I have to partially agree with the following letter to the editor posted in the Democrat and Chronicle. Like most people he is off base on where the price increase has come from, but he understands exactly what our threats towards Iran are continueing to due to oil and gas prices. Below is the full article:

Tensions, tough talk raise prices

What can government do about gas prices? In the long run, nothing. The trend is up, up, up as world population grows and billions of Indians and Chinese adopt the consumerist lifestyle, with all its energy-guzzling appurtenances — automobiles, air conditioners, dishwashers, home theaters, etc.

But in the short run, there is one practical measure our government could undertake to moderate the price rise: Stop threatening Iran. Iran is not only a major oil supplier, it also controls the sea lanes through which the oil of the gulf emirates flows to market. Prospects of military action in Iran make the world oil market nervous and result in higher prices at the gas pump.

—SAM ABRAMS

ROCHESTER

He is largely wrong about the US Government’s ability to affect gas prices. In fact, about 70% of the increase in energy and commodity prices are due directly to dollar devaluation, not increased demand. The Federal Reserve (which is not federal at all) has been printing money like it’s going out of style. Not convinced? OPEC has actually begged the United States to stop printing money and to shore up the dollar before a global economic collapse occurs.

The part that he is correct about is that attacking Iran and even just threatening to do so affect energy prices. OPEC has warned the world that if we attack Iran they will be unable to make up for lost production and that the world could see unlimited increases in prices. What are we thinking?

The fact is Iran poses no threat to our country. Even Israel is more than capable of defending itself.

Our navy needs to move its ships out of range of Iran’s missiles because it is only inviting them to sink every ship. What would be the result? Nukes and WWIII.

Think about that before you give your support to the war.