Are GM and Ford responsible for the 911 attacks?

So the President-elect of Iran might have been involved in the Iranian hostage crisis - which led to one of the greatest energy scandals America has ever experienced - that could never happen again, right?

Before the 70's oil embargo American automakers, such as Ford and GM, dominated American automobile marketshare, but fuel efficient, reliable compacts from Japan started gaining ground.

At the same time, Brazil was also very reliant upon foreign oil, significantly more reliant upon foreign oil than America. Yet, today, Brazil is almost independent of foreign oil. The U.S. is more dependent than ever.

In the 80's oil problems struck again, and Japanese vehicles gained even more ground, and American automakers floundered.

But in the 90's, the full potential of the SUV market was realized and GM and Ford spent billions marketing the idea of SUVs and American freedom - and I do mean billions. Why? Because they could make profit margins of more than $10,000 per vehicle.

Why try to compete with the Japanese? America isn't about efficiency, it's about excess - it's our right, right?

And America's foreign oil dependency grew greater than ever, but fuel economy was off limits because it might limit fuel cell development, automaker lobbyists convinced the government - plus those $10,000 profit margins might disappear.

Nonetheless, Brazil could accomplish what America could not?

Anyway, when the CIA assisted Bin Laden in Afghanistan, it was to help remove the foreign Russian Army off Muslim land. In fact Bin Laden and other terrorists have made their concerns quite clear - they want non Muslim foreigners to stop controlling and influencing their land.

There is only one reason America cares so much about the Middle East. Like a drug addict America is absolutely dependent upon foreign oil. Without it, how would we fill are gas guzzling trucks and SUVs?

If America could deal with the Middle East in the same fashion that it deals with Africa, would 911 have occurred? Certainly there would still be problems in the Middle East, but America wouldn't always have to side with corrupt governments that abuse and repress their citizens, but guarantee cheap oil to America. Since American money gives those corrupt leaders the money to maintain the corrupt status quo, it is not surprising that America is blamed for their problems.

Today, America's foreign oil dependency is worse than ever, yet gas-guzzlers are still the lifeblood of GM and Ford. While these companies sell the perception of 'Buy American for a stronger America', buying these 'American' products requires increasing foreign oil dependency.

Isn't that ironic?

"We're hooked on oil from the Middle East, which is a national security problem and an economic security problem," George Bush acknowledged while defending his stance against the Kyoto protocol.

Yet America still can't do anything about foreign oil dependency, but Brazil could? That's technological leadership.

When push comes to shove, American automakers are dependent upon America's foreign oil dependency. While GM's Bob Lutz is gloating about June's light truck sales - further extending America's dependence upon foreign oil - terrorists are making plans to disrupt the oil supply.

If the terrorists are successful and oil hits $100 per barrel for an extended period of time, the American economy will be greatly affected, especially for the average, politically insignificant, American. More important, GM and Ford will be in serious trouble and the government - more precisely the tax payers - will be responsible for billions and billions of dollars worth of health and pension funds.

But don't worry, in 2 or 3 - maybe 4 or 5 - decades, fuel cells will solve all of America's problems. Just because Detroit has been saying that since the 70's, don't worry, this time they really mean it.

Until then, America's safety will be completely dependent upon the Armed Forces, the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Security Agency.

Now that's freedom.

While GM and Ford are not responsible for the 911 attacks, their business practices continue to expose America to the threat of more terrorist attacks.

Don't Americans expect more than that?