German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a Marxist since his college days, when the communist East German Government invited him to visit as a leader of an anti-NATO, pro disarmament student group. He was likely an asset of the KGB back in those days.
His election was a major green light for Putin to invade the Ukraine. Their boy Olaf will not lift a finger to stop Vlad.
If Putin captures the gas pipelines through the Ukraine, he will strengthen his growing ability to choke off the Europeans energy supplies at will. This year, Germany will become a net importer of electricity, for the first time since the post WWII reconstruction, as they shut down the last of their nuclear power plants, and continue to shut down coal plants.
Every Winter, Putin will be able to extract some more concessions by holding gas supplies hostage, as he has been fond of doing with the former Republics of the USSR.
“Every Winter, Putin will be able to extract some more concessions by holding gas supplies hostage, as he has been fond of doing with the former Republics of the USSR.”
Yes. Correct. Don’t we do the same with our so-called partners??
It is called the “golden rule.” That is, he who has the gold makes the rules. In this case, gas. In our case, it is the so-called protection we provide to these countries (Japan, Australia, NATO). We offer it but just don’t expect us to act unless we decide on our own (Vietnam, Iraq, Afgqnastain, etc.) and even then we may make a half-ass effort and then run out of town like a beat dog.
Poking this bear may turn out to be a very bad decision.