Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

Climate change: Germany Remains Nuclear

by Oui Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 11:57:56 AM EST



Translate:
2 nuclear power plants must remain in emergency reserve so that Bavaria remains a safe business location.
It's all bitter. Because the years of blockage of power lines and wind power expansion led to it.
@Markus_Soeder is welcome to ask questions about how this came about.

EU Energy Crisis and Looking Back 20/20 Vision


Translation:
Robert Habeck: "At this time we have to give political answers that are as big as the challenges!"
#CohesionVote #Climate ProtectionVote #European Elections

Robert Habeck, Grünen, pushes sustainability

,,Teils brennt schon die Hütte" : Habeck warnt vor ,,Dauerschäden" für die deutsche Wirtschaft

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has warned of permanent damage to the German economy due to the energy price crisis. He spoke out in favor of extensive financial aid from the federal government.

Habeck told the German Press Agency: "Sometimes it's just a smoldering fire, sometimes the hut is already burning. In any case, the sustainability of our economy is in danger, there is a risk of permanent damage. We now have to muster all the financial strength to bring the good substance of our economy over the crisis, to secure jobs and to protect the investment and future viability of our economy."

100-Milliarden-Fonds für die Bundeswehr | Tagesspiegel - 28 Februar 2022 |

The debt pot is an absurdity. The fund for the Bundeswehr can make the debt brake virtually worthless. There must be no special status for the military. A comment.

Within a short time, it is the second AmpelKoalition decision that can be classified under the category "debts in reserve". The energy and climate fund has already been granted credit authorizations of 60 billion euros. But the Bundeswehr fund has another dimension. And a very worrying one at that.

Were the Greens aware the decision (proposition) by Chancellor Scholz to increase the defense budget by 100 billion?

Germany's bitter return to arms | Le Monde |

For a nation that rebuilt itself after 1945 amid widespread rejection of war, massive investments in defense and the delivery of arms to Ukraine mark a historic turning point. However, Germans are struggling to embrace this new mindset.

😂 😂 Welfare Tourists

If I hurt someone, I'm very sorry."
@_friedrichmerz apologizes for his
#socialtourism statement.

No need to apologize a$$hole ... the remarks came from your inside moral compass for political gain, same as your sham apology today. 🤥🤥🤥

Would-be Merkel successor questions post-Nazi asylum guarantee | The Guardian - Nov. 18, 2018 |

Friedrich Merz, who hopes to become CDU leader, sparks criticism with comment about changing Germany's constitution

Germany is the only country in the world with an individual right to asylum written into its constitution. The law, drafted in reaction to the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust, is considered sacrosanct by many.

"I have long thought we must be prepared to openly discuss this constitutional right to asylum," Merz said in the town of Seebach in the eastern state of Thuringia. He said that Germany needed a considerable public debate over whether the right to asylum should be softened with a "legal caveat", suggesting that he considered the current conditions too generous.

Merz has pledged to win back at least half the voters the CDU has lost to the rightwing populist party Alternative für Deutschland, many of whom were disgruntled over Merkel's immigration policy.

This is the same political strategy of Dutch VVD leader Mark Rutte, to keep the rightwing voters within his electorate for short-term political gain. As a result, discrimination and racism flourishes and becomes mainstream within a few years. Complete lack of integrity and personal courage. Only expedites the move towards a rightwing majority ... and fascism. Well done!

If Angela Merkel is ousted, Europe will unravel | FT Opinion by Philip Stevens - Oct. 29, 2015 |

She has been the rock of certainty. Without her the fractures would multiply

It is more accurate to call it panic than plotting. This week I spent time in the company of members of Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party. Startlingly for an outsider, the conversations turned on whether the German chancellor would survive the refugee crisis. Some thought she had just weeks to turn things around. Never mind that only yesterday she had towered above any other European leader. Overnight, the unthinkable has become the plausible -- for some in her party, the probable.

Other voices say the fever will subside, but Ms Merkel's vulnerability speaks to the convulsions across Europe caused by the tide of refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Maghreb and Sahel countries of Africa. In the eastern, post-communist part of the continent, the influx has strengthened the hands of the ethnic nationalists who never quite signed up to the idea of liberal democracy.

To the west it has bolstered the fortunes of nativists such as Marine Le Pen's National Front in France. Rallies of the far-right Pegida party in Germany now feature speakers who lament the loss of concentration camps. If Britain's David Cameron loses his referendum to keep Britain in the EU it will be because emotions over migration trump economic self-interest.

Ms Merkel has rarely been called a conviction politician. Her longevity in office has resided in her skill in finding the natural point of balance in the German national mood; and, it should be said, her ruthlessness in despatching potential rivals. The adjectives most often applied to her leadership style, sometimes with more than a note of frustration, have been cautious, deliberative and consensual.

VDL the same trap of dependency

Stupidity the EEC was build on economic interdependencies to prevent another great conflict on European soil that may broaden to World War III. Only way forward is building on multilateralism, the fundament of the United Nations.

Too dumb, the enemy next to you ...

Short term gain ... long term economic disaster and great human toll.

Germany's former minister of Defence meets Jens Stoltenberg, EU's defense minister through NATO. Only need NATO if you have an enemy state and when there is a conflict or existential threat. Neither prerequisites existed after the Soviet Union disbanded the Warsaw Pact of nations. The US-UK alliance pushed NATO into an aggressive partnership to fight proxy wars.

  • Putin tried to use the EU's fossil fuel dependency to blackmail and divide us.
  • He failed.
  • We are turning to reliable and trusted suppliers like 🇺🇸
  • We are also cutting our need for imported gas, saving and storing more.
  • The EU will end its reliance on Russian fossil fuels.

  • How America Led Campaign of CC Denial

    Who are running America and its politics?
    America's Red States, fossil fuel lobby, QAnon conspiracists, Trump supporters and a dysfunctional U.S. Congress with a puppet as Commander-In-Chief triggered by the immense modern Military Industrial Complex. The War on Terror fax come to fruition thanks to Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, Wolfowitz, Neocons in administration. NATO's mission was revamped into a blunt instrument to fight a regional power Russia.

    Have your pleasures in America Ursula, with like-minded "intellectuals" ... the fun lasts until coming November elections and rightwing extremists broaden their power base across America and in Congress.

    The United States in a mindset of pre-emptive warfare forever

    Paul Wolfowitz's Neocon Blueprint for US Strategic Action | Asia Sentinel - May 21, 2019 |

    The document was classified secret for many years but apparently has recently been declassified. As made available to Asia Sentinel, it comprises 93 pages of drafts, some written by aides, and includes descriptions of defense outlays for the services.

    As Undersecretary for Defense Policy under the first Bush, Wolfowitz was an early advocate of the second Gulf War although in the aftermath of what became what has been called the country's worst military and diplomatic disaster in history, he denied influencing policy and disclaimed responsibility. Along with Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Stephen Hadley, Richard Perle and Scooter Libby, they became known as the Vulcans, named for the Roman God of Fire.

    Wolfowitz bailed out of the Bush administration in 2005 and was nominated to head the World Bank amid considerable controversy. He was later forced out of that job over a personal relationship that was deemed a security risk.

    ...
    The most fundamental of the four goals, it said, was an aggressive stance to deter or defeat attack from whatever source against the United States, its citizens and forces and to honor the country's treaty commitments, a goal abandoned by the current administration, or at least its leader, Donald Trump.

    The second was strengthen and extend defense arrangements with allies, and provide a collective response to preclude threats or, if necessary to deal with them as a key feature of US regional defense strategy.

    The third was to preclude any hostile power from dominating a region critical to US interests, and to strengthen the barriers against the reemergence of a global threat to the interests of the US and its allies. "These regions include Europe, East Asia, the Middle East/Persian Gulf, and Latin America. Consolidated, nondemocratic control of the resources of such a critical region could generate a significant threat to our security."

    The fourth goal, according to the document, was to "reduce sources of regional instability and limit violence should conflict occur by encouraging the spread and consolidation of democratic government and open economic systems and discouraging the spread of destructive technology, particularly of weapons of mass destruction.

    A collective response, Wolfowitz wrote, "will not always be timely and, in the absence of US leadership, may not gel." The US, he said, cannot allow its critical interests "to depend solely on international mechanisms that can be blocked by countries whose interests may be neither can be very different from our own."

    In other words, the US should be prepared to act on its own in areas where it feels its interests are threatened.

    The collapse of Soviet Communism, he wrote, "leaves America and its allies with an unprecedented opportunity to preserve with greater ease a security environment within which our democratic ideals can prosper."

    With the Warsaw Pact dissolved, he wrote, "we can work to shape the future environment and to preclude hostile nondemocratic powers from dominating regions critical to us.

    Display:

    Poland's post-Gazprom strategy hinges on Baltic Pipe | Intelligence News |

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 01:32:47 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 01:33:30 PM EST
    [ Parent ]

    War across the continent - Enduring Freedom

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 01:34:46 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    by Cat on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 01:58:25 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    soooo sumbuddy's script supervisor surfaced: Scratch deep-sea, speshul ops diver C4 explosives and hand-held "tactical" nukes.
    Each line of the pipeline consists of about 100,000 24-tonne concrete-weight coated steel pipes laid on the seabed. The pipelines have a constant internal diameter of 1.153m, according to Nord Stream. Sections lie at a depth of around 80-110m.
    NB. Nord Stream 1 started operating 2012. Nord Stream 2 construction started 2018.
    by Cat on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 02:25:25 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 01:38:25 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    US Willing to Investigate Nord Stream Explosions 😂



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 10:10:47 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    by generic on Fri Sep 30th, 2022 at 03:07:33 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Of my recent diaries, comments and analysis.

    Bernhard @MofA remembered this earlier attempt to blow-up Nord Stream 2 while under construction in 2015 ... in Swedish EEZ.

    Munitions Object Found Near Nord Stream Pipeline has been Successfully Cleared | Gazprom Press Statement - Nov. 12, 2015 |

    The Swedish Armed Forces have successfully cleared the munitions object found near Nord Stream Line 2. The works were safely completed, despite windy conditions in the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream AG appreciates the professional and prompt assistance by the Swedish Armed Forces. Line 2, which had been closed at inlet as a precautionary measure, was reopened and resumed gas transportation. The prompt and safe resolution of the situation with the unusual find confirms the efficiency of the operational structures and interfaces with authorities established by Nord Stream for ensuring reliable gas transport.

    The piece of munitions was found in close proximity to the Nord Stream Line 2 on November 6, 2015 during routine survey operations as part of annual integrity assessment activities of the Nord Stream offshore pipeline system. The location of the object was in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) approximately 120 km away from the island of Gotland. The relevant Swedish Authorities were informed and stayed in a direct contact with Nord Stream until the object was successfully cleared.

    First report In media 07-11-2015

    'Underwater drone with explosives' spotted near Baltic Nord Stream pipeline

    An unmanned military underwater vehicle rigged with explosives was spotted on the seabed in the vicinity of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltics on Friday, Swedish media report. The device is expected to be disarmed on November 9.

    An abandoned expendable remotely-operated mine clearance underwater vehicle allegedly with explosives onboard has been detected in multinational waters of the Baltic Sea by the Swedish Navy, Svenska Daglabet reports.

    The military can blow up the mysterious craft

    Swedish military may blow up the underwater vehicle at the Nord Stream gas pipeline near Öland. Nord Stream has asked for help and a decision is expected on Monday, according to information to SvD.

    The Swedish Maritime Administration has issued a so-called safety distance of three nautical miles, just over five kilometers, from the place where the explosive device was found.

    The Swedish Armed Forces make the assessment that it is a disposable craft used to clear mines.

    We have looked at the images and have assessed that the craft has an explosive charge. But it is most likely completely harmless in its condition, says Johannes Hellqvist, spokesperson on duty at the Swedish Armed Forces.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 02:00:13 PM EST
    by Cat on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 02:31:51 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    2020
    2022
    Sky News | Leaks to Nord Stream pipelines were likely a premeditated attack using explosive devices detonated remotely, says British defence source, 28 Sep
    The source said any mines could have been lowered to the seabed on a long line, dropped over the side of a boat or placed next to the Nord Stream pipelines with an underwater drone months or even years ago.
    ongoing DK, DE, SE police investigation
    The British source downplayed speculation that a Russian submarine might have planted the devices because the Baltic Sea was not particularly deep, making such an underwater mission difficult to carry out without being detected.

    The defence ministry said it "constantly observes its areas of responsibility and interest, this includes protecting critical infrastructure such as underwater cables and offshore structures".

    The spokesman said: "As a matter of policy, we do not offer a narrative detailing the specific capabilities of our aircraft, ships[, GCHQ cybersecurity exploits,] or submarines."

    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 05:43:48 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Nord Stream - sign of Russia's maturity? | Russia Beyond - Nov. 10, 2011 |

    Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was in Germany to take part in the official inauguration of Nord Stream, the new gas pipeline that runs along the bed of the Baltic Sea. As a result, Russia can now provide gas supplies directly to Europe and thus bypass third countries such as Ukraine and Poland.

    In addition to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is a member of the Nord Stream consortium, the French and Dutch Prime Ministers, Francois Fillon and Mark Rutte, also took part in the ceremony since firms from France and the Netherlands were involved in the construction along with Russian and German companies. On completion, Nord Stream will have an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas, enough to supply some 26 million homes.

    The pipeline cost 7.4 billion euros ($10.2 billion) and stretches for 1,224 kilometers (760 miles), so it was no surprise to hear Merkel say at the ceremony in the city of Lubmin on Germany's Baltic Coast that the pipeline was the biggest energy infrastructure "of our time" and an exemplar of cooperation between Russia and the European Union.

    During the ceremony, Merkel called Russia the EU's leading energy partner.

    Unfortunately in last election, no leader could fit the shoes she left. The new generation pushing PR narratives w/o economic fundamentals. Rutte is like Johnson and Truss weak w/o his army of legal advisers and dozens of PR consultants. The puppet show for big business will soon collapse and shut down.

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 04:08:41 PM EST
    Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline development | NS Energy |

    The feasibility study for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project (pdf docu) was started in 2011 and completed in 2013. Construction approvals in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Russia were received respectively in March, April, June, and August 2018, while those for the Danish segment were obtained in October 2019.

    Preparatory works for the pipeline started in 2016 and the first set of pipes that Europipe manufactured for the project arrived at the Mukran logistics hub in Germany in October 2016.

    Offshore construction works started in the Gulf of Finland, with the use of a 300m-long pipe-laying vessel named Solitaire in September 2018.

    Construction delay due to the US government's sanctions



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 04:09:23 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Nord Stream pipelines were always under attack by US war hawks and favorite Neocons ...

    U.S. Senators Vow No 'Faustian Bargain' With Russia, Pledge To Target Putin 'Harder' | RFERL - Dec. 30, 2016 |

    Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina) said Congress would pursue in 2017 more sanctions against Russia, targeting the energy and banking sectors, as well as "Putin and his inner circle."

    "We're going to do two things: We're going after Putin harder with tougher sanctions and we're going to be more helpful to our friends, like here in Ukraine," Graham said.
    McCain, Graham, and Amy Klobuchar (Democrat-Minnesota) said there is strong support in Congress to provide Ukraine with "lethal defensive weapons" to help Kyiv in its fight against Russia-backed separatists in the east.

    "PROTECTING EUROPE'S ENERGY SECURITY" AND "COUNTERING AMERICA'S ADVERSARIES THROUGH SANCTIONS ACT": A BRIEF SURVEY OF U.S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON NORD STREAM 2

    The U.S. Congress set sanctions against Nord Stream 2 in two different acts: the 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and the 2019 Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act. This comment will now describe and assess legality under the principle of prescriptive jurisdiction of the sanctions they edict.

    A. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions (CAATS) Act

    In 2017, Congress passed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, 115 P.L. 44 (codified in scattered sec- tions of 22 U.S.C.). This sweeping act, which targets not only Russia but also Iran and North Korea, notably contains sanctions provisions against anyone who invests in "energy export pipelines" or "sells, leases, or provides to the Russian Federation, for the construction of Russian energy export pipelines, goods, services, technology, information or support." Those sanctions are limited to projects initiated on or after August 2, 2017 and the U.S. Bureau of Energy Resources has recently changed its guidelines to specifically target Nord Stream 2 and Turkstream (both were exempted under previous guidelines). Under 22 U.S.C. § 9526, the President may impose "five or more" sanctions out of a list of eleven sanctions enu- merated under 22 U.S.C. § 9529.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 04:11:37 PM EST
    [ Parent ]


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 06:52:04 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    He said the gas is not poisonous. It's the methane.

    < checks watch >

    by Cat on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 07:26:57 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    "slow swimmers," a carbon budget debit, a HISTORIC flare, and assholes on the Baltic Sea.
    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 12:34:40 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    < wipes tears >
    Politico.eu.com | Poland and Germany's poisoned relations over Oder River fish die-off, 30 Sep
    Both reports blamed prymnesium parvum, a type of golden algae whose bloom can emit toxins lethal to fish and shellfish but is not harmful to humans. But they failed to agree on how much fault rests with humans.
    [...]
    According to the German report: "The most probable cause of the fish kill in the Oder River is a sudden increase in salinity, which, together with other factors, led to a massive increase in a brackish water alga that is toxic to fish."
    [...]
    The authors of the Polish report named a combination of natural and human factors, and argued they were unsure of the amount of polluted water discharged into the river [from the Baltic Sea? nah. IT'S CONTAINED.]. Under Polish law, water discharges can be legal under conditions set by so-called water permits [!].
    [...]
    In a report published this week, NGO Greenpeace blamed the fish kill on salt discharges from the Polish mining industry, based on the results of water and soil samples taken by activists at the end of August....
    Politico.eu.com | Poland says tests indicate mercury not cause of fish die-off in Oder, 13 Aug
    DW | Mysterious mass fish kill in Oder River expands downstream, 5 Sep
    shiptraffic.net | Oder River Marine Traffic

    archived personhood status, Sewage in seas, "tuna-like species", floating carpet of dead fish, "tuna bonds", fishing rights row ...

    by Cat on Sat Oct 1st, 2022 at 01:05:41 AM EST
    [ Parent ]
    The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitriy Peskov responded to Western allegations. Describing the accusations against Russia as "stupid", Peskov said, "The voicing of such scenarios is highly predictable and at the same time predictably stupid and absurd."

    Kremlin says Nord Stream explosions `a big problem for Russia'

    Damage to the natural gas pipelines will bring nothing but ruin for both Russia and EU

    Moscow has denounced as "stupid and absurd" any allegations of its being behind the suspected explosions of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines earlier this week, stating that the incident actually creates many issues for Russia.

    Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained that the damage to the pipelines posed a "big problem" for Russia as it had essentially lost its gas supply routes to Europe.

    Both lines of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline were pumped full of gas and were prepared to deliver it to Europe at the time of the alleged explosion, said Peskov, adding that "this gas is very expensive and now it is all going up in the air."

    Peskov also noted that neither Russia nor Europe had anything to gain from the destruction of the pipelines, especially Germany, for which this incident poses a threat to the future development of its industry, as well as its profitability and competitiveness.

    American LNG suppliers, on the other hand, have been making incredible profits after having multiplied their deliveries to the European continent, Peskov pointed out, adding that these companies are "very interested in maintaining these super-duper profits in the future."

    While no suspects behind the incident have officially been named, the Kremlin spokesperson advised against making any official announcements before a proper investigation into the incident is carried out.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 06:32:05 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 06:32:38 PM EST
    [ Parent ]

    Algeria agrees to boost annual piped gas sales to Italy by up to 9 billion cubic metres | Upstream Online - 12 April 2022 |

    As Italy weans itself off Russian gas, Eni and Sonatrach plan to boost throughput in the TransMed pipeline

    Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi have witnessed the signing of a significant deal that is expected to see gas supplied from North Africa to Europe.

    Europe is scouting the globe hunting for additional sources of gas to eventually replace the 180 billion cubic metres the continent imports from Russia.

    Some 40% of Italy's gas demand is currently met by Russian supplies.

    Eni and Snam Partner on Gas Pipelines Between Algeria and Italy | Energy Monitor - Dec. 6, 2021|

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 06:58:02 PM EST
    Great Merchants the Italians Under Meloni

    Gas, crolla il prezzo in Italia: costa un terzo rispetto all'Europa. E ora lo esportiamo | il Repubblico |

    It can be clearly seen from the prices: the Ttf index, listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange and a reference point for trading in Europe, on Monday reached a peak of 220 euros per megawatt hour, while in Italy the values ​​at PSV (virtual trading point) which serves as a reference for the Italian market has reached a minimum peak of 80 euros. Basically, operators had much more interest in selling in the rest of Europe than in keeping the gas or selling it in Italy.

    ...
    The stockpiles (the filling of which had caused the price to rise) are now 90% full and can be used in case of need, calming the market. Two-thirds of Russian gas was replaced by Algerian gas, gas arriving by ship and alternative suppliers such as Norway and Azerbaijan (TAP will rise to 9.5 billion cubic meters at the end of the year against 7.5 of 2021).



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 07:20:25 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Has Granpa Draghi.gov establihed a "excess profits" tax?
    by Cat on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 08:27:42 PM EST
    [ Parent ]


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 08:09:56 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Wed Sep 28th, 2022 at 11:10:13 PM EST
    USA fordern EU auf, der Ukraine endlich Geld zu überweisen, 28.09.2022
    Die prekäre Lage der ukrainischen Staatsfinanzen sorgt für Unruhe in der US-Regierung. Die Financial Times (FT) berichtet, dass mehrere offizielle Regierungsvertreter aus Washington den Druck auf EU-Verantwortliche erhöht haben, Geld nach Kiew zu überweisen.

    Am Rande der UN-Vollversammlung sei es zu verschiedenen Treffen gekommen, bei denen die US-Vertreter ihren Unmut über die schleppenden Zahlungen aus Brüssel zum Ausdruck gebracht hätten. Ein EU-Beamter sagte der FT, auch der ukrainische Premierminister Denys Schmyhal habe sich zu diesem Zweck mit dem Präsidenten des Europäischen Rates, Charles Michel, getroffen.

    Er habe der EU gesagt, dass Kiew jeden Monat etwa 3,5 Milliarden Euro brauche. ,,Die eine Botschaft war die dringende Notwendigkeit, das Geld auch wirklich zu erhalten", sagte der Beamte. Schmyhal plädierte dafür, dies solle ,,so schnell wie möglich" geschehen. Zuschüsse und Darlehen seien gleichermaßen willkommen. Die US-Beamten betonten demnach gegenüber den EU-Verantwortlichen, es sei notwendig, die Ukraine finanziell zu unterstützen, solange die ukrainische Offensive im Süden erfolgreich verlaufe.
    [...]
    Demnach werden Kriegsgerät, Ausrüstung und Kraftstoff von der US-Regierung an den Partner lediglich verliehen oder verpachtet und müssten nach dem Krieg zurückgeführt werden. Weil Kriegsgerät meist beschädigt oder zerstört wird, haben die Waffen oft zum Ende des Krieges lediglich Schrottwert. Daher hat die US-Regierung ein Interesse, dass die Ukraine ihre Leasing-Verträge auch pünktlich erfüllen kann. ...

    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 01:12:11 AM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Lecks in Nord-Stream-Pipelines: Haben die Russen ihre eigene Infrastruktur beschädigt?, 27.09.22
    [...]
    Die Medien schreiben im Moment über eine mögliche Sabotage, organisiert von Spezialkräften oder mit Hilfe eines U-Boots. Es gebe Hinweise auf ,,gezielte" Anschläge, berichtete der Tagesspiegel unter Verweis auf eine in die Bewertung durch die Bundesregierung ,,eingeweihte Person". Auch der Spiegel berichtete unter Verweis auf Regierungskreise, dass die Bundesregierung einen Anschlag nicht ausschließe - mit dem Ziel, europäische Gasmärkte zu verunsichern....
    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 01:15:32 AM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Media following the NATO and Washington narrative of war with Russia ...

    Anonymous sources and unnamed officials close to knowledge of the matter:

    Some European politicians suggested Russia could have carried out the blasts with the aim of causing further havoc with gas prices or demonstrating its ability to damage Europe's energy infrastructure.

    European security officials on Monday and Tuesday observed Russian navy support ships in the vicinity of the pipeline leaks on Monday and Tuesday, CNN reported, citing two western intelligence officials and another source familiar with the matter. The sources said it was unclear whether the ships had anything to do with the explosions.

    Key quotation: "observed Russian navy support ships in the vicinity of the pipeline leaks"

    Spain says Nord Stream gas leaks likely a deliberate act -- and points the finger at Russia | CNBC |

    CNN News <> RFERL <> Newsweek

    Two hours ago ...

    The Kremlin said Nord Stream incidents look like state-sponsored 'terrorism' | Reuters |

    Very, very brief article with no explanation or background ... even "Putin says" is absent.

    Key quotation: "Nord Stream incidents look like state-sponsored 'terrorism'´

    Much better coverage by SwissInfo combining both narratives with a debate in Brussels by the EU ...

    Russia says Nord Stream 'sabotage' likely to be state-sponsored act | SwissInfo |

    Asked to comment on the CNN report, Peskov said there had been a much larger NATO presence in the area.

    Russia has also said the leaks off the coasts of Denmark and Sweden occurred in territory that is "fully under the control" of U.S. intelligence agencies. [which is very true with all running Baltic Sea exercises and strength of NATO forces in the Nordic region - Oui]

    Escalation

    EU leaders will discuss next week at a summit in Prague what the bloc has denounced as sabotage of the gas pipelines, an EU official said, as gas continued to spew into the Baltic Sea for a fourth day since leaks were first detected.

    "The attack on strategic infrastructure means that the strategic infrastructure in the entire EU has to be protected," the EU official in Brussels said.

    "This changes fundamentally the nature of the conflict as we have seen it so far, just like the mobilisation ... and the possible annexation," the EU official said, referring to Russia's mobilising of more troops for the war and expectations President Vladimir Putin will annex Ukrainian regions.

    The European Union on Wednesday warned of a "robust and united response" should there be more attacks and stressed the need to protect its energy infrastructure, but EU officials have avoided pointing a figure directly at possible perpetrators.

      France, Italy, Poland and 12 other countries urged Brussels on Tuesday to propose a wholesale gas price cap to help rein in surging inflation. Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark are among those opposed.

    The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were not supplying gas to Europe when the leaks were first detected on Monday but still had gas in them. Russia had halted deliveries via Nord Stream 1, saying Western sanctions had hampered operations. Nord Stream 2 had not started commercial operations.

    Next week, EU leaders will discuss an eighth sanctions package on Russia which European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has proposed, including tighter trade restrictions, more black listings and an oil price cap for third countries.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 12:45:54 PM EST
    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 02:17:48 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    euronews | This 1373km long undersea cable will bring 'green energy' from Egypt to Europe's electricity grid, 17 Sep Thank you, Rosatom!
    Greece is in embarking on one of Europe's most ambitious energy projects by linking up its electricity grid with Egypt's. An underwater cable will carry 3,000 MW of electricity - enough to power up to 450,000 households - and will run from northern Egypt directly to Attica in Greece. The project is being undertaken by the Copelouzos Group, whose management met last week with the Egyptian leaders to speed up the process.
    [...]
    The 'GREGY interconnection' is set to cost €3.5 billion - it has been deemed a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Union. This means it is identified as a key priority for interconnecting the European Union's energy system infrastructure.
    [...]
    "Approximately one third will be consumed in Greece, and mainly in Greek industries, another third will be exported to neighbouring European countries and the remaining will be used for the production of green hydrogen," says [CEO Ioannis] Karydas.

    "The majority of this hydrogen will also be exported to neighbouring European countries."

    Egypt has already completed interconnection projects with Libya, Sudan[,] and Saudi Arabia and aspires to become a major energy hub for South Eastern Europe. The project is expected to be completed in 7 to 8 years.

    by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 05:58:52 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    From the think tank of war hawks, founded in the eighties as a peace institute during the Cold War ... split from Institute Clingendael.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:10:47 PM EST

    Translation:
    How should the Netherlands (and Europe) relate to #Putin's Russia after the fighting in #Ukraine? Read the answers to this last question in our Ukraine debate

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:15:47 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Ko Colijn research fellow Clingendael

    First of all, I fervently hope for an early end to Putin's regime and for a different Russia. I also agree with the words of the emeritus law professor Nico Schrijver, who in his farewell speech as professor at Leiden University drew the gloomy conclusion that the Netherlands has missed opportunities in the peace diplomatic and legal field, while previously these were areas in which we were strong. In addition, Schrijver indicated that Europe, not the Netherlands, can do something in this geopolitical era.

    I partly agree with this implicitly, because our country simply does not rely on hard power. We have little influence on an Allisonian/Kissingerian transition between two superpowers. But in the field of peace diplomacy, development cooperation and 'law', we as the Netherlands are able to make a marginal contribution to the development of the geopolitical order. If Slobodan Milošević ended up in Scheveningen, why not Putin in 2030 too?

    On the other hand, as a Member State of the European Union, we must also show solidarity and not want to play the geopolitical game solo; we are too insignificant for that. Friend and foe alike will have to realize that the Netherlands cannot lead the way or make a fist on its own, but it can as part of a geopolitical EU.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:17:00 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Unbelievable ...

    Translate:
    Karaganov, whom I know well, has now completely become Putin's mouthpiece. Even Russian scientists are radicalising. Pathetic.

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:18:09 PM EST
    Are you that far outside reality Rob? In each and every dumbfounded war, the sides answers the call of patriotism ... you are waiting the Russians singing the Star Spangled Banner on Red Square in Moscow? Pathetic. A scholar?

    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:18:46 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    The Russians think we're decadent | Rob de Wijk - Jan. 28, 2022 |

    Russia and the West are diametrically opposed. And there is no solution yet. The hatred of the Russians runs deep, also notes Professor of International Relations and Security Rob de Wijk (67) in De Telegraaf. "The resentment with them is so great."

    De Wijk has been in Russia for decades and what he hears from his surroundings is not pleasant. "The West is weak, you are losing," my Russian interlocutors tell me. "The time of reckoning has come." We've known each other for years, I'm friends with some of them, but the rancor and revenge among them is so great. They think we are degenerate and decadent. But I think they will come home from a rough patch."

    "This escalation is not just an idea of the president, the Russian elite feels really insulted," continues De Wijk. "Sergei Karaganov, a well-known Russian analyst, whom I consider a friend, wrote recently about a meeting with us: 'I said to my western friends: shut up, now you must be quiet!' he said so. But he goes on to write: 'And the group was silent.' But that was not the case, the group was in fact very indignant. I find all this disturbing. We are getting less and less on speaking terms."

    Still, the professor does not think it will lead to a war. "It will not be a major intervention from several sides. Ukraine is even more complex than Afghanistan and the Russians want to avoid any military confrontation with NATO. While they think the West is decadent, they have also seen their tactics completely fail in Belarus, where they sent refugees to destabilize Europe. They thought: 'We'll get that bunch of weaklings'. Well, they knew that. The Poles simply closed the border and sent those refugees back, backed by the European Union.

    The meeting of minds? The arrogance ...

    Peace is never a miscalculation once you set your mind to it and with courage and perseverance it is possible. The US war hawks had other ideas to wreck the Russian state. War was not inevitable. Power corrupts.

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:19:55 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Would be nice .. Peace!

    The U.S. and Europe are running out of weapons to send to Ukraine | CNBC |

    In the U.S. weapons industry, the normal production level for artillery rounds for the 155 millimeter howitzer -- a long-range heavy artillery weapon currently used on the battlefields of Ukraine -- is about 30,000 rounds per year in peacetime.

    The Ukrainian soldiers fighting invading Russian forces go through that amount in roughly two weeks.

    That's according to Dave Des Roches, an associate professor and senior military fellow at the U.S. National Defense University. And he's worried.

    "I'm greatly concerned. Unless we have new production, which takes months to ramp up, we're not going to have the ability to supply the Ukrainians," Des Roches told CNBC.

    Europe is running low, too. "The military stocks of most [European NATO] member states have been, I wouldn't say exhausted, but depleted in a high proportion, because we have been providing a lot of capacity to the Ukrainians," Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said earlier this month.

    NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg held a special meeting of the alliance's arms directors on Tuesday to discuss ways to refill member nations' weapons stockpiles.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:21:23 PM EST

    Translation:
    Are the explosions at the pipelines threats towards an important Norwegian pipeline, wonders @beatricedegraaf? @robdewijk: "First you have to know what's behind this. If that's the case, then it's so serious. That is a declaration of war." #Op 1

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:31:42 PM EST
    Rob de Wijk on the rise of AI in geopolitical context | TNO - Sept. 27, 2022 |

    The Scientific Council for Government Policy said last year that we really need to see AI as a system technology that will affect all domains and sectors. Would you like to say something about that?

    'Artificial intelligence is part of the new industrial revolution, the so-called data revolution. We must recognise that whoever wins this data revolution will be able to set the rules of the international game. This makes it fundamental to the future of the world. You can compare it to what happened with the British in the 19th century. At that time, the United Kingdom became the leading player in the industrial revolution. This allowed them to set the rules of the game. In the 20th century, that was the United States. The big question now is: "Who will it be next?" It could be China. But the United States will try to prevent that. As a result, we're now seeing that because of that data revolution - a new industrial revolution - a trade war has erupted. First under Trump, and now, in a higher gear, under Biden.'

      'Data are simply a new raw material that allow us to develop new products. For the most part, we don't yet know what these products will be.'



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:33:09 PM EST

    You have produced mini-nukes not to age in military stock ... the US aimed its use for small battlefield strikes under field commander's decision. Perhaps a small neutron bomb that takes out satellite communication and GPS network, nothing to worry about as it detonates outside our atmosphere.

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:34:00 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 07:59:27 PM EST
    The research vessel G.O. Sars found cable that was missing from Lofoten-Vesterålen sea observatory (LoVe)

    LoVe is an infrastructure for research and monitoring of the ocean. Several platforms, or nodes, are located out in the sea, connected by a cable from land.

    But the system has been without power and down for several months, after something or someone pulled the four kilometres long cable in the outer circuit.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 08:44:07 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 08:45:22 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Surveillance cables mysteriously cut | Norway News - Nov. 7, 2021 |

    A unique underwater observatory in strategic waters off the coast of Northern Norway has been knocked out of service, after more than 4.3 kilometers of its specially designed offshore fiberoptic and electric cables were cut and then disappeared. Sabotage suspicions are rising, and the damage has been reported to both the military and state police intelligence agency PST.

    Likely this incident will return in today's news to blame Russian vessels in the area fully under control of NATO and U.S. Navy vessels and submarines.

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 08:47:19 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    RF is designated culprit no matter how many hands on the figurative smoking gun.

    Package #8 has launched!

    Boots on ground in motion!

    OTOH, Wenbin has spoken.

    by Cat on Fri Sep 30th, 2022 at 11:31:33 AM EST
    [ Parent ]
    COVID wut done it.
    by Cat on Fri Sep 30th, 2022 at 11:36:43 AM EST
    [ Parent ]


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sat Oct 1st, 2022 at 04:15:50 PM EST
    well, here we are at USD:EUR. According to Joe Tzu, Oooorsula's gross monthly income slides in just below the ceiling of starving US American middle-class, $400K/yr.

    NO NEW TAXES FOR HER!

    heh.

    by Cat on Sat Oct 1st, 2022 at 08:34:30 PM EST
    Berlin previously embargoed weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over the war in Yemen Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Olaf Scholz after his arrival in Jeddah.

    (Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) shakes hands with Olaf Scholz after his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, September 24, 2022 ©  AP / Saudi Press Agency )

    Germany's Scholz visits Saudi Arabia on hunt for energy partnerships

    Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah on Saturday as part of a two-day visit to the Gulf region.

Scholz, accompanied by a sizeable industry delegation, was received at Jeddah airport on the Red Sea coast by Mecca region's governor Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud.

    Afterward, he went to Al Salam Royal Palace to meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    The German chancellor hopes to agree new energy partnerships with the oil- and gas-rich Gulf states, following the loss of supplies from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

    Germans with blood on their hands #Israel #Iraq #Libya #syria now add #Yemen

    'Sapere aude'

    by Oui (Oui) on Sat Oct 8th, 2022 at 04:35:31 PM EST
    Germany approves new arms exports to Saudi Arabia

    Since the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Saudi Arabia on Saturday (24/9/2022) and meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, undisclosed communications have been activated between the Defense and Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

    As a result of these communications, the German side reportedly pledged to expand the exceptions of the arms exports ban to Saudi Arabia.

    A meeting is expected to be held this month between advisors at the Defense Ministries of Saudi Arabia, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Spain to discuss enhancing military cooperation with the Kingdom.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sat Oct 8th, 2022 at 04:37:31 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Biden, Sanctions and Republican Foreign Policy | Oct 19th, 2021 |

    Economic sanctions are increasingly being used to promote the full range of American foreign policy objectives. Yet all too often sanctions turn out to be little more than expressions of U.S. preferences that hurt expands American economic interests without changing the target's behaviour for the better.  

    Doesn't make a better world, it changes the behaviour of American allies more than the intended targets. Bullying through sanctions and NATO military pressure makes states line-up behind unipolar might of the USA. There will be a moment the imbalance causes a confrontation and war, for now it's manoeuvring to stay on top of the pyre of wealth.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sat Oct 8th, 2022 at 04:38:55 PM EST
    [ Parent ]


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sat Oct 8th, 2022 at 04:40:05 PM EST
    [ Parent ]


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sun Oct 9th, 2022 at 03:57:46 PM EST
    Playing to the tune of Joe Biden's White House: h/t Cat

    #Politico #Reuters #EuroNews #NASDAQ #TheHindu #VOA

    OPEC output cut `unhelpful and unwise -- Oil cartel's decision will hurt the global economy and especially developing countries, Janet Yellen tells the FT

    OPEC's move marks a victory for Russia against the EU and the U.S. -- Russia's a major oil producer and an OPEC+ country that cooperates with the cartel. Ever since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the West has been imposing economic sanctions against Russia, including on its oil sector, and encouraging other countries around the world to follow suit. Despite this effort, Moscow continues to sell its oil to countries like India, China and Turkey.

    OPEC took the decision despite a flurry of trips by EU and U.S. leaders to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks to try to convince the country's crown prince and new Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to ramp up oil production to fight inflation.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Sun Oct 9th, 2022 at 07:16:33 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    by Oui (Oui) on Sun Oct 9th, 2022 at 07:17:57 PM EST
    [ Parent ]
    Politico.eu.com | Europe's American president: The paradox of Ursula von der Leyen, 6 Oct 2022 #MeToo gender balance
    "I have been in politics now round about 20 years," she told the students, as the camera -- whether by accident or design -- silhouetted her against a giant American flag. "Never ever have I experienced such an intense, trustful and detailed cooperation with the White House."
    [...]
    They also speak to growing murmurs of discontent at home -- grumblings from officials in her own institution and among representatives of EU countries about her top-down approach. Von der Leyen's penchant for secrecy and her dependence on a small coterie of advisers, her detractors complain, runs counter to the EU's culture of consensus-driven decision-making.

    "She doesn't trust anyone; she lives in a tower," said one member of a commissioner's Cabinet, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely about the institution's top official.  "She doesn't build alliances. Sometimes that can lead to mistakes as she doesn't sound people out enough."
    [...]
    A three-time Cabinet minister, von der Leyen became the first female European Commission president in 2019, after being catapulted into the job over the objections of many in the European Parliament who had favored the so-called Spitzenkandidat system, which proposes that the post be given to one of the candidates nominated by a pan-European party.

    Her decision to ensconce herself on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont EU headquarters, where a former washroom was converted to a bedroom when she took office, has led some to complain that she has governed with a bunker mentality, with the help of only a small group of advisers....

    props
    Fran in LQD: Von der Leyen confirmed as new Commission president
    Fran in Merkel for President?
    archived Thu Nov 9th, 2017
    by Cat on Sun Oct 9th, 2022 at 08:00:28 PM EST
    Habeck is pushing the FDP in the nuclear power plant dispute | Welt |

    "One cannot want longer terms and at the same time prevent the nuclear power plants from being able to run," says Economics Minister Robert Habeck in the direction of the FDP and his cabinet colleague Christian Lindner. Because of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant, time is now pressing.



    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Tue Oct 11th, 2022 at 08:07:52 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Tue Oct 11th, 2022 at 08:10:48 PM EST


    'Sapere aude'
    by Oui (Oui) on Tue Oct 11th, 2022 at 08:11:56 PM EST
    [ Parent ]


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