Oil Slick

BBC Reporter Matt Frei has been embedded in America covering American issues from a British perspective. His insights though staunchly biased and overtly anti-Bush are none the less very insightful. Especially his most recent article about the petroleum prices in America. For those without the time to read the entire article here is his summary.

But consider the irony: The Texan who was widely accused of invading Iraq because of oil is brought to his knees by petrol prices. It is the Chevron version of Hamlet. Personally, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Petrol in the UK is averaging almost one pound per litre - that's more than twice as expensive as here. I have just dragged my family on a driving holiday through Arizona and New Mexico. We drove 1,000 miles in a minivan and only filled up twice for less than $100. Wise up, America. Things could be so much worse!

Frei makes a good point when he talks about how petroleum in the UK and throughout much of Europe is much more expensive than it is here in the states. Although the Brits don't usually drive as much as Americans, they are very concerned about price of petrol, which is a major reason why European automobiles are so small and underpowered by American standards. They have had it right all along, rather than spending outrageous amounts of money on oversized trucks and SUV's, Europeans are much more content with smaller, more fuel efficient cars that save them money at the pump and on the actual cost of the car. This is a microcosm of how the Europeans are more focused on the quality of life, rather than the quantity of possessions that we Americans tend to obsess over.