— The fact that the sanctions are a part in the US defense bill it is virtually a declaration of war on Russia and Germany. The absolute hypocrisy is the title of the sanctions: "energy security of Europe."
— Europeans see who are fueling the current conflict. Out of pure selfishness (to sell their overpriced gas), the United States imposed sanctions against Russian companies. American lawmakers use all its powers to break international rules and to create an unlawful competitive advantage at the expense of European consumers. They don't care about Europe, they only care about their corrupt vested interests.
— The sanctions clearly show that the Americans want to sell their expensive gas at any price, they simply ignore the Atlantic solidarity.
— The main purpose of sanctions is to inflict economic damage to Russia and Germany and it is backed by deadbeat Eastern European nations like Poland and Baltic states frustrated over the fact that they can't have a finger in a gas "pie" anymore. The biggest loser is Ukraine that has discredited itself as a transit country, stealing the gas for itself.
— The Germans want Russian gas to comes directly to Germany, bypassing Poland and Ukraine. The Germans were tired of Polish intrigue and Ukrainian thievery and they don't want to pay for additional transit costs.
— Europe should introduce counter-sanctions, but it needs to start with overcoming the dependence on the US. Complaining and issuing empty threats at US is wussy. But the Europeans could take measures — for example, to sell European export only in euros and to buy oil and gas for euros. Also to force European governments to impose a ban to purchase American weapons.
— Would be nice as a counter to close the American air base in German Ramstein. Turkish President Erdogan threatened to close the American base in Incirlik, already shows Europeans it can be done.
— Unfortunately, in Germany many politicians like Angela Merkel, who are all softened and smooth down the sharp corners. Feckless in face of American meddling Frau Merkel lets down the whole of Europe. However, the European bureaucrats in Brussels are no better, they don't respond to challenges and demonstrate the political weakness of the European Union. The EU is powerless because Poland and Baltic States block any rapprochement with Russia.
— The Russians are right once again: the United States is violating international law.
— What do you allow yourself the US? Why the hell are we Europeans do business with them? Partners who shout "America uber alles" we don't need.
Americans break the laws of market competition, offering gas at a price more expensive than Russian. And after successful completion of the project "Northern stream — 2" will lead to a significant reduction in price of energy in Europe.
— Calculation of the Americans is clear: the only way to sell their expensive shale gas, besides delivered in liquefied form to Europe is to exert political pressure on the Russian gas projects. There is a classic example of imperialism. USA shows its true colors! Those who still believe in good friend across the Atlantic are deeply mistaken.
— Germans are wondering would US impose sanctions against the ex-Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder, who serves on the Board of Russian oil and gas companies? The ban on entering the USA Schroeder couldn't care less however frozen assets of the sanctioned companies are likely to get stolen by the US government to cover huge debts.
— The Americans are struggling with the "Northern stream — 2" for a long time, the process began under Barack Obama. Do not forget that sanctions are imposed against the "Turkish stream." These sanctions are illegal, because not based on the UN Charter.
— The only way to resist America is to create a United States of Europe! Only a strong Europe can be a sovereign player on the world stage.
Especially impudently behaves, the American Ambassador in Berlin Richard Grenell. He constantly interferes in the internal Affairs of Germany gives instructions on how to behave, obviously, taking the Germans for fools.
It is difficult to counter US policies, they know everything about German politicians, their families and friends. Spying on German politicians, they apply extraterritorial law in a foreign country.
— A positive thing in this whole sanctions story is that America is losing credibility all over the world.
Readers of the German media have noted the growing aggressiveness and arrogance on the part of America that acts as "world police." In recent years the US has increasingly used sanctions and judicial mechanisms to exert pressure on other countries. To the fullest launched the so-called "judicial imperialism" that suggests the global financial jurisdiction of the United States and the spread of American rights to trade and political sphere in the world. This practice went today to a new level and threatens the state sovereignty of other countries, including close allies of America.
Examples of extraterritorial law of the United States are numerous and sanctions against the "Nord stream — 2" is just the latest such case. Thus the U.S. refuses to recognize the supremacy of international law and use only their own domestic laws unlawfully applying it elsewhere. It annoys almost all countries — from China to Germany.
It seems like US government is acting as if international law doesn't exist. The concept of sovereignty apply only to US, while the rest of the world is divided into "vassals" and "other state", which rein through sanctions or "color" revolutions. According to European readers, the answer to "judicial imperialism" of the United States may be one to recognize the unconditional supremacy of international law.
The article above is the research of public opinion in German-speaking countries on the issue.
So if they want to buy gas from Russia with this pipeline why do we need nato. I think that’s the reasoning for the sanctions. We are spending our money protecting their worthless asses and get nothing back while we run our deficit to 22 trillion. Let them have their pipeline and let’s build a base in Poland or bring them all home. Kind of shitty of Germany since we defend them To bitch and whine. This just proves nato is not necessary.
Well, disregarding this Russian propaganda piece, the core point is correct... the bilateral natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany is the business of Germany and Russia. It’s no more our business to try to exert veto power over THEIR pipelines than it is the business of countries other than Canada and the US to try to veto OUR North American pipelines.
Ronald Reagan imposed the same pipeline sanctions against the former USSR in 1981, after the USSR cracked down on democracy related riots in Poland.
President Trump expressed his frustration with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over NS2 pipeline saying” We’re supposed to protect you from Russia, but Germany is making pipeline deals with Russia. You tell me if that’s appropriate. Explain that.”
Maybe if the socialist patron’s of said gas paid less but the State will take the savings for itself.
That’s funny. When it comes to paying for their Defense the Germans sure don’t think that’s a domestic issue. Uncle Sugar is expected to cough up the money and the troops to do so. Yet when it comes to building another massive pipeline to import yet more gas from the country we are supposed to be there to protect them against........
And let me add:
- they whine about Ambassador Grenell interfering with their politics yet think nothing of interfering in ours. Like for example when Merkel gave political speeches at some graduation ceremonies at Harvard a few months ago or like when they all collectively gobbled Obama’s knob.
- “international law” didn’t seem to count for much with them when they needed us to straighten out the mess in the Balkans without a permission slip from the UN. I guess “international law” is whatever the Yurps say it is.
- make us close our air base at Rammstein? Ha Ha Ha Ha! PLEASE do so. We’ll somehow manage to live with the “burden” of not providing for your defense. Do please try to convince your Turkish buddies to do the same in their country.
- speaking of selfish and greedy, how many years is it that you’ve been freeloading off of America to provide for your defense? You worthless Drueckeberger can’t even come close to keeping your promise to spend a paltry 2% of GDP on Defense.
- the US acting as the world’s police? It may have escaped your notice but Trump has been doing far LESS of that. Oh, and let’s not forget you Yurps are dead set against the US doing that......until things get nasty. Then you feiglinge turn and scream “YOU’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING!!!!!” Across the Atlantic. We’ve seen it many times.
- everybody knows why you Germans want “more Europe”. Oh, you don’t openly say it like you used to, but everybody knows there’s an inner “Sieg Heil!” still within you. You have never gotten over the urge to try to boss everybody else around and you never will. It’s in your national character. Here’s a tip. Lots of your neighbors know that about you too and aren’t about to put themselves under your thumbs again.
- why do you do business with America? Hmmm, could it be because you run a large trade surplus geniuses? Cut that off. See who gets hurt worse.
- imperialism? You mean like when we sacrificed many of our people’s lives to bail you out of two world wars you started in the last century? Do you mean like when we lavished billions and billions of dollars in economic aid on you after you had destroyed yourselves in those wars? Do you mean like how we artificially pegged our currency to gold and allowed you to peg yours at a rate we’ll under it’s true value so as to stimulate your exports into our country and thus pump even more money into your economies? Do you mean like the unequal trade deals we gave you that once again boosted your exports to us while suppressing ours to you? Or do you mean like paying for your defense when the Russian Bear was menacing all of you threatening to pour through the Fulda Gap and impose communist tyranny on you for generations? Don’t imperialists usually take a lot more money out of a place than pump more money into it? Far from being “imperialists” America has been by far your greatest benefactor in history. Nobody else is even close.
- we’re never going to agree to surrender our national sovereignty to supposed “international law” (there is no such thing. There are treaties between sovereign states. That is all. Yes, I AM a lawyer). You might as well accept that. It’s not ever going to change.
- most of us no more care what you think of us than you care what we think of you.
- we do agree about one thing: those who believe in good friends across the Atlantic (at least on the western half of Europe) are indeed mistaken.