> people in the background are highly competent and controlling energy flows to US "allies"

What’s your evidence? Because nothing done recently has supported American hegemony, even among our allies. Many of whom yes, are buying a bit more from us energywise, but a lot more from others all while accelerating decarbonisarion.

It’s always nice to think someone is in charge. The truth is modern societies are too complex to control in this cartoonish manner for any meaningful durations. People who convince themselves it is and wind up in power demonstrate the folly of that worldview repeatedly.