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OPINION

Biden Caves on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

nordstream document with german and russian flags
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Marek Jan Chodakiewicz By Friday, 28 May 2021 08:17 AM EDT Current | Bio | Archive

President Joe Biden has just caved on Nord Stream 2. He has allowed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to have his way on supplying energy to the European Union.

Is this a brilliant tactical move to secure U.S. supremacy on the EU energy market and protect our NATO allies? Or is this continuation of the failed strategy of President Barrack Obama of “leading from behind” which entailed our enemies and competitors to have their way with us? It’s the latter, I am afraid.

So what happened?

Biden exempted from sanctions Nord Stream 2 AG, a German subsidiary of Russia’s energy giant Gazprom, building a pipeline under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. Further, the American president gave a free pass to the head of the NS 2 AG, who overseas the undertaking.

The CEO in question, Matthias Warnig, happens to have served in the East German Communist secret police, the Stasi. That is when he met a KGB counterintelligence officer, Vladimir Putin. They made fast friends. And, evidently, their Chekist bonds persevere. The duo continues doing business together. Who says there is no honor among thieves?

The result of the move is abysmal. The Intermarium nations, including Ukraine, the Baltic states, and Poland believe that the Biden White House has sold them out.

As for American business, we will not be able to deliver to and sell our energy products out of the projected (or ready) Intermarium terminals in Poland, Croatia, and Bulgaria to supply also Western Europe and, thus, guarantee the EU’s energy security.

Russia abuses its power by turning its oil and gas spigots anytime it wants to exert pressure on the Old Continent. A U.S. alternative source of energy supply would thwart Moscow’s plans to dominate Europe. Biden’s decision means that the U.S. strategy both to make money and protect Europe is in a shambles.

Of course, the White House has had to spin this dubious coup in quite a different way. Here’s how. To cover up the sell-out, the Biden administration resorted to several tricks.

First, there was the smoke-and-mirrors approach. The administration trumpeted triumphantly that the U.S. president picked Ukraine as his chosen destination for his first ever foreign state visit. Thus, Washington wanted to make it appear like it was firm in its commitment to Kiyv.

Showcasing Joe Biden’s winning smile and wobbly walk (watch out for those plane stairs!) does not exactly translate into energy security. Continued U.S. investment and business transactions in energy in the Intermarium help ring true the old adage: “Money talks, B.S. walks.” I’m afraid it is just going to be an Ameircan walk in Ukraine and elsewhere in the Intermarium.

Second, there was the White House’s unstated inevitability story. Because the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is almost 95% finished, it is “inevitable” that it will be. Such determinism precludes the U.S. putting its foot down and exerting pressure on, first, Germany and, second, Russia to discontinue the project. It worked under Trump.

Third, Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken sounded tough: “Our opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is unwavering.” He vowed to impose restrictions a few Russian ships, several companies, and one individual involved in the project — unless they got waivers. And then the White House promptly excluded the most important of them: comrade Warning and his NS 2 AG, who are essentially in charge of the project.

This is straight from a Soviet propaganda joke. A four-wheeler tractor breaks down at a collective farm; it loses its wheel; it is no longer operational. On evening news, however, the Communist announcer deadpans: “Comrades, I must share yet another glorious achievement of our socialist economy — the tractor has three wheels!” This was called the propaganda of success.

It is the same with Blinken’s triumph. The strategy to preserve European energy security by selling our energy products to the EU is no more, but the State Department trumpets about our great achievement of swatting some irrelevant entities.

Go for the jugular. Slap comrade Warning and his NS 2 AG.

That would send the signal to Berlin that the U.S. continues to be in charge. Otherwise, Germany will continue its march to emancipation from American power, with Moscow’s help, of course. That will not only a disaster for the Intermarium, but also a serious setback to the interests of the United States.

Marek Jan Chodakiewicz is Professor of History at the Institute of World Politics, a graduate school of statecraft in Washington D.C.; expert on East-Central Europe's Three Seas region; author, among others, of "Intermarium: The Land Between The Baltic and Black Seas." Read Marek Jan Chodakiewicz's Reports — More Here

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MarekJanChodakiewicz
President Joe Biden has just caved on Nord Stream 2. He has allowed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to have his way on supplying energy to the European Union.
nordstream, pipeline, germany
769
2021-17-28
Friday, 28 May 2021 08:17 AM
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