IEDs and oil prices: Iran and the terrorist threat to the U.S. military

By Michael J.W. Stickings

VoteVets.org, in conjunction with our good friends at Operation Free, has put together a hard-hitting new ad examining the connections between U.S. energy dependency and Iran's terrorist campaign against the U.S. in Iraq.

HuffPo's Sam Stein reports:

In a spot set to air in eight key states, the group, VoteVets.org (with assistance from the energy independence group Operation Free) splices footage of highly developed improvised explosive devices being used against U.S. soldiers alongside Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Narrated by Iraq War veteran Christopher Miller, who earned a Purple Heart as the result of an IED explosion six years ago, the ad makes the case that passing energy legislation is a national security imperative.

"That's the type of IED that earned me a purple heart in Iraq six years ago," Miller says, as footage of a U.S. convoy being blown off a dirt road runs in the backdrop.

"This is what our troops are up against today: EFPs [Explosively Formed Projectile] specially designed to pierce American military armor. It is a devastating weapon and it was created in oil-rich Iran. They are ending up in the hands of our enemies. And every time oil goes up a dollar, Iran gets another $1.5 billion to use against us."

"Connection between oil and the enemy couldn't be clearer," Miller adds. "We need to break that connection by breaking our addiction. And we can by passing a clean energy climate plan. It would cut our dependence on foreign oil in half."

"Some in Congress say it is a tough vote. Not as tough as what our troops are up against."

That's for sure. Yet, given the immense power of Big Oil and the Saudi lobby, Congress likely won't do nearly enough, if anything at all, to address energy dependency in any meaningful way.

This is an important video. Watch it: