Sabatoge? Nord Stream gas lines damaged in apparent attack. Who is responsible?

 

Gas bubbles from the damaged pipeline. New York Post/Reuters.

Major leaks were reported in both Nord Stream gas lines that supply Russian gas to Europe. Reuters. Seismic recordings from Norway, Sweden and Denmark recorded major explosions. Most countries, including Russia, agree that the line was attacked, but it is unclear who is responsible for it. Gas has been halted due to sanctions, maintenance issues and Russian activity. The pipelines took major damage and it will not be easy to repair. 

My Comment:

This is a huge escalation in the conflict with Russia and one that could have extreme consequences, regardless of who is responsible for it. Not only is it a major disaster, it's going to be an ecological one as well. I can't imagine all that natural gas leaking out is good for the environment. Plus it's a huge waste of a precious natural resource. 

The six million dollar question is of course who is responsible for this attack. I think we can rule a few people out. Ukraine obviously had a major motive to attack these lines, but I don't think they are anywhere skilled enough to pull this attack off. Their navy is largely destroyed and they don't really have access to the region. 

I think we can also rule out Russia, as they paid billions for these pipelines. Plus if they wanted to destroy them for some reason, they could have just done it in their own territory, not deep in NATO territory. Russia also has very little reason to want to blow up the pipeline. Germany, which gets the fuel from these pipelines, was facing major civil unrest and protests over the pipelines being closed, so Russia was probably pretty close to the Germans breaking and asking for the fuel to flow again. Why would they want to get rid of that source of income? I guess it could be some 3d chess kind of Kansas City Shuffle, but why go through all that trouble?

Germany also has little motive to do this either. It's been made pretty clear that they need the gas and blowing up their own pipeline seems like an own goal. Unlike Ukraine, they could probably easily do it, but I have no idea why? The only thing I could think of is that they wanted to diffuse the issue with their people, but I doubt it.

So who does that leave? Well, the United States is a pretty obvious suspect, especially with that Joe Biden video I posted that showed him threatening the pipeline. We also obviously have the ability to sabotage these pipelines, and doing so has multiple supposed benefits. It cuts off fuel to Europe forcing them to buy from us, forces businesses to leave Europe for the United States and might, perhaps, hurt Russia. 

Doing so would be an act of war, both against Russia and our German allies. That's obviously an act of insanity, attacking a nuclear armed country that could wipe us off the face of the earth is beyond stupid. But betraying our German allies? I can't think of a worse thing that our country has done recently. And given Biden's complete lack of morals and general evil attitude, I could see him doing it. 

But we shouldn't rule out other European countries either. Poland especially has been saber rattling and has celebrated the attack. I am not sure if they have that capability. And you can't rule out the non-German other members of NATO. The UK, for example, has both the capability and similar motives to the United States. 

With all that being said, it's too early to determine who is responsible for this attack. Lots of countries have the means, many also have the motive and a few have both. What I do know is if we ever do get absolute proof of who is responsible for this attack there will be hell to pay. Like I said, it's a casus belli for a major war and if it was a NATO member that was responsible for the attack it could break up the alliance. 

I have to say I am not feeling very optimistic towards the future. Tensions are already too high but nobody in the west is willing to even talk to Russia to try and end the war. And Joe Biden is a huge cause of it all. He's throwing gas onto the flames at every chance he get, and that might be literal now. I just hope he doesn't screw up so badly that the solution to the war is a mushroom cloud...