle East. Twenty years from now, U.S. consumption will rise to 28.3 million barrels of oil a day, with 70 percent of it imported. This heavy reliance on foreign oil makes America increasingly dependent on some of the least stable, undemocratic countries in the world. US imports a ton of oil from the Middle East- hamstrings US energy policyFeldstein 1 (Martin, Professor of Economics, Harvard University, and President of the National Bureau of Economic Research, http://www.nber.org/feldstein/oil.html) OP The terrorist attacks on September 11th and the subsequent demonstrations of anti-Americanism throughout the Middle East increase the saliency of America's dependence on oil imports from the Gulf states. The United States now imports more than half of all the oil that we consume. One fourth of those imports come from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq. If there is no change in policy, that dependence will grow in the future since those three countries plus the United Arab Emirates have more than half of the world's reserves of oil while the United States has only 2 percent of total reserves. (2) America's dependence on imported oil is a serious cause of economic vulnerability and a major constraint on our foreign defense policy. The political leaders in the Middle East know that our dependence on their oil gives them leverage over our policies. The possibility of increasing that leverage emboldened Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait in order to extend the share of mid-East oil controlled by Iraq. And while the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are basically friendly to the United States, recent events have made it clear how potentially vulnerable those governments are to radical elements within their own countries. All of this is a cloud over the continuation of oil supply from the Middle East. Political leaders and expert commissions have been calling for a reduction in our dependence on oil imports at least since 1974 when President Nixon established Project Independence with the goal of achieving energy independence by 1980. In fact, however, our dependence on imported oil was still 42 percent of our consumption in 1980 and has risen to 52 percent in 2000. (3) Global dependence on Middle East oil nowLuft 08 (Gal, executive director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), “Dependence on Middle East Energy and its Impact on Global Security”, 6-2-08, http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=537) OPThe concentration of so much of the world’s hydrocarbons in this geographical location means that as long as the modern economy depends on the supply of oil and natural gas, the Middle East will play a key role in global politics and economy. As it is, most of the world’s countries are heavily dependent on Persian Gulf oil. In 2006, the Middle East supplied 22 percent of U.S. imports, 36 percent of OECD Europe’s, 40 percent of China’s, 60 percent of India’s, and 80 percent of Japan’s and South Korea’s. Even oil-rich Canada is dependent on the Middle East. Forty five percent of Canada’s oil imports originate in the region. Barring a major technological transformation, global dependency on the Middle East is only going to grow. According to the International Energy Agency, from now to 2030, world oil consumption will rise by about 60 percent. Transportation will be the fastest growing oil-consuming sector. By 2030, the number of cars will increase to well over 1.25 billion, from approximately 700 million today. Consequently, global consumption of gasoline could double. The two countries with the highest rate of growth in oil use are China and India, whose combined populations account for a third of humanity. In the next two decades, China's oil consumption is expected to grow at a rate of 7.5 percent per year and India’s at a rate of 5.5 percent, compared to 1 to 3 percent growth for the industrialized countries. As a result, by 2030 Asia will import 80 percent of its total oil needs and 80 percent of this total will come from the Persian Gulf. The reason why Persian Gulf countries’ share of the world’s energy pie is likely to increase has to do not only with geology but also with resource management. While non-Middle East countries pump at full speed, Middle East producers, many of them members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), stick to a quota and produce well under their capacity. This means that non-OPEC oil is running out almost twice as fast as OPEC’s. Exxon Mobil Corporation has estimated that non-OPEC production—this includes Russia and West Africa—will peak within a decade, making recoverable oil left outside the Middle Eastern world scarcer and scarcer. On the other hand, the reserve-to-production ratio among Persian Gulf producers ranges between 80 and 100 years, allowing those countries to stay in the race decades after their competitors have depleted their reserves. This is likely to lead to global dependence on the region of unprecedented scale, with considerable implications for global security and economy. The Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency stated, “We are ending up with 95 percent of the world relying for its economic wellbeing on decisions made by five or six countries in the Middle East.” Directory: files files -> Answer True False 2 points Question 2 files -> Integer programming and game theory files -> 4 Integer Programming files -> Bpa vehicle Window Repair Scenario #1 task: Procure vehicle window relacement. 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