How Shale Drilling Ties Into Foreign Policy
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Scott Detrow
What does Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale formation have to do with United States foreign policy? A great deal, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Wall Street Journal previews a speech Clinton will give today, stating the case for the important role energy plays in the country’s overseas agenda:
Mrs. Clinton also is expected to make reference to a flood of domestic natural gas that has upended traditional energy markets and given the U.S. more leverage in dealing with rivals. Russia in recent years has wielded its vast energy reserves against smaller countries in Europe.
The U.S. is actively working to encourage other countries in Europe and Asia to develop their own shale-gas resources.
“We have an interest in resolving disputes among nations over energy, and ensuring that countries don’t use their energy resources, or proximity to transit routes, to force others to bend to their will or forgive their bad behavior,” she is expected to say, based on the excerpts.