It seems holders of energy supplies aren't free to sell them as they wish. Venezuela and Russia have been "warped by the politics of energy," according to U.S. Secretary of State, Condi Rice. Venezuela took offense to court actions by Exxon/Mobile to cut them off as a customer, while Russia offered a vague threat in response to NATO missile defense systems in old Eastern block countries. Vladimir Putin warned that Russia "cannot theoretically exclude" the possibility of training its missiles on Ukraine if the latter joined the NATO military alliance and hosted US missile defense assets.
"The unhelpful and really, I will use a different word, reprehensible rhetoric that is coming out of Moscow is unacceptable, and it's not helpful to a relationship that actually has some positive aspects," Ms Rice told a Senate committee hearing.
"Cannot theoretically exclude" is "reprehensible rhetoric"? Please, Ms. Rice. Just say, it's America's oil and we'll our missiles wherever we gosh darned please! Your boss would, at least behind closed doors...
"The unhelpful and really, I will use a different word, reprehensible rhetoric that is coming out of Moscow is unacceptable, and it's not helpful to a relationship that actually has some positive aspects," Ms Rice told a Senate committee hearing.
"Cannot theoretically exclude" is "reprehensible rhetoric"? Please, Ms. Rice. Just say, it's America's oil and we'll our missiles wherever we gosh darned please! Your boss would, at least behind closed doors...
