The Nov. 10 edition included a letter that draws some questionable conclusions (“Biden assessments questioned”). The Keystone cancellation caused more than just job losses. We now will continue to transport the oil we will need for decades to refineries by train and truck, both of which pollute, burn fuel, are costly and cause more accidental spills than pipelines do.
By abandoning energy independence through regulations curtailing production and drilling, we contribute to shortages in the global market. OPEC nations take the opportunity to limit production, increasing prices and their own incomes.
As to the Afghanistan debacle, the Doha agreement was a contract broken by the Taliban from its inception, as they failed to reach an accord with the Afghan government or suppress other terrorist groups. Once they defaulted, the U.S. had no obligation to perform any of its obligations under the breached agreement. It doesn’t take military genius to know that if we decide to withdraw anyway, civilians should be evacuated before the military departs. We can’t abandon our best evacuation and support facility, Bagram, in the dead of night and expect Afghan forces in the field to continue to fight with their key support suddenly gone. The Biden administration got the withdrawal sequence “bassackwards,” against military advice. The frantic evacuation should not have been necessary. Many innocent people are paying the price for our ineptitude and lack of competent planning.
Ron Wohlust
Dagsboro
