US Fails to Break Free from Middle East Oil Grip

The United States' dependence on Middle East oil is a long-standing issue that has been addressed by several presidents, but it remains unresolved. According to Cal Thomas, quoting President Joe Biden's phrase 'there is nothing we can't do if we do it together,' the country should be able to overcome this dependence. However, as Thomas points out, the main obstacle lies in the difference between American production and that of the Middle East.

The US mainly produces light, sweet crude from shale formations, whereas the Middle East supplies heavier, higher-sulfur crude. This makes it difficult for old US refineries to process the heavier crude, as building new ones would be costly and hampered by environmental laws. Some consider new refineries a bad financial risk due to the shift towards renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Thomas argues that this is an example of defeatism, citing President Trump's approach to tapping more light, sweet crude from the North Sea. He claims that if the UK were to do so, it would boost the country's economy. Thomas also criticizes far-left environmentalists for setting the agenda and depriving the US of oil from offshore California and Florida.