( CNN ) -- For two years in a row , I celebrated Independence Day in the oppressive heat of Iraq along with fellow soldiers . A few nonalcoholic beers and some locally grown watermelon were our replacement for hot dogs and potato salad . This year , as Americans across the nation celebrate July Fourth with barbecues and fireworks , those most responsible for defending our independence , the military , will continue to fight two wars . And it is a shame that we will let yet another July Fourth pass us by without making substantial progress toward ending our unnecessary dependence on oil , a dependence that is funding the bullets that our enemies fire at our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan . It is for that reason , and many more , that the fight for energy independence is being fought here at home , a struggle I hope more Americans will join in support of those who are fighting abroad . Oil poses a clear threat to America 's economic and national security . This spring we have watched as untold millions of gallons of oil flowed into the Gulf . But for years , we have watched as billions of dollars flowed to hostile nations to pay for oil . Every day , we send well over a billion dollars out of this country to pay for oil -- money that could and should be used to grow our economy and create jobs . The simple fact is that our dependence on oil from nations in the Middle East and other regions constrains our choices , hamstringing America 's flexibility and choices on the world stage . Too often , we are forced to consider the impact our foreign policy will have on our oil supply instead of whether a choice is in line with our values . Every day , we make a clear choice between living up to those values ( and strengthening our security ) and prolonging our weakness as a dirty-energy nation . Today , thousands of Americans are calling for a new freedom from oil -- a dangerous , dirty and vulnerable source of energy . This week , 10,000 American flags were planted on the National Mall , each representing Americans who have pledged to free our nation from a long and damaging cycle of dependence . As Americans look to rebuild our economy , we must consider the massive , alarming and unprecedented transfer of wealth to those who do not share our values . America 's ability to underwrite our national security always had , at its heart , the pumping arteries of a vibrant economy . Unless we act soon , we will be held hostage to the rest of the world , not just for oil , but for the clean-energy technology that will power the next century of growth and prosperity . Already dependent on oil , our country needs to act now lest we become dependent on China for solar panels . A more insidious impact of our dependence is clear in America 's foreign and military policy . Today we are forced to both pay and protect the nations that supply our oil , the very nations that fuel extremism around the world and turn a blind eye to terrorist funding within their own borders . That money , winding its way through shady front groups and so-called charities , ends up funding not just insurgents in Iraq , but also in Afghanistan and Pakistan . The tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates , in clear and often painful terms , just how unreliable our energy sources have become . We are forced to drill to the deepest depths of the ocean , to despoil the richness of our God-given natural treasures , and to rely on dangerously uncontrollable technologies . It is time for us to stand on our own -- to take control of our energy -- with sources that will not threaten our security , fund our enemies or force us to ignore our values . The long struggle to live up to the challenge of our values has always been difficult , but today we stand at a clear crossroads between moving beyond oil or prolonging our dependence on it . Clean , American power is possible , but only if we commit ourselves to achieving that goal . In the spirit of the holiday and in light of the tragedy in the Gulf , let us dedicate the next two decades to winning a new battle for American independence -- from oil . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jonathan Powers .
Jonathan Powers says America thirst for oil threatens its economic and national security . He says America sends two to hostile regimes which helps fuel terrorism , insurgency . Oil constrains Americans foreign policy choices , he says . Powers : U.S. should dedicate years to developing alternatives to oil .