HOW’S THAT “SMART DIPLOMACY” STUFF WORKING OUT? Harper to Obama: I’ve got plenty of buyers for our oil. “Canada has patiently waited for Americans to help themselves improve our energy policy by installing a pipeline from Canada’s oil sands to our refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, but this week Prime Minister Stephen Harper signaled that their patience has limits. Speaking to CTV, Harper reminded the US that they have a very thirsty China as a potential customer, too.” This is why the “green” opposition is either incredibly stupid or just dishonest Saudi-shilling: The oil is coming out regardless of whether the pipeline gets built. The only question is whether it will come here, or go elsewhere.

UPDATE: Reader Nick Calapa writes: “What makes you think shipping Canada’s oil to China isn’t Obama’s preferred outcome?”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Prof. Stephen Clark writes:

In all seriousness, Obama’s punting on Keystone is inexplicable. Does the White House really think that a decision in favor of the pipeline would be that politically damaging – when they can wrap a favorable decision in a jobs creation agenda while pointing to a map like the one you linked to yesterday? As inexplicable as that is, for the life of me, I can’t understand why Republicans – especially presidential candidates – aren’t hammering Obama every single day on this issue.

If it were me, I might take a page from Cato the Elder and conclude every speech, no matter what the topic, with the sentence, “Furthermore, I think Keystone should be approved”. It might have an effect similar to that which Cato’s apothegm had on Carthage.

Well, I don’t give many speeches, but I am continuing to blog about it.