U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

[Sapiens]

http://yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=2697

Now the Pentagon, as well as various U.S. security think tanks, have decided that water supplies, like energy supplies, must be secured if the United States is to maintain its current economic and military power in the world. And the United States is exerting pressure to access Canadian water, despite Canada’s own shortages.

Under the name, “North American Future 2025 Project,” the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) brought together high level government officials and business executives from Canada, the United States, and Mexico for a series of six meetings to discuss a wide range of issues related to the Security and Prosperity Partnership, a controversial and tightly guarded set of negotiations to expand NAFTA. [See related story .]

“As … globalization continues and the balance of power potentially shifts, and risks to global security evolve, it is only prudent for Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. policymakers to contemplate a North American security architecture that could effectively deal with security threats that can be foreseen in 2025,” said a leaked copy of a CSIS backgrounder.

[Slimprofits]

Re: U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

They attempted with this with the failed FTAA.

This Security and Prosperity Partnership is what also leads some people down the "Amero" line of thinking (I not being one of them).

From what I've read on Canadian news sites, a goodly amount of people up there are paying attention and speaking out on the water issue.

[Starving Steve]

Re: U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

Oh yes, fresh water, the other huge long-term issue beside energy:

May I remind the eco-nuts here that the Nautilus submarine built in 1954 still has not tanked-up with fresh water. It still is using desalinated seawater for drinking on board the sub.

And speaking of tanking-up, the Nautilus is still using its original supply of uranium. It hasn't yet run-out of fuel after 54 years of travel.

A few ounces of fuel made from uranium has equaled 54 years of service, and there is still energy left for more service.

Where has the "can do" spirit of 1954 gone? Something happened to our thinking here in North America around 1970. What was it? We went to sleep and still haven't woken-up.

And now we have the inevitable shortages that come when planning and engineering are not done for the future: a shortage of fresh water, a shortage of electricity, a shortage of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, etc.

But no such shortages on the Nautilus, and there never will be.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

Oh yes, fresh water, the other huge long-term issue beside energy:

May I remind the eco-nuts here that the Nautilus submarine built in 1954 still has not tanked-up with fresh water. It still is using desalinated seawater for drinking on board the sub.

And speaking of tanking-up, the Nautilus is still using its original supply of uranium. It hasn't yet run-out of fuel after 54 years of travel.

A few ounces of fuel made from uranium has equaled 54 years of service, and there is still energy left for more service.

Where has the "can do" spirit of 1954 gone? Something happened to our thinking here in North America around 1970. What was it? We went to sleep and still haven't woken-up.

And now we have the inevitable shortages that come when planning and engineering are not done for the future: a shortage of fresh water, a shortage of electricity, a shortage of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, etc.

But no such shortages on the Nautilus, and there never will be.

What was the population of the Nautilus, US, world in 1954, and what is it now?

[blazespinnaker]

Re: U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

Canada’s own shortages.

Heh heh.. I know Sapiens isn't responsible for that, but I thought that was funny.

We have probably twice the water resources of the US and 1/10 the population. Shortages? heheheh.

We should make some deal with the US where they give us some great trade deal for our water guaranteed out some long period, because, desalination is right around the corner.

So is solar/wind/etc.

The reason we 'went to sleep' after the oil crisis passed was because oil prices dropped. It was pointless to do all that R&D into something that had no cost benefit.

Prices have gone up, so we will resume research (which we have, with great fervor) and solutions will appear.

My biggest fear is this movement to quell speculation in the oil markets. It is the increase in prices which is causing all this R&D to occur.

[Starving Steve]

Re: U.S. National Security: Securing Access to Enough Water Supplies

What was the population of the Nautilus, US, world in 1954, and what is it now?

Of course the world has to curb its population growth. One look at all of the baby-carriages on the streets nearby here in Watsonville, California, and the population issue becomes visible for all to see. We have lots of newcomers from Mexico in Watsonville, and they have a different culture and a different viewpoint to family planning. It's hilarious.

But suffice to say that there is plenty of water in the sea that could be desalinated and used by mankind, and there is plenty of uranium on this planet that could be used for generating electricity. There is no reason why we have to freeze in the dark, or swealter in the heat, suffer with spot shortages of food, or have to endure water rationing..... And no-one has to live below sea level to-day either, not in Burma, not in Lousiana, and not anywhere.

On this key point, on how the world has to live, I disagree totally with the eco-nuts in Greenpeace and the Sierra Club to-day. :mad: