by David J. Rusin
American Thinker
August 3, 2008

Persuading Western Muslim leaders to repudiate Shari'a-sanctioned violence against apostates can be a frustrating exercise, as Prince Charles discovered in 2004. Troubled by the treatment of Muslims who convert to Christianity in Islamic nations, the prince convened a summit of senior figures from both religious communities. It ended in disappointment. The Islamic representatives failed to issue a declaration condemning the practice, which the Christians had requested; they also cautioned non-Muslims not to discuss such matters in public, arguing that moderates would be more likely to make progress if the debate were kept internal.

We must become independent — not just of imported oil, but of oil itself.

By R. James Woolsey & Anne Korin

A determined pack has begun to race its engines and to try to shoulder us off the road toward energy independence. It’s time for those determined to stay on the track to drive aggressively.
The energy-independence question is really about oil — the rest of U.S. energy use presents important issues, but not the danger of our being subject to the control of nations that “do not particularly like us,” as the president put it. Some of the engine racers have an economic interest in keeping our transportation system 97-percent oil-dependent. Less understandable are the authors of a recent Council on Foreign Relations report accusing those working for such independence of “doing the nation a disservice.”

As oil prices surge to almost $100 a barrel, anxieties are escalating amongst American consumers. From increased transportation costs to higher utility bills, rising expenditures associated with petroleum-based energy production have a significant and direct negative impact on both the US economy and the lives of individual Americans. However, there is another equally, if not more troubling aspect of this situation; namely, much of the money spent on this critical resource—one upon which America is wholly dependant—is flowing overseas to support the nation’s enemies.