 But one of the most important aspects is to adopt a level of political honesty domestically, which both American political parties have already rejected. Ever since the Carter administration, we have been pursuing a series of fantasies about removing American dependence on energy imports. We've had another set of promises from both parties. None of them can be kept. The analytic efforts of the Department of Energy have shown the best we can hope for. In the near term, for the next 20 years, is to keep imports at roughly the level they are today. But even if we could totally eliminate all U.S. imports of direct crude or gas, the facts are that we gain about a third of our GNP every year in terms of dependence on global trade. The fact is we also are critically dependent on Asian manufacturers. Asian manufacturers come from Middle East and Gulf oil. We can't function as an economy without those indirect imports. The global economy of which we are part is totally dependent on those imports indefinitely into the future, barring some massive technological breakthrough. Biomass, all of these issues are little more than an empty facade disguising basic strategic realities. So our strategy has to be based on looking at the Gulf 10, 20 years into the future, seeking stability, containing any Iranian threat to the southern Gulf states, encouraging reform and development in the southern Gulf states at the pace they can absorb to maintain stability. Understanding we cannot withdraw from Iraq in terms of American interests, even if we remove troops. Looking more broadly at cooperation with Asia, with Europe, at finding a more balanced global approach to providing energy security.