What would happen if...?

Question

...America stopped buying mideast and Venezuelan oil ?

Yeah, I know, 12 dollar a gallon gas doesn't sound too appealing but would it force our government and corporations to fund projects seeking alternative energy sources or would it simply allow non-participating countries the boon of cheap energy while we suffer.

..or would it just give the arabs another reason to tell us to "go pound sand" ?

Answer 1

This country is headed for a building boom in Nuclear Power over the next 20 years and we will see several plants going up around the country. Also, near me in Michigan I see wind farms going up in many areas. These are the cheapest sources of energy. We have more oil off shore than they have in all of the middle east and one of these days congress will allow it to be tapped.

Answer 2

If we ceased using Venezuelan crude, the country would undoubtedly face tremendous financial problems. For a country that is bordering on dictatorial socialism, such a lose of revenue could prove catastrophic.
For the Mideast, Saudi Arabia would inevitably increase its sale of oil to our enemies (China, North Korea, Syria, and even Iran----believe it or not, Iran imports 40% of its oil due to its' lack of refinery capabilities). Iraq is still too chaotic, the UAE doesn't export the volume and would thus be weakened by the loss of US demand, and Kuwait is becoming increasingly anti-US anyway, so they are probably already pursuing other clients.
We could always pursue more oil exploratory in Canada and off the coast, but the environmentalists would have to be won over. Russia also has access to oil deposits in Siberia, which we might also be able to access.

Answer 3

We wouldn't suffer in silence. $12 gas is the sort of thing political parties get toppled for in America.

It would also increase the supply of inexpensive oil to China, who's already giving us problems in overseas trade.

I'd say that's a huge gamble and we'd fall behind industrially.

Answer 4

We HAVE TO start using alternative fuels. The gulf war is basically over oil. Once we stop our hugh dependence on foreign oil and come up with another source we will have balance and not have to rely heavily on someone elses export.