[rad-green] U.S. sanctions against Nord Stream-2 an d Turk Stream: Washington’s Unmasked Imperialism Towa rds Europe and Russia

https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/12/27/washingtons-unmasked-imperialism-towards-europe-and-russia/

Strategic Culture Foundation          December 27, 2019



*EDITORIAL*
*Washington’s Unmasked Imperialism Towards Europe and Russia*
[image: image.png]
*© Photo: Wikimedia*

Washington must think the rest of the world is as stupid as many of its own
politicians are. Its passing into law – signed by President Trump this week
– of sanctions to halt the Nord Stream-2 and Turk Stream gas supply
projects is a naked imperialist move to bludgeon the European energy market
for its own economic advantage.

US sanctions are planned to hit European companies involved with Russia’s
Gazprom in the construction of the 1,225-kilometer pipeline under the
Baltic Sea which will deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany and
elsewhere across the European Union. The €9.5 billion ($11bn) project is 80
per cent complete and is due to be finished early next year.

It is quite clear – because US politicians have openly acknowledged it –
that Washington’s aim is to oust Russia as the main natural gas exporter to
the giant EU market, and to replace with more expensive American-produced
gas.

What’s hilarious is the way American politicians, diplomats and news media
are portraying this US assault on market principles and the sovereignty of
nations as an act of chivalry.

Washington claims that the sanctions are “pro-European” because they are
“saving Europe from dependency on Russia for its energy”. The American
hypocrisy crescendoes with the further claim that by stopping Russia
earning lucrative export revenues, then Moscow will be constrained from
“interfering” in European nations. As if Washington’s own actions are not
interference on a massive scale.

European politicians and businesses are not buying this American claptrap.
The vast overstepping by Washington into European affairs has prompted EU
governments to question the nature of the trans-Atlantic relation. About
time too. Thus, Washington’s hubris and bullying are undermining its
objective of dominating Europe for its own selfish interests.

Russia, Germany and others have defiantly told
<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-nord-stream/russias-lavrov-says-nord-stream-2-will-be-launched-despite-sanctions-ifax-idUSKBN1YQ0AS>
Washington
its weaponizing of economic sanctions will not halt the Nord Stream nor the
Turk Stream projects.

As German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said
<https://www.dw.com/en/us-senate-approves-nord-stream-2-russia-germany-pipeline-sanctions/a-51711980>
earlier
this month, “it is unacceptable” for the US to brazenly interfere in
European and Russian energy trade. The American pretext of supposedly
“protecting” the national security of its purported European allies is
frankly laughable.

The American agenda is a blatantly imperialistic reordering of the energy
market to benefit US economic interests. To pull off this audacious scam,
Washington, by necessity, has to demonize and isolate Russia, while also
trampling roughshod over its European allies. Europe has partly aided this
American stitch-up of its own interests because it has foolishly indulged
in the US antagonism towards Russia with sanctions due to the Ukraine
conflict, Crimea and other anti-Russia smears.

The legislation being whistled through the American Congress by both
Republicans and Democrats (collectively dubbed the War Party) is recklessly
fueling tensions between the US and Russia. In trying to gain economic
advantages over Europe’s energy, Washington is wantonly ramping up animus
towards Moscow.

Apart from the sanctions against Russian and European companies partnering
on Nord Stream, the US Congress passed separate legislation which seeks to
boost American oil and gas production in the East Mediterranean.

A Radio Free Europe report
<https://www.rferl.org/a/congress-passes-more-legislation-aimed-at-curbing-russia-s-energy-grip-on-europe/30337217.html>
this
week was headlined: ‘Congress Passes More Legislation Aimed At Curbing
Russia’s Energy Grip On Europe’.

The headline should more accurately have been worded: ‘Congress Passes More
Legislation Aimed At Bolstering America’s Energy Grip On Europe’.

The RFE report states: “The bipartisan Eastern Mediterranean Security and
Energy Partnership Act, which was approved on December 19, is the latest
piece of US legislation passed this year that aims to diversify [sic]
Europe’s energy sources away from Kremlin-controlled companies.”

Again, the American double-think is jaw-dropping. Such is the arrogance of
a flailing, delusional empire when it can publicly justify with a straight
face an energy-market-grab with a veneer of virtue.

US oil and gas giants are moving into the East Mediterranean. Exxon Mobil
announced
<https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/News/Newsroom/News-releases/2019/0228_ExxonMobil-makes-natural-gas-discovery-offshore-Cyprus>
the
discovery of a major natural gas field off Cyprus in February this year.
American firms are also partnering
<http://www.palestinechronicle.com/leviathan-gas-field-to-start-production-despite-pollution-concerns/>
with
Israeli companies to begin gas production in the Leviathan Field located
off the coast at Haifa.

There is no doubt that the US sanctions targeting Nord Stream and Turk
Stream are part of a bigger concerted pincer movement by Washington to
corner the EU energy market of 500 million consumers (more than double the
US population).

Colin Cavell, a US professor of political science, commented to Strategic
Culture Foundation: “What should be hammered down in this continuing debate
over which country will be able to deliver oil and natural gas to Europe is
the fact that neither the United States nor, and especially, the Republican
Party, stand for so-called free trade.”

Free-trade capitalism is supposed to be an ideological pillar of the US. In
this ideology, governments should not interfere with market supply and
demand. But paradoxically as far as US-imposed sanctions on
Russian-European energy companies are concerned the American Congress is
“quintessentially anti-free market”, notes Cavell.

In its shameless profiteering, Washington is acting aggressively towards
Russia and Europe while flouting its own supposed economic principles and
relying on brute force to win its arguments. America’s imperialist agenda
towards Europe and Russia is how world wars are instigated.

-- 

--- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sid-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sid-l/CACKppcxxwFKDSy6-jgRPjTwy-pvMVuhrkPgFc1jyU9rHqcPP3A%40mail.gmail.com.

---
To unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]>
List help: <https://riseup.net/lists>