To improve things for developing nations we need cheap alternative energy that they can use.

Also ways to do more with less energy that they can use, but that's hard. People who don't have the capital to improve things, will have trouble getting the capital to improve.

Read the article and as I suspected it is nothing but pandering toward his favorite subsidy receiving special interest groups ADM and US corn growers. His quote below illustrates this pretty well.

"As America develops ethanol as a major component of our transportation fuel mix"

If Lugar honestly wants to help the third world he will work toward doing something to end ag subsidies and their negative impact on the developing world.

Otherwise, this is nothing but the worse form of cheap, hypocritical, political posturing.

Before you build the roof, first you need to build the house. Before you build the house, first you need to build the foundation.

Do a Gigablast on the phrase, "zebra breeding" (include the quote marks) and check out the sites that come up. That's right, people are breeding zebras for the pet trade. Breeding for docility and other marks of domestication.

Now picture an Africa with zebra drawn wagons, carts, and carriages. An Africa with zebra mounted cavalry. A way of transporting goods that Africa can afford, and which can serve as a foundation for later advances.

A method of transportation that African nations can use that doesn't rely on resources from overseas. One that can use African roads as they currently exist. One that allows for the wealth building Africa will need for later developments.

With the zebra drawn vehicles lay down rail. Railroads crisscrossing the continent. Railroads servicing and serviced by farmers, craftsmen, laborers, and entrepreneurs on their zebra drawn hackneys and wagons. An interlocking network transporting radios from Pretoria to Lagos, and hardwood furniture from Lagos to Cairo.

The goal is to get real development started, at a price Africa can afford. Start with the basics and build from there.

Not glamorous? Not sexy? Not resource intensive? Nope. Neither does it make people dependent on everlasting charity. It does empower the people of Africa, for it gives them a resource they can use without having to rely on outside support. That's the important thing.

Traveling in a stroller or wheelchair means you don't fall and hurt yourself. But you're always dependent on others. Learning to walk means you fall down and hurt yourself a lot at first. But in time you stop falling, and you can go places by yourself.

The cynic in me says that Lugar is just pandering to ADM and farmers in his rural state of Indiana. He's tying it into foreign affairs somehow.

His point about high oil prices hurting the developing world more is correct, though. But I doubt that ethanol is the answer.

Something that is used heavily in rural areas in India is ahem .. biogas, produced from animal dung. I think its far more cost effective than ethanol.

Lugar also suggest that high oil prices cause poverty and anger, which breeds terrorism. It is one of the supreme ironies of our times that terrorists seem to come from oil producing countries, not oil consumers.

Hello,

I am contacting you on behalf of Raj Bhakta for Congress. I am writing because this campaign respects your impressive website which showcases your immense talent.

Blogs are underutilized in politics. This campaign is interested in developing a strong relationship with you, so that your blog may reach it’s maximum potential. Please contact upon receiving this e-mail, as I would like future communication.

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Raymond Smalley
Raj for Congress
www.rajforcongress.com

I agree with the underlying theme of the article and this post.America's collaboration with the developing countries,as envisaged by Senator Lugar,will stimulate energy related R,D&D expenditure by all countries and enhance the investment in the development of environment friendly energy sources and efficient technologies
Reference:
http://www.iea.org/Textbase/publications/free_new_Desc.asp?PUBS_ID=1578