Solving the Energy Problem Could Solve the Terrorism Problem

Force and Violence. To solve the terrorism problem, we need to understand and know how to deal with terrorists. Bob Taubert (2006) said, “Unfortunately, people of this ilk only respect force and violence. So be it.”  Hence, to solve or kill the terrorism problem, we must use “force and violence” because those are the only things terrorists understand and respect. Another way to defeat terrorism is to follow the terrorists and eliminate them one at a time without fanfare. Then, one day, there will be none.

Alternative Fuels. I’m so sick of Middle Eastern oil and Venezuelan oil that I strongly believe we should seek alternative fuels to petrol. Even coal and natural gas, both of which we have an overabundance of in the United States, would be better than continuing to deal with the Arabs, Venezuelans, and Russians to buy their oil. Since the United States of America (USA) has a huge amount of coal and natural gas, we should exploit those energy sources we currently have and ignore the Middle East. That would be a tactical solution to the problem.

Of all fossil fuels, natural gas (which is mainly methane, CH₄) burns cleaner to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂), water vapor (H₂O), and heat. Coal burns dirty, but good scrubbers can be developed to remove most of the soot and residue from burning coal. We can also burn coal powder or slurry using the magneto-hydrodynamic process to generate electricity as well as coal gasification. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has a large quantity of oil. If we used the natural gas, coal, and oil within the United States, we could get off our dependence on foreign oil. Other fossil fuels we can capitalize on include peat, oil shale, and bio-fuels. Forms of energy generation other than fossil fuels include wind energy (windmill farms), nuclear energy (nuclear power plants), solar energy (solar panels), hydro-electric generation (dams), ethanol (corn), burning wood, biomass briquettes, fuel cell energy, ocean tides and currents, and geothermal energy.

Strategic Solution. What the US should really do is to conduct a 10-year project, similar to the Manhattan Project, and create an alternative fuel source such as converting water into hydrogen (fuel) and oxygen (oxidizer), both of which burn clean without any pollution. Water is plentiful in the world. We NEED to get off being dependent on oil … particularly, Middle Eastern oil. That’s the strategic solution to eradicate terrorism.

Water is an Alternative.Once we solve the problem of economically converting good old H₂O (i.e., water), of which there is an unlimited supply in the world, into hydrogen and oxygen, we won’t need to depend on hydrocarbons or fossil fuels any longer. Hydrogen and oxygen combusts clean and generates heat and water (recycling again), which would be environmentally friendly. I say, let’s not deal with petroleum any longer than we absolutely must. If we become independent of petroleum, we can counter all of those adversaries who are continually sticking it to us. Let them find another reason to blackmail us.

Alternative Fuel

Manhattan Project. I am for the United States conducting a Manhattan-Project-like effort to develop a way to use water (H₂O) as a fuel within 10 years. The hydrogen (2H) is separated from the oxygen (O), and the hydrogen (2H) is used as the propellant and the oxygen (O) as the oxidizer or the hydrogen (H) can be used as propellant and the hydroxyl ion (OH) used as the oxidizer. When we do that, we won’t need Middle Eastern oil any longer. Fuel will be plentiful as water is all around us and also is recyclable.

Crux of the Problem. This solution will prove whether oil and our presence in the Middle East are the crux of the problem. We may find out that jealousy may actually be the crux of the problem because I feel that al-Qaeda will still want to destroy the USA even after we are out of the Middle East and not bothering them any longer. Most importantly, they would definitely miss the dollars pouring into the Arab/Muslim/Islamist (AMI) countries.

Motivation. The motivation to get a Manhattan-Project-type project going to accomplish the task within 10 years would need to be a major weapon of mass destruction (WMD) attack on the United States by the Islamo-fascists. As I have stated before, our U.S. politicians/leaders are reactive not proactive in nature. They do nothing significant unless motivated by major catastrophes. That approach is sad, but that’s the way they operate.

If we move at the current snail’s pace that we are moving, hydrogen power is 50 years away from today. However, a Manhattan-like project would compress those 50 years into a mere decade. The development of the atomic bomb was also 50 years off at the snail’s pace that they were moving. However, with the brewing of World War II on the horizon in the mid-30s, that was the motivator for a 10-year Manhattan Project.

Also, remember when President Kennedy said in 1960 that we would go to the Moon within the decade? When Congress and the Aerospace Industry got behind it, the United States made it to the Moon even before the 10 years were up. World War II motivated the development of long-range rockets (e.g., the Germans developed the V-1 buzz bomb and the V-2 rocket) and the jet-engine aircraft (again, the Germans led the world in this area). By the time the Korean Conflict started in the early 1950s, the Russians had the MIG-15, and we had the F-86 Sabre Jet.

Reference

Taubert, R. (2006, Summer). Piracy’s perils: Marine marshals. The Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International, 12(2).

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