Oil Imports in May -- Huge -- Explains Tapping the SPR? -- Full Tanks at Cushing

I don't get it.

US economy slowing down? Horrendous job reports? Oil tanks at Cushing full? Record levels of oil stored in US?

And then this: huge imports of oil into US in May, 2011.

The U.S. trade deficit surged in May to the highest level in more than two and a half years, driven upward by a big increase in oil imports.

The Commerce Department said Tuesday that the deficit increased 15.1 percent to $50.2 billion in May. That's the largest imbalance since October 2008.

Exports declined 0.5 percent to $174.9 billion. Imports rose 2.6 percent to $225.1 billion. Oil prices have fallen since May, so the effect of higher prices should ease some in the coming months.

Something tells me that helps explain the decision to release oil from the SPR.