Yes, the US will stick around

FOR some time now, a certain strategic vision has been gaining traction: the United States is becoming energy independent, paving the way for its political retreat from the Middle East and justifying its strategic “pivot” toward Asia.

This view seems intuitively correct, but is it?

Energy-hungry America has long depended on the global market to meet domestic demand. In 2005, it imported 60% of the energy it consumed. Since then, however, the share of imports has decreased, and it should continue to do so. The US is expected to become energy self-sufficient in 2020, and an oil exporter by 2030.