news of the wierd: "russia gives oil monopolies right to maintain armed units" http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL0463747420070704?rpc=44

i suppose american oil monopolies already have this "right"

Yes, the units are referred to as "the Pentagon". But here the oil monopolies don't have to pay for them.

We don't have a monopoly in the oil business. An oil company that controlled all the production and sales is a monopoly, like Standard Oil in the US in the late 19th Century. A national oil company like Pemex in Mexico is a monopoly. Whoever wrote that headline needs to learn how to use a dictionary.
Bob Ebersole

By definition you need complete control of all sales to be called a monopoly, but I think it is obvious that the effects of monopolistic practice become visible long before the 100% mark.

It is widely expected that Vladimir Putin will take the leadership of Gazprom after his term as President nominally ends.

Apparently he'll have a personal militia as well.

And I believe that after 4 years, he can run for President once more.

Blackwater can pay for the best. So can Gazprom.

What do you expect, illiterate conscripts guarding vital infrastructure when there is reason to believe some western countries would try to sabotage them?