$300 million for alternative fuels instead of missiles?
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An amendment has been submitted to the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Defense authorization bill that would increase the use of alternative fuels in the military. House Democratic Whip Hoyer stresses the fact America is forced to take into account the price of oil when making national security decisions. The Department of Defense is the largest single buyer of fuel in America, and any move towards alternative fuels should have a significant impact. The Department of Defense should be able to bridge the gap between innovative research and practical application in the area of alternative fuels, an effort that would bring rewards to all of the United States. The $300 million in funding would be cut from $9.1 billion in proposed ballistic missile defense programs. How about we cut a slightly more generous portion for alternative fuels, and invest in a few less ballistic missiles? [Source: Southern Maryland Online]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Marcello Mastroianni 4:19PM (5/11/2006)
Bonus: the more alternative fuels we use, the less likely it is that we'll have to go to war to protect our oil supply. The military has some smart people, eh?
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psych101 10:06AM (5/12/2006)
Marcello, my thoughts exactly. The military uses diesel at a prodigious rate, and if they switch to biodiesel, it is practically a guarantee that biodiesel will become a feasible, even highly attractive fuel of the future. I hope so, anyway. I really like diesel engines. Give me torquey diesels anyday, I love 'em!
Another bonus is a complete and total reinvigoration of our agriculture industry, which has subsisted on government handouts for long enough. It is sad that agriculture got kind of pushed to the side and even vilified in the past century. My family were farmers until the mid 20th century, when they gave it up and moved into the big city business way of life. We still own the land from the family farm, but it is now dotted with McMansions and an apartment complex or two: yuk! My greatgrandfather would be very excited about biodiesel and ethanol, for they both represent a nice fusion of industrial and agricultural ideals, and underscore a harmony of society.
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Energy 11:51AM (5/12/2006)
What a pity U.S. military expenses are the 50% of the world total military expense :( Now imagine all these loads of money go to e.g. construct wind farms... What a wonderful world it would be.
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