The Thirsty Ones

As of yet, there have been neither elections nor visible successes in Ukraine, yet the U.S. has already taken control over Ukrainian gas. The Washington Post reports that Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, has been appointed to the board of directors of Ukraine’s largest private gas company.

It has been a major blow, as RIA Novosti reports, to the United States’ image. “Throughout the world, there is a belief that U.S. foreign policy is dictated by a ‘thirst’ for oil and gas.”

In this context, the public took Hunter Biden’s appointment to the board of directors of Ukraine’s largest private gas company very negatively. This is evident from the reactions of Twitter users:

“Biden’s son takes job at a Ukraine gas firm. Boy, that looks really bad. What are they thinking?” writes Robert Coalson (@CoalsonR) on May 13.

“Obama White House for sale or rent. Biden’s son to head Ukrainian gas company,” writes Tim Huelskamp (@CongHuelskamp) on May 14.

So that explains it. Why they are doing it is clear. First of all, they simply need gas and hydrocarbons in general, preferably at low cost or for nothing at all, since it is impossible to increase their astronomical debt, even though no one will ever give them up just the same.

Secondly, as they write in the U.S., “Putin has acquired control over supplies to Europe not only of gas but also of oil, and the situation threatens the very existence of the Western alliance between the U.S. and Europe,” says analyst George Jarkesy on the online edition of Townhall.* And thirdly, let us recall what the “peaceful protests” organized by the State Department typically lead to.

A year ago, it was thus: “The price of WTI crude futures on NYMEX rose above $100 Tuesday for the first time since September 14 of last year. As the Associated Press reports, at 8:40am local time it was $101.32. Analysts note that the sharp rise in oil prices has to do with the deterioration of the situation in Egypt.” There you have it. First we organize pogroms and a revolution, then the price of hydrocarbons rises, and then we take control of — appropriate — the hydrocarbons. Problem solved. They don’t have a Navalny: He would expose them in a heartbeat.** But that isn’t allowed. It’s all among friends, after all.

*Editor’s note: This quote is actually from a Russian language summary of a U.S. article. [the English article is http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/georgejarkesy/2013/11/28/obama-living-in-a-putin-world-stunning-defeat-for-israel-n1754417]

**Translator’s note: Alexei Navalny is a prominent Russian anti-corruption activist.