The Chilkoot Vision of the World - By James Carder

Explanation: I believe that everyone brings a piece of him or herself into a political campaign and that it's up to those running a campaign at the core, and especially the candidate, to decide how that individual contribution fits into the collective mosaic that eventually becomes part of the overall image that is projected by the candidate. - By James Carder, Author (McCain Campaign Contributor)

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For Iraq, the Near East and North America

I see the U.S. Army PDO (Petroleum Division Office) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dispatched to Iraq to build refineries and pipelines throughout the country.

I see the Iraqi Government will control the flow of oil but I also see the United States, as the biggest stakeholder, managing the flow of money.

I see the revenue from that oil in this order, going to:

a. The Iraqi people

b. The American people

c. And then all the rest of the countries in the order in which they contributed to the cause, in both money and in personnel

I see American oil companies in the region, who are right now eyeballing Iraqi oil, being told that if they do not accept the deal and join in the endeavor, that they could expect eminent nationalization.

Even so, I see the large international oil conglomerates becoming the worlds ‘energy companies’ as their part in the next step of the social and economic evolution of the world.

I see large multi-national oil companies voluntarily taking it upon themselves to make this transition, realizing that they and the world have no choice and that it will make everything a lot easier if they go along.

I see the world switching to alternate energy consumption to slow down the negative effects of global warming.

I see oil companies voluntarily making the transition to alternate fuel production, moving away from fossil fuel supplies.

How Iraq Oil Money Will Be Spent:

a. To rebuild the country's war-torn landscape.

b. To repay the Iraqi people, the American people and all the people from other countries who have contributed to the effort to free Iraq from Saddam Hussein and terror and to repay the victims of war for their sacrifice and loss.

c. To build infrastructures for nationally-run public health systems in Iraq, in the United States, and throughout the region of any countries willing to participate in the program. It would be financed through the U.S. Government and monitored by the WHO.

d. The goal: to provide a government-run world- class public health system in Iraq, in the region of the Middle East and in America rivaling the facilities in Alaska provided to Alaska Natives by the U.S. Department of Public Health and Social Services under the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs).

For Alaska and North America

The ice will melt due to global warming. With this melting more areas of the Arctic will be made accessible to oil exploration.

I see oil companies that have operated in relative freedom in Alaska put on notice due to the record profits that they have enjoyed while the American people suffered as the War in Iraq raged on and I see these companies told that if they don't co-operate that they will lose contracts from the U.S. Government to drill for oil and gas in the new Arctic.

I see government-funded pipelines being built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Army and the Alaska National Guard run from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay and I see the right-of-way of the old military pipeline through Canada between Fort Wainwright and the Haines PDO reopened and pipelines rebuilt and depots opened along the way for local distribution and consumption by Alaskans and Canadians alike.

I see the trans-Alaskan pipeline, then over 40 years old, becoming obsolete.

I see new gas and oil lines being built in its stead.

I see the residents of Alaska banding together to ensure that there is no more shipping of Alaska crude direct to the Lower 48 without first being processed in Alaska, creating more jobs for Alaskans.

I see oil that's shipped to the States treated the same as timber that's sold overseas.

I see Alaskans finally getting a fair shake for the price of their oil and not forced to sell at cheaper prices than what they could have gotten had they been allowed from the beginning to sell their oil freely on the open market.

I see petrol distribution depots built at Haines and Whitier and I see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Army and the Alaska National Guard managing and operating those facilities.

I see a depot at Haines being used to help refuel the Alaska Marine Highway on its Northern end and used to distribute cheap fuel to the locals of Southeast Alaska while helping to link Southeast with the Interior, an issue which has always been of some controversy with the people of the State whose capital is located in Juneau and it's population located in Anchorage.

I see a depot at Whittier helping to refuel the Alaska Marine Highway System operating in the Gulf of Alaska.

I see cheap fuel in the future for transportation and heating in Alaska for all Alaskans...the way it should have been.

I see infrastructures in place and I see Congress lifting its bann against Alaska and allowing the State to market its oil to the highest bidder, letting the State do what it should have been allowed to do in the first place instead of having to deal with multi-national oil companies that were more influential and more powerful in Congress than the State itself.

I see a depot at Whittier used to distribute product out of the State and fuel being shipped to either the ‘Lower 48’ or to international markets.

Again, I see the Alaska Department of Revenue and the Alaska State Legislature regulating and controlling the flow of their own oil and money.

I see new refineries being built in the Palmer area and at Fairbanks to supply fuel to the Westward Area of Alaska all the way through Denali and I see a spur line run from Tok and connecting to a facility at Government Hill in Anchorage.

And I see a new line built to Whittier.

I see the refinery at Kenai being tied into the new line running into Whittier at Portage.

Finally, I see a certain percentage of all the revenues taken from oil and gas development in Alaska being applied first towards the maintenance of the public health system now in place for Alaska Natives but then extended to all the people of Alaska to provide a safety net for those without health insurance and to provide an option to private health care in the State.

I see on the horizon an effort to eventually phase-out the need for private health insurance and I see the entire nation and its citizens someday enjoying a national health care system through a simple and affordable purchase of a government health card for around $30.00 just like people do today in many of the Arab Gulf States. All paid for by their national oil companies.

And Yes, I do have one of those 'Arab' national health cards in my pocket; and 'yes', this is not a perfect world; the Democrats just might win the 2008 Presidential Election and we very well could be pulled out of Iraq in two years and everything could be lost and America bankrupt in Iraq's aftermath with no hope nor financial reprieve in sight!

Or, we compromise, which is probably the only reality and choice that we have - whether win or lose the 2008 Presidential election; win or lose in Iraq. And this, I believe, is the reality in store for us.

The only difference any candidate can make is whether that candidate can make it an uphill or a downhill battle.

Personally, I prefer a downhill battle.

And that's why I support John McCain!

By James Carder
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