Ask HN: Does the GMail app snatch embedded links?

I started noticing that every time I click a link, embedded in an email I receive in my GMail app on Android (e.g. http://www.example.com), the browser opens the following link: https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.example.com&source=gmail&st=387456384756&usg=ADFSDRT6.

My questions:

1. Why does Google feel the need to snatch links?

2. Is there any way to prevent the GMail client from doing that? Besides the obvious privacy concerns, it takes longer, and consumes more data to open an email link.

3. Can this be avoided by switching to a different mail app, or are the others equally creepy?

Thanks!