Just how many Saudi representatives are here and welcomed by the government that have the same link to these organizations?

Neither candidate will address that problem, either. Shame really. Kerry is all talk, his energy independence plan not really kicking in till 10 years after his term would be over anyway...and the majority of the plan mirrors what Bush already is doing...which is funding alternative energy research and attempting to bolster inventiveness in the sector. Bush's focus has been on alternative fuel for cars (hydrogen)...lofty...maybe it will work...and if so we will actually have created something that we can competitively market throughtout the globe (reducing the current account deficit...woohoo).

Issue is...we have to bite some serious bullet to have our cake and eat it too. We either allow ANWR and use it to offset Saudi directly...then take the other from the new IRAQ...then mandate 40 mpg fleet averages and spend like hell on research or we continue to have to play nice with the Saudis.