#1 Reason that we need to invest in energy... so we can take their hands out of our pockets. #2 Is so we can export the technology and put them back..

"If you are going to be paying for wind, electric and solar energy equivalents that cost five or 10 times more than it costs to use oil, you are going to price yourself out of the market. You are going to lose whatever competitiveness you have in your products."..said Prince Turki al-Faisal

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/27/saudi-ex-envoy-us-cant-be-energy-independent/

Saudi Arabia, a long-time U.S. ally that has suffered a significant image problem since it was revealed that 15 of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers hailed from the kingdom, is the world's largest oil exporter.

Last year, the U.S. imported from Saudi Arabia 1.5 million barrels of oil a day — more than 11 percent of total imports.