Bush Begs the King

I don't know about you, but I thought it was strange that Pres. Bush flew to Saudi Arabia to ask if they could pump some more oil and sell it to us in hopes the price of gasoline would go down. If we haven't figured it out already, the Saudis don't like the U.S. They spend enourmous amounts of money advocating the Wahabi version of Islam and rule using Islamic law, pretty much the opposite of our system. Our "special" relationship with the Saudis has been based on needs that we provided for each other...they sold us oil and we provided them military protection from all the despots that threaten the region. But now that they are gathering in $billions of oil money and realize that they could literally shut the U.S. down by refusing to sell us oil, this "special" relationship is in the process of getting rebalanced. Sadly, it may be the balance is going to shift towards them and away from us. Until we get our own energy independence and figure out electric or hydrogen cars, we will not be in control of our own destiny. This could take years, not months, to get figured out...and during that time it could have VERY PAINFUL ramifications to the independence that we Americans have prided ourselves on. This could be a period of introspection and national soul searching...maybe exactly what we need to turn towards our Creator.