[jimwatx]

Yes Europe can and should take care of their own energy security, but the US blowing out those gas pipelines was a leap beyond anything a presumed ally would do. It’s basically the US telling Europe, well we warned you about becoming dependent on Russian energy, but since you didn’t listen we’ve decided to take out those pipelines ourselves to prevent you from even thinking about backsliding on those Russian sanctions. It was a giant f*ck you to Europe and just reiterates the attitude Victoria Nuland expressed towards Europe back in 2014.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/feb/07/eu-us-diplomat-victoria-nuland-phonecall-leaked-video
You can only sh!t on an ally so many times before that ally begins to reexamine the relationship.

[FLT-bird]

Yes that is all true. Especially your last line. You can only sh!t on an ally so many times before that ally begins to reexamine the relationship. Only I would submit it was Germany taking America's generosity for granted while acting in an often petulant self serving fashion which cased many in America to reexamine the relationship. Was it playing hardball and/or dirty to blow up those pipelines? Yes it was. Did the Americans have good reason to suspect the Germans would cave in, roll over, and seek to undermine America yet again to line their own pockets? I'm sure they did suspect this....and the Germans' behavior starting with Willy Brandt gave them good reason to suspect something like this was coming. The Germans exhibited bad faith as an ally for quite a long time.