The United States is the greatest nation in the world. Its national security should not be beholden to the whims of unstable regimes that happen to control faraway sea-lanes. It is time for America to wrest its national security back from the chokehold that oil has on our economy and our national security.

Brigade General Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.) is CEO of the American Security Project a non-partisan think-tank. During his over 30 years within the US military he has held numerous leadership positions, including Inspector General of the Marine Corp and Commanding General of Parris Island.