You make a good point. But I would like to point out my reason for being generally opposed to drilling in the Alaskan reserves (I'm also for reduction of dependence on the House of Saud) - all the data I'm seen suggests that the Alaskan reserves are very limited, and would not provide a long-term supply. I've seen varying figures, but none of them gave, in my opinion, a long enough supply for us to switch over 100% to non-fossil fuel energy supplies. I don't support ruining a wilderness preserve as a highly temporary fix - it's too short sighted. If it could be shown to me (with trustworthy data, and not from an oil drilling company, for obvious reasons) that the Alaskan reserves does represent a long-term solution, I would take that into account and consider modifying my opinion, but as it stands now, I can't even consider endorsing drilling there.
Instead, I think we should look into the huge Siberian oil resources. Russia doesn't have the material and technical resources to really tap them, but the US might. To my mind, a Russia-US partnership on oil would be much more comfortable than a US-Saudi partnership. Russia does some pretty sketchy stuff sometimes, but seems to be moving in a generally positive direction. And it's not a monarchy. Plus, as a fellow Security Council member, an alliance between us and Russia might make things go more smoothly in the UN.
That's a super idea, and one I hadn't thought of, quite honestly. Especially with Putin's recent "show of good faith" by coming forward and being honest about the Russian intelligence they had given us about Iraq's plans to attack the U.S. I understand Bush had called the head of their intelligence personally last year to thank them. 
