Russia regularly extorts European countries by threatening to cut off gas or raise prices. A big part of US foreign policy is guaranteeing energy security to our allies. The US is already nearly energy independent, due in part to the shale gas (“fracking”) boom. Increasing domestic production, along with the new policy of allowing exports to our allies, will do a lot to lessen Russia’s power.

So yes, it’s about carrying an even bigger stick. But it’s our stick or Russia’s stick. Our allies would much rather depend on America than Russia.