UPDATED: An incomparable strategic weapon for the United States: Fracking

Thomas Lifson  "As Russia prepares to strut its stuff before the world at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the economic foundation of Russian power and prosperity is crumbling, thanks to a strategic weapon developed by the United States. That weapon is fracking, and it is paying havoc with Russia's ability to exercise power on the world stage. Three articles lay out the devastating consequences of this technological revolution developed mostly not by a national laboratory, huge government initiative, or top scientists, but by guys out in the Texas and Oklahoma oil patches."

Top Saudi lets the cat out of the bag  "Thanks to the miracle of fracking, we have in prospect the breaking of the Muslim world's stranglehold on the world economy, making it possible for Western democracies to grow a spine and stand up to the oil-powered theocrats who want to extinguish other religions and impose their seventh century way of life on the globe.

"Self-interest would dictate that the Saudis and other oil oligarchs would be wise to fund American anti-fracking groups, in order to remove this potential game-changer. Any group that opposes fracking should be asked to prove they have received no oil money." Read more:

But the demagoguery of environmentalists will not rest:

UPDATE: U.S. Oil Boom Upsets World Markets - 15 Refineries Close In Europe - U.S. Cuts Back On Nigerian Crude, and Will Soon Cut Back on Saudi Arabian Crude As Well   "The Muslim world is about to take a big hit, and it is directly the result of American Capitalism.

"It is not because of Obama, or our war policy, or because Americans are, or are not aware of Sharia law and the evils of Islam.
"It is because Capitalists believed that with investments in Fracking technology, they could bring oil up from the Earth that was never previously thought to be recoverable." ...

Advances in extracting oil from shale rock drove a 39 percent jump in U.S. production since 2011, the steepest rise in history, and will boost output to a 28-year high this year, according to the EIA. While drilling in shale is more expensive than other methods and poses environmental challenges, the prospect of a growing supply is encouraging analysts to predict a more energy-independent nation.

UPDATE: Groundtruthing Academy Award Nominee 'Gasland'  "The oil and gas industry has not been as supportive as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Industry groups, such as the Independent Petroleum Association of America, have accused Fox of confusing hydraulic fracturing with drilling in general. They allege many other errors, large and small. IPAA's "Energy In Depth" campaign issued a seven-page rebuttal to the film, called "Debunking Gasland".
....
... "The filmmaker and industry have each made errors and have spun some facts to their outer limits. In an attempt to clear the air before the envelope is opened Sunday night, Greenwire sifted through the claims.
"We read the documents, the ones Fox and EID refer to, and many more. We called the experts and people involved and succeeded in "running to ground" many of the major points of contention." ....

Referring to a segment in the movie showing a water faucet emit flame:

The same agency found (pdf) that methane in the Ellsworths' well water did originate from oil and gas development. The Ellsworths settled with a gas company and Colorado officials replugged a 60-year-old well located near their well that the agency considered (pdf) to be a possible source of or conduit for migration of gas from drilling.  

"Filmmaker and journalist Phelim McAleer asks Josh Fox, the director of Gasland, some inconvenient questions about the accuracy of his Oscar-nominated documentary. For more go to: noteviljustwrong.com"

Even the Daily Kos denies filmmaker's claim the Gas industry is not regulated by the EPA   "This is...to give notice to both Democrats and environmental/conservation organizations that Gasland is not a reliable source of information for making decisions about the oil and gas industry for all reality and science based communities."