Yeah, I was being facetious. Makes zero sense that Russia would blow up its bargaining chip when it could just turn off the switch. But the West will buy “Russia did it” hook, line and sinker. It’ll swallow it like baby birds.
Russia shells its own people in Donetsk Russia attacks its own nuclear power plant Russia blows up its own pipeline Truly a phantasmagorical world to live in.
I believe I used the word collude, not provoke. I don’t think Russia needed provoking. Russian greed for land and resources of others was the provocation.
I agree. I have not heard anyone blame Russia. The only way Russia attacking its own pipeline it can shut down at any time makes sense is if it’s a false flag they intend to pin on the Ukrainians. And that only makes sense if the Russians are planning to use that as an excuse to use nuclear weapons. And even that does not make a lot of sense, because Ukraine has zero interest in freezing out its Western European allies and everyone knows it. I’m not terribly clear on who would benefit from this attack under present circumstances.
Just dropped in to remind that Russia has zero need for nukes. It’s already crushing America’s proxy. Albeit at a gradual pace. But that’s in advance of receiving 300,000 more troops. To the contrary, nukes would probably be the US’ only option for *trying* to stop Russia. But in that case, I’m guessing that Russia would be less hesitant to release a massive volley towards the US. Unfortunately, the US government is behaving like its demented figurehead. This is looking more and more like a Cuban Missile Crisis but without a JFK in the White House.
I'll grant that. I'll also concede Russia and China both talked prior to the invasion of Ukraine. What was said in those talks is certainly suspect. However, China's unwillingness to support Russia with arms let alone monetary support other than imports I wouldn't say there is any collusion at all. Most likely in my opinion is China said you do you and don't depend on me to bail you out. Through out all of this China has taken a stand much the same as India, Hungary and a few other nations. Basically leave me out of it.
Maybe Putin is sending the message that if the Russians are willing to sabotage their own pipelines the Baltic pipeline between Norway and Poland could be next. In fact, they may already be doing so. Swedish seismic network registers blasts near Baltic natgas pipeline leaks Blasts precede Baltic pipeline leaks, sabotage seen likely
Much as China distrusts the US - and much as they’d love to see US primacy upended - they’d prefer to watch Russia do it. Nonetheless, there are powerful drivers, in the US government, who have wet dreams about fighting Russia and China at the same time.
If you read the article I posted earlier some European nations are already pointing the finger at Russia. What I do find suspicious is the drone activity that was reported in the article I posted up thread. The Equinor installations do have and do use drones at their installations. As far as false flags go I wouldn't count the US out of the running either. The explosions occurred 15 hours apart on the same day a new pipeline was opened for operations which is another point of interest. It's obvious someone had enough information on exact locations of Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipe lines. One would think the new pipe line would have been targeted as well. Regardless of how one looks at it Europe is screwed when it comes to natural gas and supplies. This is only the beginning of the problems down the road. How Natural Gas Storage Works And Why Europe Faces A Tough Winter Many people wonder what all the fuss is about regarding the reduced flows and loss of Russian gas via the Nord Stream and other pipelines. Here’s a simplified primer on why Germany and much of the Eurozone face a difficult winter and an even scarier future. Natural gas markets are pretty simple. They are closed systems by nature and the laws of physics apply: gas needs to be in a closed system from the wellhead where it’s produced to the burner tip where it’s consumed. By and large, gas is extracted from beneath the earth or sea and sent through pipelines away from its production fields to where it is consumed in cities and towns by industries and households alike. Most gas is produced and used in the same general geographic locations, i.e., on the same or neighboring continents connected by land-based and undersea pipelines, because gas must travel in a sealed system. The exception to these geographic limitations is when gas is liquified (by subjecting it to extremely cold temperatures) and shipped via large ocean going tankers around the world. The more fungible nature of Liquified Natural Gas, or LNG as it’s commonly called, makes LNG more akin to crude oil in terms of the ability for producers and users to trade with one another over extremely long distances. But the ultra-cold temperature needed to keep gas liquefied requires highly specialized infrastructure, equipment, and tankers; all of which are in limited supply, take longer time periods to build, and are more difficult to maintain than ordinary gas pipeline transportation systems.
I’d like to believe that, but that would take a staggering amount of initiative from this Administration. The most Jake Sullivan would be willing to do was “hope” that the pipelines blew up. And even that would be short-sighted, because the Administration has been pretty open about not wanting to increase hydrocarbon production for Western Europe because it runs at cross purposes to the green agenda, even if it would be sticking it to the Russians. So maybe it was actually the American gas and oil industry. If so, good hits.
Maybe you and you're buddy Putin are having wet dreams over a war in which Vlad and Xi would team up to fight the US I can assure you with near absolute certainty that the US government does not want to fight Russia and China at the same time. While the Pentagon runs simulations of a war involving both countries it's obviously in preparation for the possibility of a worst case scenario not something that anyone wants.
Coordinating with China to not start the invasion until after the Olympics was complete comes to mind. China has also given predictable economic and diplomatic relief to the Russian invasion. The bottom line is, they knew about it in advance and effectively green lighted it.
Apparently the Ukrainians are rather good at it. Russian warplanes destroyed in Crimea airbase attack, satellite images show Saboteurs in Crimea create new fears for Russia in Ukraine
I put nothing, NOTHING past the elements in our government who seem to have an outsized influence on our foreign policy. To my eyes, what they’ve done to date is completely unhinged and incredibly risky.
