Many of the biggest oil suppliers are in harm's way as political strife besets North Africa and the Middle East. At the same time, worldwide demand for oil is up, which means gas prices are rising. That's put the subject of "energy independence" back into the political spotlight.
With places like China and Brazil growing fast and the U.S. economy shaking off its recession, the crisis in Libya, Egypt and parts of the Middle East just adds a second layer of distress, says Richard Newell, who heads the government's Energy Information Administration.