Charlie Brown: A Green, Energy-Independent Military?
By Nicole Belle Wednesday Aug 01, 2007 2:32pm
It is no secret that America's energy needs (i.e. oil) have played a significant role in U.S. foreign policy over the years, especially in the middle east.
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and Kuwait in particular, rank #1, #3, #4, and #5 in the world respectively in terms of oil reserves.
Our military has fought wars and shed blood in this region. And our government has sold arms, invested billions of dollars, and turned a blind eye to regimes whose records on fighting terrorism, defending human rights, and fostering political stability---the very things the current administration claims we are fighting for in Iraq---are abysmal to say the least.
For these reasons, there is broad, bi-partisan consensus that energy independence is a matter of urgent national security.
The ultimate irony is that while our government has done almost nothing to ween America off oil, the military...yes the military...is actually moving towards energy independence. Read on...
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Feist again!
Kind of brings new meaning to the term "green army guys" eh?
the largest consumer of petroleum products in the world is US DoD. A green war machine is like conceiving of ice cream that doesn't melt.
You're a good man, Charlie Brown.
Ace Armstrong @ 3:
"What... is thy quest?"
"I seek the Holy Grail!"
venezuela got more oil bitchez :p
His name is certainly easy to remember. Is he married to a little red haired girl? If he has a dog named Snoopy, that'll be perfect.
Seriously, I'm glad the army is going green. Real glad.
Well Gatesee's back in Town
http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/photoessay%5C2007-08%5C070801-D-7...
http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/photoessay%5C2007-08%5C070801-D-7...
http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/photoessay%5C2007-08%5C070801-D-7...
The US Military returns to its roots.
http://www.nrhc.org/history/25thInfantry.html
We're going Green
Green
Green
Green
Green
Green
http://jccc.afis.osd.mil/LBOX/mini/1532205.jpg
http://jccc.afis.osd.mil/LBOX/mini/1536237.jpg
Our military is going green?
Good! Now we can kill hundreds of people in an eco-friendly fashion. That'll be good for the environment.
Come to think of it, less people in the world is good for the environment. Eugenics rokz!
I hear that we'll soon be using biodegradable forms of depleted uranium with a half life of only 100 million years.
In the mean time, current EIA stats has Saudi Arabia's oil production in decline.
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It is true that the U.S. Army is one of the largest energy (and petroleum) consuming agencies in the world. But for how much the armed forces will likely get lambasted by this thread, the Army has made huge inroads in alternative energy by working with researchers at DoE and public/private universities. For example, engineering scientists at my graduate school recently produced a 43% efficient photovoltaic cell (that's 4x more efficient than what's currently sold commercially!!) primarily as part of DARPA's Soldier of the Future initiative. This is one of several examples of independent energy research coming out of the Army right now. In fact, if there is one single research are where the government is dropping a lot of cash right now, it's energy.
Now that certainly doesn't mean this technology will ever see the light of day (no pun intended) in consumer hands. Obviously, the bottleneck is not coming from the R&D side of things. As we are all aware with alternative energy sources and uses such as biofuel/wind/electric cars/photovoltaics, the technology is here. I would argue it's plain politics by the Dick Cheney/Enron/General Motors of the world that would rather fill their pockets with dirty oil money than do the right thing for the future of our country and the world and get this stuff in the hands of the general public. It's the same reason why body and vehicle armor don't get shipped to Iraq, and it's frankly quite disghusting.
Planet of the War Mongers
Help! Is any one out there there there there there there. . . . . . . . . . !!
Well, the military IS smarter than the government.
It makes complete sense. American's won't understand it.
This posting suggests that the military has an environmental conscience. It is a lie. The US military is probably the largest single polluter in the world, with many mobile and stationary nuclear facilities, continued CFC use, and no regulations for pollution or accountability on energy use allowed from the EPA, OSHA, or any other regulatory agency.
Synthetic fuels are not the answer. In fact, deforestation from the creation of palm oil farms for biodeisel is beginning to be a major issue in the SE Asia region. 'Course it is all about $$, and who cares about tropical ecosystems if you can make a buck in the US defense racket.
This article does not even acknowledge the corollary effects of American military 'strategic' policies, such as habitat destruction for native people pacification or production and use of chemical warfare weapons such as Agent Orange, napalm, and white phosphorous. Neither does it mention the long distance electronic pulse submarine communication system which is currently wreaking havoc with sentient marine life.
The problem here is consumption, which will not be solved with alternative fuels, and the nature of the bloated taxpayer-fattened military itself. Aggressive US military practices and the military-can-do-no-wrong patriotic gore, whether the military uses synthetic fuels or not, are the real problems here that needs to be solved!
Charlie Brown needs to do some basic research into this issue, and Kos should too!
BigTallMatt @ 15:
Nice comment.
is this for conservation sake, or does the military have some info we don't about peak oil?
now if the pentagon would stop turning half the world radioactive with DU...
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While I'm glad the military is thinking green, the fact that the military has spilled blood, both American and Middle Eastern, the blow-back will result in further 9/11's.
It is ignorant to think that the military presence in the Middle East region will accomplish peace. We've been there for how long now? Over a full generation, in one way or another, militarily arming and setting up bases to 'ensure' that peace yet to happen. NO? How's that peace plan working for ya Bushie?
Further ignorance to the resulting problems of our continued FORCED presence in the Middle East has resulted in two wars initiated by the USA since 9/11. So, how much blow-back do you think this will bestow upon the next generation? And staying helps... HOW?
Turning the military GREEN, is only a mask to the larger problem and is NOT the fix. LOL... The military is getting it, sort of. So why are they still in the Middle East again? Oh... al CIAda!
.
The Army may be going green but you'll still never see any yellow elephants joining up.
apple pie @ 19:
great post.
Does anyone else see the irony of the goal of making fuel out of "animal fats"? I.e., more factory farming, which is the 2nd biggest cause of greenhouse gases?
Sometimes you just wanna slam your head against the wall.
I wouldn't start cheering about the new, improved "green" US Air Force just yet.
What process is the USAF using to produce their synthetic fuel? And what is the energy source?
Coal?
Heavy oil?
Biofuel?
Corn?
All of these sources require a lot of energy to create aviation fuel.
j @ 25:
People are animals.
j @ 25:
moby dick best keep his head down, sounds like a call to start whaling again...
also, what would happen to food prices if the pentagon started to switch their bloated fleets over to biodiesel?
maybe part of the goal should be to reduce our military empire? or is that just too logical? if not, we will have the greenest imperial army since emporer valens... yeah!!
It's "wean," not "ween."
Just sayin'.
Congress might pass new auto fuel efficiency standards (if they can hammer out a compromise between different bills) that would raise the average fleet standard of 25 mpg passed in 1974 to about 35 mpg by 2020, an average increase of 10 mpg after only 46 years! Now that's progress.
The whole Bush administration is headed toward energy independence.
Their approach is that by annexing, planting the US flag, in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, either by conquest or bribery or just buying the countries, we will no longer be importing oil from foreign nations, but from ourselves.
So we can save the endangered species, the Escalades, the Hummers, the Guzzling SUV's, at least for another generation.
That's environmental awareness, Bush-style.
War will be just dandy then!!! Green weapons! Green invasion! Green Killing! Green graveyards! YAY!!!
Charlie's a visionary. I hope he wins in his quest for congress
That's a laugh...
The Abrams tank (as I remember) uses 2(?) turbine engines. Yes, essentially a jet engine to drive it across sand and enemy skulls. It drinks (guzzles) so much fuel that they have to be followed by TANKERS that can fill them up when they run out!
Green military? My ass... The uniforms are green. That's about it.
Remember that the 'military' is exempt from most , if not all, environmental laws. Next thing, Cheney will say that he's actually part of the military and the smoke stack will go up and he will start the fires of Mordor again...
Patently absurd. Feel free to click through to my link to see why I feel this way (sorry for blogwhoring.)
i wish i had the facts and a link to back it up, but this is the innertubes and we are dirty fucking hippies not to be trusted, but i heard somewhere that the u.s. military uses as much oil (gas, fuel, lubricants, etc) in a single day that the entire country of switzerland uses in an entire year
what will someone that abuses a substance do to get more ??
Hemp.
On the one hand, that headline invites snarks like, "Yeah, nothing conserves resources like war".
But on the other hand, maintaining the supply line has been a crucial leg of strategy from the dawn of time. Anything that takes some pressure off that is smart and relevant.
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