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>> the question this hour shrk the chaos in the middle east be enough to break america's addiction to foreign oil? bob in ohio says it should be but it won't be. we don't have an affordable long temperature electric powered alternative to guzzling cars. until that happen know we're looked on oil. i bet if the big oil company held an interest, we would have an fusht car next week. jim writes, be as long as the oil companies run this country. oil would have to become so expensive that americans could no longer afford to buy it. once that happens, we'll start to get serious about alternative fuels and other modes of transportation. carol in massachusetts. nope. remember the gas lines of the 1970s? if that didn't do it, nothing will. americans almost more loathe to give up their precious suv gas guzzlers than their guns. mark in new jersey.
agriculture development and hunger initiative and is concerned about unrest spreading as supplies tighten and demand grows. >> higher standards of living in countries like india and china that are increasing the consumption of grains and meats, bad weather around the world. >> reporter: adding to egypt's economic woes, businesses forced to shut down as protests heated up. and the government dealt itself a blow after banks and the stock market had to close because of government-restricted internet access. while the suez canal remains open, there's worry it could disrupt the movement of 1.8 billion barrels of oil a day, causing oil prices to go higher. there's a concern in the oil market the unrest will spread through the middle east. some analysts say the fear is overblown since they expect stability in gulf state where is oil is produced. >> mary snow, thank you. to the viewers, you're in "the situation room." happening now, breaking news, a chilling twist in the egyptian
that this crisis will ultimately cost all of us. at the gas pump. maybe this is wishful thinking, but let's try it just for a minute. do you suppose that the chaos in that part of the world might finally, finally be now have to break this country's addiction to foreign oil? although egypt isn't a big oil producer, it plays a key role in the transport of oil and gas headed to the united states, to ju europe and asia all through the suez canal. without it shippers would have to go around the horn of africa, which adds more than two weeks of delivery time, not to mention the increased cost. with the ongoing violence and protests in egypt, some shippers are worried about disruptions to the suez canal or nearby pipelines. nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil go there the canal every day. equal to the entire output of iraq. all of this comes as global oil supplies are tightening. mainly due to china's increasing
of course not, jack. the oil companies would never allow it and they have much more to say about it than us the stupid voters. joe writes shrk it be enough? yes. will it be enough? no. it seems we're happier to complain than make the difficult decisions to remove ourselves from foreign dependence. natural gas, offshore drilling, solar panels, i don't care. let's do it all and make america strong again. paul writes in the land of two hummer families, i don't think it is likely. does a heroin addict stop buying drugs because his dealer is having a family dispute? not hardly. foreign oil flows through our national veins. we won't be allowed to stop because they are addicted to our money in the psalm way. if you want to read more on the subject, go to the blog. >> will do. thank you. next in the situation room, at the top of the hour, we'll have
demand. and the markets are reacting. crude is now trading at $103 a barrel. that's a 28-month high. even before the middle east erupted, some experts were predicting gasoline at $5 a gallon by next year. it's not just about the money. so much of the politics of the region has always been dictated by our need for their oil. wouldn't it be nice to do what's in our best national interest for a change, instead of being beholden to middle east dictators for the oil? it's probably wishful thinking. here's the question. should the chaos in the middle east be enough to break america's addiction to foreign oil? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. post a comment on my blog. >> been hearing that for about 30 years, jack. >> ever since the carter administration and the arab oil embargo in 1973. >> not much has happened. >> all right, deep concern at if state department right now as it is stretching.