America's Enemies Don't Want U.S. Drilling

Energy: With oil prices shooting through the roof, the nation's failure to ramp up domestic energy production is baffling. But one thing we know for sure: America's enemies are actively agitating against drilling in the U.S.

Two days ago, the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington put out a Twitter post expressing disappointment that the documentary "Gasland" didn't win an Academy Award.

"Sadly, 'Gasland' didn't win an Oscar, because a Vzlan helped make it," Venezuela's Twitterer whined.

Sure enough, "Gasland" did have a Venezuelan production assistant, Irene Yibirin, who was featured on the Venezuelan government's Web site. Her ties to the government's Foundation National Cinematheque were noted there, meaning she's trusted by the dictatorship. And on the site, she praised Chavez.

Problem is, "Gasland" isn't about Venezuela. It's a U.S. propaganda film meant to whip up opposition to energy drilling in the U.S. That means driving energy production to overseas suppliers — like Venezuela, whose leader, Hugo Chavez, not only needs U.S. oil cash but wants the U.S. "empire," as he calls us, "defeated."

Chavez has long had an interest in creating propaganda films to influence the U.S. public, having already supported filmmakers like Oliver Stone and Danny Glover. It should comes as no surprise that Chavez has an interest in making anti-U.S.-drilling films as well.

What's more, his resident shill in the U.S., Citizens Energy's Joe Kennedy — who has received some $20 million in cheap Venezuelan gas to distribute to the poor, and who owes Chavez favors — has called for more regulation of the U.S. oil industry, which would halt drilling.

Of course, Chavez isn't the only one against drilling.

Leftist billionaire George Soros has helped fund the Sundance Film Festival, where "Gasland" was given a coveted showing at this year's tony filmfest.

Coincidence? The American Thinker's Ed Lasky thinks not. He notes that the film's anti-drilling agenda fits neatly with the interests of Soros' own overseas-energy investments.

Like Kennedy, Soros seeks onerous new regulations on U.S. energy companies.

"His latest efforts to try to weaken American energy companies and empower their overseas rivals is by advocating the Securities and Exchange Commission draft laws that burden our companies — and leave foreign ones alone and untouched," Lasky wrote.

It doesn't end there. Soros has also funded politically influential think tanks opposed to drilling, like the Center for American Progress and Moveon.org.

With crude prices soaring, CAP has advocated releasing oil from the strategic petroleum reserve instead of drilling for more. That won't add to our oil supply — or reduce our energy dependence on petro-tyrants.

Both Soros and Chavez have a long-standing desire to weaken the U.S. Neither is a radical environmentalist, but both have fundamental political and economic interests that lead them to oppose U.S. drilling. It ought to be seen as the strategy to harm America that it is.