ANWR's value by Gordon Depue, Fairbanks Fairbanks Daily News Miner Nov 10, 2011 | To the editor: The closing of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a bad idea. This is a plan to bring America to its knees and aid the Marxist one-world-plan to destroy our economy. The closing of ANWR would be a prize to the Communist Party of America. With the loss of Alaska’s offshore drilling plans (now in court again because of another round of baseless challenges by the environmental groups) we would be forever in debt to China. These foolish groups, blinded by their political ideology or the vision of environmental protection, will cause the loss of our freedom, millions of jobs and our children’s opportunity to live in a safe and secure future. The chances of a bankrupt country borrowing money to support any future environmental studies or low-cost energy at the cost of still more standing jobs is not likely. For the next 20 years, we need these benefits from ANWR as well as offshore drilling in Alaska. We should begin with oil and rare earth mineral exploration that will lead to having an inventory of knowledge of the part of our nation’s natural wealth these short-sighted enemies of America want to lock up. Keep in mind, China has 98 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals, and in four years the production of alloys, metals and minerals will not be available to the western world. Without the rare earth minerals and metals, Detroit cannot build an automobile. Will we buy our next military drone from China? Developing oil in the tiny part of the 2-plus million acres ANWR makes up compares to dropping a postage stamp on a football field and then declaring the stamp area blotted forever. America and Alaska desperately need ANWR, offshore drilling and the Pebble Mine for copper, molybdenum and rare earth minerals to remain an economic or strategic partner in the world today. Develop these treasures and 5 million new jobs are created, the balance of trade will favor the U.S., low-cost energy independence can begin and the $900 billion being sent to our enemies stays home to make the U.S. and the world a better place. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp