The Ukraine War revolves around Germany, with it serving as Washington’s “weapon of choice” to sabotage Nord Stream and create divisions between Germany and Russia through Ukraine.
Ukraine is unrelated to the Ukrainian problem. It concerns Germany and specifically the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which links Germany and Russia. Washington has made numerous attempts to destroy the pipeline project because it views it as a challenge to its hegemony in Europe. Nevertheless, Nord Stream has advanced and is now operational and prepared for use. Gas deliveries are scheduled to commence upon the final certification being granted by German regulators. Russia’s gas income will increase significantly, but German firms and families will enjoy a consistent supply of affordable, clean energy. Both parties stand to gain from the scenario.
A report indicates that the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland have signed a deal to create a military corridor. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollong confirmed this in a recent post.
These trends do not sit well with the US Foreign Policy establishment. They oppose Germany’s increasing reliance on Russian gas because trade fosters trust, which in turn encourages greater trade. A new security architecture emerges as ties improve, more trade barriers are removed, rules are relaxed, and travel and tourism rise. There would be no need for US military installations, costly US-made weaponry and missile systems, or NATO in a world where Germany and Russia are allies and trading partners. Additionally, there’s no need to hoard US Treasury securities to maintain account balances or conduct energy transactions in US dollars. Business partners can transact in their native currencies, which will inevitably cause the dollar’s value to plummet and cause a significant shift in the balance of power in the economy. The Biden administration is against Nord Stream for this reason. It’s more than just a pipeline; it’s a window into the future, one in which the US is kept on the outside looking in as Europe and Asia become closer partners in a vast free trade zone that boosts their respective strength and wealth. The “unipolar” world order that the US has dominated for the past 75 years is coming to an end as ties between Germany and Russia improve. An alliance between Germany and Russia poses a threat to accelerate the Superpower’s current downward spiral. For this reason, Washington is committed to using all available means to undermine Nord Stream and maintain Germany’s orbit. It is an issue of surviving.
This is where the situation involving Ukraine arises. Washington’s “weapon of choice” for sabotaging Nord Stream and dividing Germany and Russia is Ukraine. The tactic is extracted from the US Foreign Policy Handbook’s first page, under the heading “Divide and Rule.” Washington must instill the belief that Russia is a danger to European security. That is the objective. They must demonstrate that Putin is an untrustworthy, ruthless attacker with a frazzled temper. In light of this, the media has been tasked with repeatedly repeating, “Russia is planning to invade Ukraine.” What is not mentioned is that the US has over 800 military bases spread over the globe and has invaded or overthrown governments in more than 50 nations during the same period, whereas Russia has not invaded any nation since the fall of the Soviet Union. The media ignores all of this, focusing only on “evil Putin,” who is thought to have gathered 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and is threatening to start a new, deadly conflict that would involve all of Europe.
The goal of all the frantic war propaganda is to generate a crisis that can be used to isolate, vilify, and eventually divide Russia into smaller groups. But Germany, not Russia, is the true aim. Check out this passage from Michael Hudson’s piece at The Unz Review:
“The only way left for U.S. diplomats to block European purchases is to goad Russia into a military response and then claim that avenging this response outweighs any purely national economic interest. As hawkish Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, explained in a State Department press briefing on January 27: “If Russia invades Ukraine one way or another Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.” (“America’s Real Adversaries Are Its European and Other Allies”, The Unz Review)
It is shown there in black and white. The Biden team’s goal in undermining NordStream is to “goad Russia into a military response.” That suggests that there will be some sort of provocation intended to persuade Putin to dispatch his soldiers to defend the ethnic Russian population in the country’s east. Putin would face an immediate and severe backlash if he fell for the trap. While world leaders condemn Putin as the “new Hitler,” the media will decry the move as a menace to all of Europe. In summary, this is Washington’s approach, and the entire show is being planned with the sole intention of politically prohibiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from waving NordStream through the final approval process.
Readers may be wondering why the Biden administration pressed Congress earlier in the year NOT to put extra sanctions on the project, given what is known about Washington’s opposition to Nord Stream. That question has a straightforward response: internal politics. As its nuclear power reactors are being decommissioned, Germany needs natural gas to make up for the energy deficit. Germans are also “turned off” by the prospect of economic penalties because they perceive them as evidence of foreign intervention. The typical German wonders, “Why is the United States meddling in our energy decisions?” “Washington ought to keep its nose out of our business and mind its own.” This is exactly the kind of response that any sane person would provide.
Then this from Al Jazeera is available:
“Germans in the majority support the project, it is only parts of the elite and media who are against the pipeline…
“The more the US talks about sanctioning or criticizes the project, the more it becomes popular in German society,” said Stefan Meister, a Russia and eastern Europe expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations.” (“Nord Stream 2: Why Russia’s pipeline to Europe divides the West”, AlJazeera)
Thus, the overwhelming support of the public for Nord Stream helps to explain Washington’s decision to adopt a different strategy. Uncle Sam has switched to Plan B since sanctions are not going to work: he will make enough of an external threat to force Germany to obstruct the pipeline’s opening. To be honest, the approach seems desperate, but you have to admire Washington’s tenacity. Even though they are behind by five runs in the bottom of the ninth, they haven’t given up yet. They are going to try one final time and see if they can get any progress made.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Biden had their first joint press conference at the White House on Monday. The excitement that surrounded the occasion was just unheard of. Everything was planned to create a “crisis atmosphere” that Biden could utilize to steer the chancellor toward US policies. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki stated several times earlier in the week that a “Russian invasion was imminent.” Nick Price, a spokesman for the State Department, spoke after her, claiming that he had received information from intelligence agencies about a purported “false flag” operation that was scheduled to occur in east Ukraine soon and was supported by Russia. National security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Sunday morning that a Russian invasion might occur at any time, even “tomorrow,” in response to Price’s warning. This occurred only a few days after the dramatic and completely inaccurate title “Russia Invades Ukraine” was published by the Bloomberg News Agency.
Is the pattern clear to you here? Can you see how all of these bogus accusations were utilized to put pressure on the gullible German chancellor who didn’t appear to be aware of the campaign against him?
The American president personally dealt the decisive blow, as one might assume. At the news conference, Biden made it clear that,
“If Russia invades … there will no longer [be] a Nord Stream 2.. We will bring an end to it.”
The German Chancellor was shocked by Biden’s remarks, which were not in the original plan. Scholz, however, refused to even refer to the project by name and never consented to abolish Nord Stream. Biden was mistaken if he believed he could corner the head of the third-largest economy in the world and use that as leverage.
Germany is still determined to proceed with Nord Stream, no matter how things develop in distant Ukraine. However, that might alter at any moment. Who knows what provocations Washington may be preparing for the near future, after all? Who knows how many lives they are willing to forfeit to drive a rift between Russia and Germany? Who knows what kind of risks Joe Biden will take to stop America from falling apart and stop a new “polycentric” international order from taking shape? In the upcoming weeks, anything can happen. Anything at all.
Germany is leading the pack for the time being. Scholz will determine how the dispute is resolved. Will he follow through on the course of action that best advances the interests of the German people, or will he yield to Biden’s constant pressure? Will he steer the busy Eurasian corridor toward new partnerships that will reinforce existing ones, or will he back Washington’s insane geopolitical goals?
Will he embrace Germany’s crucial role in a new global order where many rising powers share equally in governing the world and where the leadership is steadfastly dedicated to multilateralism, peaceful development, and universal security, or will he attempt to salvage the dilapidated post-war system that is obviously past its prime?
Whatever Germany decides will undoubtedly have an impact on all of us, that much is clear.
