In his article on September 13, 2008, "Making America Stupid" NY Times Op-Ed writer Thomas Freidman writes "And imagine for a minute what these observers would have been doing when Rudy Giuliani led the delegates in a chant of “drill, baby, drill!”. Mr, Friedman goes on to state they were also thinking about the US lust for more oil and not interested in "kicking the habit.
What else should we as Americans be thinking about? Strategic minerals reserves.
Look to the sources of our strategic mineral reserves. Strategic mineral reserves are defined as "minerals not found or produced domestically in sufficient quantities to meet our needs in times of foreign threats to national security and/or the economy". (1) Our strategic mineral reserves come from countries that we are not always on the most friendly terms with, but come they must. Our reliance on minerals in all our manufacturing industries is huge. From the production of specialty steel used in surgical instruments to cans soup sold in the supermarket. We use minerals...literally by the ton. Those minerals are imported. Needless to say international relations are partly based on the strategic need for a particular counties non-energy mineral resources.
For an understanding of the US inventory of mineral reseources go to the USGS Minerals Information: Minerals Yearbook. Another excellent reference is the online publication of Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy by the Committee on Critical Mineral Impacts of the U.S. Economy, Committee on Earth Resources, National Research Council.
Next ask yourself the question "What has the current President done with our strategic mineral resources? Buy or sell?
Andy
(1)U.S. RELIANCE ON AFRICA FOR STRATEGIC MINERALS, The Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia, Major R.A. Hagerman, United States Marine Corps, April 6, 1984
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