Geo-green it is

NYT columnist Tom Friedman comes through again on the connection between energy and Middle East stability. Today he writes, "As a geo-green, I believe that combining environmentalism and geopolitics is the most moral and realistic strategy the U.S. could pursue today. Imagine if President Bush used his bully pulpit and political capital to focus the nation on sharply lowering energy consumption and embracing a gasoline tax." Friedman's basic argument in this column, as well as a previous one, is that political stability and democratic reform in the Middle East is hindered by the high price of oil, which forces the U.S. and others to bend over for corrupt regimes like that of Saudi Arabia. By reducing the demand for oil, argues Friedman, we'll reduce its price, and eliminate the economic vise in which OPEC nations are clutching our collective, figurative balls. (This is a very loose paraphrase.)

He is really serious about coining this "geo-green" term, too. Seems a little self-conscious about it.

See also related post: To stop war, create an economic lever (1/30/05)