Hello Gerhard,

>LL>In America, people have the freedom to express whatever they want.
>
>.. unless it's on the radio, on TV, in newspapers, ...
>In the press fredom index 2018, the USA are number 45, that's worse than
> South Korea and Romania.

The same index 2019 shows the USA at number 48.  Germany is much
higher, and had it not been for what happened so many decades ago,
would probably be giving the top three (Norway, Finland, Sweden)
a run for their money.

>LL>After Germany and Russia made a deal to build a natural gas
>LL>pipeline, Trump criticized Germany for not agreeing to buy
>LL>natural gas from the US.  As if Trump had ever offered Germany
>LL>any kind of deal.
>
>I remember a video where he asked Merkel three times if she wants to make a
> trade agreement with the US. And she told him three times that Germany
> cannot negotiate in its own, he needs to make an agreement with the whole
> EU, because it's a single market. :-)

That is a concept that may be above Trump's pay grade.  

>>>Donald Trump suggested to the German Chancellor, that he thought
>>>that it was a bad idea, because of being dependent to Russia.
>LL>It is a bad idea.  And worse, when you think it out further.

>Don,'t think further, get some facts straight, first.

Defending Donald Trump's POV is not easy.  But somebody has to do it.
Or at least try.

>The new pipeline is in addition to those that have been used for decades.

Why the need for a new pipeline when there are others working now?

>Currently every pipeline being used is either using Belarus or the Ukraine
> for transit.

Both Belarus and Ukraine border Russia.  Where is the problem?

>Nordstream as well as South Stream would bypass 3rd-party countries and
> directly connect the EU to Russia.

Directly connect Germany to Russia.  Not necessarily EU to Russia.

>The Ukraine usually is "a bit behind schedule" when it comes to paying gas
> bills, so Russia is looking for a way of prividing gas to the ones who pay,
> but not to the Ukraine, which means it needs a new pipeline.

Why not just shut off the flow of natural gas to Ukraine?  Wouldn't
that be the easiest way to collect on delinquint accounts?  No need
to build a new pipeline ...

>Because whenever they shut the pipeline to the Ukraine down, the EU got
> their gas from somewhere else.

I do not believe Ukrainians like to freeze in wintertime.  Better
to pay the piper rather than become frozen popsicle.

>And of course, for the EU it's better to have a reliable source, so the idea
> is to bypass the Ukraine.

Germans quite warm in wintertime, thanks to natural gas flowing
in from wherever it comes from.  Not sure Germans really cares where
it comes from.  If Ukraine was not reliable, as Russia suggests,
then others most certainly would have noticed.

I think Russia is not being totally honest about this.

In 2014 Russia decided to invade Ukraine, illegally annexing
Crimea as part of Russia.  As a result, the US and EU imposed
sanctions on Russia.  These sanctions have cost Russia over
$50 billion since then.  In order to make up for the loss of
revenue, Russia has to find new sources.  Hence, selling
natural gas to Germany.  At bargain prices, of course.

Since Ukraine will no longer be needed to transport natural gas
to Germany, Russia will slowly but surly force Ukraine to give up
more territory.  Or take it outright, just as it did with Crimea.

>LL>Which explains why England chose Brexit over the EU.

>England voted for Brexit because they cast the votes without thinking about
> the consequences.

England knew full well what it was/is doing.  It is going back
to the days before.  England vs The Continent.  That is the way
things were before WWII.  It was only after the events of WWII
that Bretton Wood came about.  That has all become unraveled.

>Moreover, England does have very little oil and gas, it's Schottland that
> has it.

Once the English install their new PM (most likely Boris Johnson),
a new referendum will be passed, and Schottland will rise again.

>Once Brexit is complete, Schottland may join the EU on its own and England
> will then have to import natural gas and oil from the EU.

This year will probably be the last The Open will ever be played
in Ireland, as the northern part melts into the hole.

>LL>With
>LL>Germany dependent on Russia for keeping their houses warm in
>LL>winter,
>
>Not really. The Netherlands and Denmark have no problem compensating for
> Russia shutting down the pipeline.

Putin's daughter has been living with her Dutch boyfriend
in the Netherlands.  So he'd better be careful before shutting
down the pipeline ...

>LL>and the rest of Europe dependent on Germany for keeping
>LL>their houses warm in winter, what do you think will happen when
>LL>Russia turns off the tap to Germany?  Lights out in Ukraine,
>LL>hello Russian soldiers.  Lights out in Poland, hello Russian
>LL>soldiers. Lights out in the Baltics, hello Russian soldiers.
>LL>Just like old times.

>Poland joined the NATO in 1999, the Baltics in 2004. I don't think Russia is
> considering invading NATO members to be a clever move.

Article V of the NATO Charter has only been invoked one time -
after the events of 9/11.  Europe came to the aid of the US after
it was attacked by a terrorist group known as al-Qaeda, by helping
invade and maintain order in Afghanistan.

In Kosovo, Europeans did nothing to stop ethnic cleansing by Serbia.
The US had to act alone.  This should have been a European problem
to solve.  Which it chose to ignore.

NATO has become nothing more than an arm of the US military.
That is what it is today.  Not really a consortium of nations,
working together, to defend the peace.

Will NATO choose to directly confront Russian troops in the Baltics?
Or in Poland?  I doubt it.  A new deal will be made.  The leaders
will smile for the cameras.  And all will be well.  Until next time.

By weaponizing natural gas, Putin will be able to use that as
leverage in order to get what he wants.  Without having to resort
to using Russian troops.

Turn off the taps to Germany, nobody in the EU gets it either.

England would not care, as it will not be part of the EU due
to Brexit.

--Lee

-- 
Big Or Small We Lay Them All

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