Palin's Strategic Importance for National Security

Palin's good looks almost get in the way of taking her seriously. But much more is at stake in this election than simply an election. Investor's Business Daily outlines here the importance of Palin in our national security.

Security: The impact of prolonged high oil prices is moving well beyond economics. Russia now takes license to assault Georgia, and intends worse. John McCain's Alaska running mate has the only weapon.

When Alaska governor Sarah Palin was chosen for the McCain vice presidential ticket, most attention was on her beauty-queen past and down-home North Woods family life. In reality, she's the powerful governor of Alaska, the most pivotal state in the union for energy.

They write of John McCain's understanding of the stretegic importance of Alaska. It has to do not only with the high price of oil, but also increasing threats from hostile oil-producing nations enpowered by high oil prices

Palin's leadership has done much to develop Alaska's energy resources, but the state is still stonewalled by Congress.

Palin's strong Alaskan presence in Washington will change that.

It's got to because America is nearly helpless in the face of a resurgent Russia intent on reclaiming its czarist empire, an Iran hellbent on acquiring nuclear weapons, a China making common cause with dictators to acquire energy and a menacing Venezuela aligning with Russia and Cuba to control sea lanes in the Caribbean, where 64% of all U.S.-bound tanker traffic passes.

These are all emerging threats. That's why Alaska has never been more critical to U.S. security interests.

But Alaska oil peaked in 1988 and has been declining since. New drilling is needed, to tap the 31 billion barrels in official reserves, including ANWAR. Alaska's pipeline is being used at only 1/3 capacity, because of declining oil.

No one has fought to bring Alaska front and center like Palin. She has called on Congress to remove restrictions on drilling in ANWAR. And she's also asked for something Congress could do right now --

.— remove restrictions on drilling for 30 billion barrels in the Chukchi Sea and all the natural gas of Beaufort Sea in Alaska's offshore. As governor, she's already gotten the environmental impact work out of the way so shipments to the Lower 48 can start in as little as a year or two. "Congress can do that for us right now," she told IBD. (Emphasis added.)

Palin knows energy, says IBD.

She's already figured out how to deliver energy to the U.S. without Congress — by championing state legislation to create a 1,712-mile natural gas pipeline across Canada to the U.S.

It was a major feat, negotiating with the Canadian government, educating lawmakers and getting the public behind her. In a decade, the $30 billion project will ship 4.5 million cubic feet of gas a day from the North Slope to Houston's air conditioners, Iowa's farm machines and Boston's winter furnaces.

This is the kind of leadership the U.S. needs, says IBDs editorial board.

Not only will getting serious about Alaska help the economy, it will also help our allies in Europe and the Far East whose economies are severely battered by high energy prices and who are seeing some of the most direct threats from the petro-tyrants.

Choosing Palin shows John McCain is serious about energy, says IBD.

Congress mustn't ignore Alaska any longer. Petro-tyranny is moving beyond economics and becoming a national security issue. Alaska is a big part of the answer.