![The Nord Stream pipeline damage in the Baltic Sea may be an act of sabotage. Could other key European infrastructure now be targeted?](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Nord-Stream-pipeline-issues-in-the-Baltic-Sea.png?w=1920)
Commentary
-
Our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions on complex topics.
Everyone, Peter Zeihan here coming to you from Colorado. It is the 27th of September and in the last two or three days, there have been a number of instances in the Baltic Sea that have caused damage to the Nord Stream pipeline system. There are four trunk lines; two part of Nord Stream, one that has been operational for years and two part of Nord Stream Two who, were finished about a year ago but haven’t come online yet…that have now been damaged by unknown forces. The damage is in 70 meters of water, so about 220 feet. And the problem here is narrowing down the suspect pool is impossible. Because at that depth, if you have a couple of tanks and you know what you’re doing, pretty much any commercial scuba diving operator could have gotten down that deep and, you know, basically taken a pick axe to a pipeline or something a little bit more sophisticated.
So that narrows the…suspect pool, not at all. There are a number of theories out there, none of which I can put my finger on, because none of them really make great sense. One is that the U.S. would do this in order to make sure the Europeans would never use Russian natural gas again. Okay, but the Russians turned off the pipes themselves, which is a much better PR battle from the American point of view than putting a couple of holes in a pipe which could be repaired. Some say this was the Ukrainians. You know, that makes a degree of sense. However, the Ukrainians have natural gas pipes that are still operating that flow through the war zones and Ukrainian territory on to Europe, and it would be easier just to take out those. The Germans probably not. They’re the ones who are desperate for the gas.
I think it might be interesting to point the finger at a number of the Nordic states, whether it’s Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, or maybe even Poland, because they have a vested interest in seeing this line go offline because it would force the rest of the Europeans to finally suck it up and move on without Russia. That makes a little bit more sense. But again, this is relatively easily repairable unless the pipeline has like, had to stick a dynamite put inside of it as opposed to someone just poking a hole at it.
So no good theories hold up to any sort of scrutiny…and we have no idea. Now, the pipelines were all off. Nord Stream Two has never been turned on. Nord Stream One, the Russians turned off two weeks ago in order to punish the Europeans. So it’s not like there’s any immediate danger here aside from simply a methane link into the atmosphere, which is, you know, in general, no, bueno.
I’m sorry that doesn’t give you any clarity. It’s a confusing situation. The most important thing from my point of view is that someone out there has now decided that core economic infrastructure is a viable target. And while it’s not hard if you know what you’re doing to get down the Nord Stream to poke a hole in it, there’s a lot of infrastructure elsewhere – land pipelines, for example – that are far more vulnerable. And if the gloves are really coming off in this conflict, the economic…the economic damage we’ve seen to Europe to this point is only just now beginning. Okay, that’s it for me. Until next time.
-
Is the US looking for a war?
With conflicts, skirmishes and tensions simmering around the globe, and with the United States playing supporting roles in several of them, the question of whether the country getting involved directly is legitimate. The war in Ukraine, for example, has forced several European countries to reintroduce mandatory military service to confront the growing threat from Moscow.…
-
How future generations could shift US support for Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of Congress on July 24, calling for increased bipartisan support for Israel amid its 10-month war with Hamas. He praised President Biden’s “half century of friendship to Israel” and referred to Hamas as “sheer evil.” In the video above, Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan analyzes…
-
Why election of European Commission president is so important
Ursula von der Leyen has been reelected to another five-year term as president of the European Commission after a vote by EU lawmakers. Von der Leyen will now preside over a coalition that shifted to the right after recent European elections, where ultra-conservative parties won a record number of seats. In July, von der Leyen…
-
Protests in Bangladesh signal more trouble ahead
Public protests in Bangladesh against government hiring practices — and against the government’s military response to those protests — have left at least 174 dead and 2,500 jailed. Bangladesh’s people face an acute jobs and unemployment crisis, so public disagreements over hiring practices carry significant weight. The regime recently enforced a nationwide internet blackout as…
-
In US election, early polling doesn’t tell us anything yet
From President Joe Biden’s declining health to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, there’s been a series of major political developments in the United States that might impact the results of the November election. These developments have led to renewed confusion, concern and debate regarding which candidate might win, and in the Democrats’ case, which…
Latest Stories
-
U.S. Department of Defense
Congress still trying to figure out how to reduce wasteful military spending
-
DVIDS
US Navy, Air Force making waves with new weapons at RIMPAC
-
Getty Images
Israeli PM Netanyahu meets with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
-
Getty Images
Growing US nuclear power resurgence reaches the nation’s heartland
-
Getty Images
Beer from the sun, other solar thermal projects get government funding
Popular Opinions
-
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum.
Latest Opinions
In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum. We hope these different voices will help you reach your own conclusions.
The opinions published in this section are solely those of the contributors and do not reflect the views of Straight Arrow News.
Latest Commentary
We know it is important to hear from a diverse range of observers on the complex topics we face and believe our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions.
The commentaries published in this section are solely those of the contributors and do not reflect the views of Straight Arrow News.
Peter Zeihan
Geopolitical StrategistHow future generations could shift US support for Israel
Why election of European Commission president is so important
Protests in Bangladesh signal more trouble ahead
Dr. Frank Luntz
Pollster and Political Analyst‘I don’t know’: Swing voters debate who best to replace Biden
‘Mad as hell’: Americans vent anger, frustration over politics
‘On death’s door’: Undecided voters react to first debate