The Urgent War (Climate Change)

[unhappycamper]

The Urgent War
by Peter G. Cohen | October 6, 2009 - 9:44am

Terrorism is a minor threat to the United States; climate change threatens the survival of civilization.

We have expended vast amounts of energy, lives and money in pursuit of al Qaeda with modest results. We could have purchased a lifetime of oil supplies for the money spent on trying to conquer Iraq. The oppressive regimes of the Middle East still control the oil, and some still fund the Madrassas whose teaching of the Koran indoctrinates innocent children to become suicide bombers.

It is critical that we face the fact that we can no longer afford this endless attempt to dominate world resources. We have exhausted our troops, our equipment, our treasure and our international political capital. We must get our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan as quickly as possible, and do what we can to repair the dreadful damage our wars have done in the region.

The immediate threat to the United States and to civilization is the burning heat of climate change. With an almost endless supply of fossil-based heat and energy over the last 250 years, we have been able to transform the landscape, develop and accelerate all forms of transportation and communication, entertain and feed ourselves to the point of obesity. And enjoy luxuries unknown to all but wealthiest courts of empires past.

Now, with relatively little warning, we find that we have so polluted the atmosphere that we are threatened by fires and heat waves, droughts and fierce storms, advancing deserts and tropical diseases. The world food supply is suffering from climate changes that wither crops in some areas, while drowning them with floods in others. Melting polar ice caps are causing the oceans to rise; port cities, low islands and luxuriant delta agricultural areas are already experiencing the rising waters. And these effects are happening faster than scientists expected.


Rest of article at: http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/24212

[ensho]

1. true

tick