Obama Releases Itinerary: Shuns Saudi Arabia & UAE As Oil Prices Remain High

I'm certainly glad that Senator Obama has taken the time to finally pay some respect to our forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. In what was technically to be a fact-finding mission, paid with taxpayer funds, the Senator overstepped his authority on Monday by engaging in political negotiations without any granted authority to do so. But the Obama campaign, preoccupied with creating the appearance of foreign policy savvy, failed to utilize his new-found leadership role to further American interests in the Middle East.

Back at home, middle class Americans continue to suffer the effects of oil prices that have doubled since Democratic leadership took control at the end of 2006. Economists continue to fear that rising oil prices will drive our economy into another period of Stagflation (stagnant growth w/rising inflation). Yet, Senator Obama passed on a golden opportunity to visit Saudi and UAE officials while in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has consistently ranked among the top supplier of US oil and this year has increased production by 500,000 barrels in an attempt to offset the 300,000 bbl reduction by Iran and losses due to continuous shutdowns of Nigerian oil operations. Over the past year, Saudi Arabia has continuously worked with the US in their attempts to pressure other member of OPEC to increase production, a move that would help drive speculation out of the oil markets.

Obama has slighted the Saudis on the campaign trail during the primaries and has apparently failed to recognize the value in strengthening our relationship with the oil-producing nation. Both President Bushes, President Clinton and their Secretaries of State have consistently made it a priority to pay a visit to the Saudis while on Middle East trips. Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner to the US and will continue to be an important trading partner so long as our congressional leaders refuse to take action to increase domestic oil production. Certainly one of Obama's 300 foreign policy advisers were smart enough to recommend that he visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Foreign policy goes beyond political showboating and the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. Foreign policy must be built upon the basis of strengthening our domestic economic and national security interests. During this trip, Obama has failed to recognize the correlation between Middle East foreign policy and our economic interests.

Since taking control of congress on a platform that promised the American people lower and more stable energy prices, congressional leadership has failed to put forth a single measure designed to carry out that promise. Pelosi, Reid and Obama have blocked the "Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008", a measure calling for increased domestic oil & natural gas production, increased incentives for electric and hybrid vehicle technology and increased funding for the agency that regulates commodity trading. Pelosi, Reid and Obama also blocked a measure within the housing bill aimed at providing billions of dollars in incentives to companies developing alternative energy, claiming that the incentives needed to be offset by increased revenue. Meanwhile, they are proposing a $50 billion dollar economic stimulus package with no way of paying for it. Congressional leadership has utterly failed to take action on oil prices and now their chosen leader has determined that there is no value in meeting with the dignitaries of one of our nations leading suppliers of oil.

Obama's trip cannot be considered an exercise in foreign policy when it utterly fails to further US economic interests. Join our congressional "Drill Now" email initiative in sending a message to Congressional leaders to bring the "Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008" to the floor. In the past week over 91,000 emails have been forwarded through our simple, user-friendly form.

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J Brown
July 22nd, 2008
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