Douche Bags Of The Week: Gazprom

From The Wall Street Journal:

Russian natural-gas monopoly OAO Gazprom said it will cut supplies to Ukraine if it doesn't pay more than $1.3 billion in debt this month. Gazprom denied a political motivation for making its announcement as results from parliamentary elections in Ukraine appeared to favor candidates who have advocated a break in the current gay-supply relationship, which they say gives Russia too much influence....Gazprom's threat triggered memories of a price dispute in early 2006 that saw gas supplies to the European Union drop briefly after Gazprom halted direct shipments to Ukraine.

In one way, I understand that people need to pay their bills and the forces of supply and demand. However, holding a monopoly, makes this situation different. Reports are that the Kremlin is run in a mafia-like fashion. This extortion, with the threat of cutting off heating supplies before winter, definitely smells of gangster-style tactics.

The use of energy as a political hammer is the most pressing reason for the U.S. to become energy independent. As Russia locks in the control of Asia's oil and gas supplies, either with extraction contracts or controlling pipelines, they will further exert influence that may not go our way.

The threat of freezing people into submission makes Gazprom this week's Douche Bags of the Week.
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