Fighting Terrorism With ANWR Oil

Re “Arctic Drilling Is Still Bad,” editorial, Sept. 28: As we prepare for war we must recognize the critical role that energy security plays in our national security. We depend on imports for more than 56% of our oil. Though Canada is our leading supplier at 1.8 million barrels a day, we import upward of 1 million barrels daily from Iraq. Steps must be taken to develop energy solutions within our borders.

Your claim that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would provide a six-month supply of oil is misleading. The only way that could approach the truth is if the ANWR were the nation’s single source of oil--no imports, no other production. In reality, 10 billion barrels from the ANWR would eliminate the need for 30 years of Saudi Arabian imports. Oil from the ANWR can be flowing in 12 months.

Our technology, ingenuity and 30 years of experience exploring for energy in the Arctic will help ensure that our impact will be minimized; engineers expect just a 2,000-acre footprint in the ANWR, an area the size of South Carolina. Safe exploration, the environment and the caribou can safely coexist--it is happening right now in Canada and Alaska.

Frank H. Murkowski

R-Alaska, Senate Energy and

Natural Resources Committee

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Instead of opening up the ANWR, a truly precious national gem, for oil exploration and extraction, how about exploring how much of a hardship it would be on our deprived citizenry to require SUVs to get one mile more to the gallon? What have we become?

Karin Delman

Sierra Madre

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Your editorial criticizing the Republicans’ opportunistic push for drilling in the ANWR is right on. I would only add that if we really cared about American energy security, it wouldn’t bother Americans to drive at 55 mph. It would save lives--and much more oil than the ANWR will ever produce.

Allan Rabinowitz

Los Angeles

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Your editorial makes a comparison between the ANWR and Yosemite and Yellowstone. Whether drilling in ANWR is right or wrong, Yosemite and Yellowstone are visited by millions of people every year as compared to a mere handful at the ANWR. It is not a valid comparison.

Nate Rubin

Los Angeles