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IT WOULD APPEAR U.S. President Barack Obama has decided Canada’s “dirty oil” isn’t quite so “dirty” after all.
We knew this would happen. It usually does when politically motivated environmentalism runs into reality.
There’s even an equation for it: Oilsands + eco-hyperbole (equals) tarsands; Mideast crisis + Venezuelan … other options (equals) Alberta oil.
While we admit this equation is rather crude, so is the end product the United States so drastically needs, even as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil imports as the Middle East and northern Africa go through various revolutions, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez continues to play Crazy 8s.
Increasingly high prices for gas have Americans demanding action from their president.
Where has Obama turned?
Well, he turned south to Mexico, it’s No. 2 supplier, and then he turned north to Canada, its No. 1 supplier – all to lessen his need to import oil from Saudi Arabia, No. 3, Venezuela, No. 5 and Iraq, No. 8.
So suddenly, at least in the eyes of Obama, the oilsands no longer look quite as “dirty” as they did when oil prices were lower and the Arab world was being nicely run by despots.