Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
May 18, 2022

How Europe Was Pushed Towards Economic Suicide

With the active help from Europe's 'leadership' the U.S. is succeeding in ruining Europe.

As Michael Hudson, a research professor of Economics at University of Missouri, Kansas City, wrote in early February, before Russia's intervention in Ukraine:

America no longer has the monetary power and seemingly chronic trade and balance-of-payments surplus that enabled it to draw up the world’s trade and investment rules in 1944-45. The threat to U.S. dominance is that China, Russia and Mackinder’s Eurasian World Island heartland are offering better trade and investment opportunities than are available from the United States with its increasingly desperate demand for sacrifices from its NATO and other allies.

The most glaring example is the U.S. drive to block Germany from authorizing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to obtain Russian gas for the coming cold weather. Angela Merkel agreed with Donald Trump to spend $1 billion building a new LNG port to become more dependent on highly priced U.S. LNG. (The plan was cancelled after the U.S. and German elections changed both leaders.) But Germany has no other way of heating many of its houses and office buildings (or supplying its fertilizer companies) than with Russian gas.

The only way left for U.S. diplomats to block European purchases is to goad Russia into a military response and then claim that avenging this response outweighs any purely national economic interest. As hawkish Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, explained in a State Department press briefing on January 27: “If Russia invades Ukraine one way or another Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.” The problem is to create a suitably offensive incident and depict Russia as the aggressor.

In mid February OSCE observer noted that the artillery bombardment of Donbas by the Ukrainians increased from a handful to over 2,000 explosions per day. Russia reacted to these attack preparations by recognizing the Donbas republics, signing defense agreements with them and by finally coming to their help.

Shortly after the launch of the Russian military operation Professor Hudson further developed his earlier thoughts:

The recent prodding of Russia by expanding Ukrainian anti-Russian ethnic violence by Ukraine’s neo-Nazi post-2014 Maiden regime aims at forcing a showdown. It comes in response to the fear by U.S. interests that they are losing their economic and political hold on their NATO allies and other Dollar Area satellites as these countries have seen their major opportunities for gain to lie in increasing trade and investment with China and Russia.
...
As President Biden explained, the current military escalation (“Prodding the Bear”) is not really about Ukraine. Biden promised at the outset that no U.S. troops would be involved. But he has been demanding for over a year that Germany prevent the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from supplying its industry and housing with low-priced gas and turn to the much higher-priced U.S. suppliers.
...
[T]he most pressing U.S. strategic aim of NATO confrontation with Russia is soaring oil and gas prices. In addition to creating profits and stock-market gains for U.S. companies, higher energy prices will take much of the steam out of the German economy.

In early April Professor Hudson took another look at the situation:

It is now clear that the New Cold War was planned over a year ago, with serious strategy associated with America’s perceived to block Nord Stream 2 as part of its aim of barring Western Europe (“NATO”) from seeking prosperity by mutual trade and investment with China and Russia.
...
So the Russian-speaking Donetsk and Luhansk regions were shelled with increasing intensity, and when Russia still refrained from responding, plans reportedly were drawn up for a great showdown last February – a heavy Western Ukrainian attack organized by U.S. advisors and armed by NATO.
...
European trade and investment prior to the War to Create Sanctions had promised a rising mutual prosperity among Germany, France and other NATO countries vis-à-vis Russia and China. Russia was providing abundant energy at a competitive price, and this energy supply was to make a quantum leap with Nord Stream 2. Europe was to earn the foreign exchange to pay for this rising import trade by a combination of exporting more industrial manufactures to Russia and capital investment in rebuilding the Russian economy, e.g. by German auto companies, aircraft and financial investment. This bilateral trade and investment is now stopped – for many, many years, given NATO’s confiscation of Russia’s foreign reserves kept in euros and British sterling.

The European response to the U.S. proxy war against Russia was based on media driven hysteric moralizing or maybe moralizing hysteria. It was and is neither rational nor realistic.

The European 'leadership' decided that nothing but the economic suicide of Europe was sufficient to show Russia that Brussels was seriously miffed. Dimwit national governments, including the German one, followed that program. Should they stay on their course the result will be a complete de-industrialization of western Europe.

In the words of one serious observer:

Today, we see that for purely political reasons, driven by their own ambitions, and under pressure from their US overlord, the European countries are imposing more sanctions on the oil and gas markets which will lead to more inflation. Instead of admitting their mistakes, they are looking for a guilty party elsewhere.
...
One gets the impression that Western politicians and economists simply forget basic economic laws or just choose to ignore them.
...
[S]aying no to Russian energy means that Europe will systemically and for the long term become the world’s most costly region for energy resources. Yes, prices will rise, and resources will go to counter these price hikes, but this will not change the situation significantly. Some analysts are saying that it will seriously or even irrevocably undermine the competitiveness of a significant portion of European industry, which is already losing ground to companies from other parts of the world. Now, these processes will certainly pick up pace. Clearly, the opportunities for economic activity, with its improvements, will leave Europe for other regions, as will Russia’s energy resources.

This economic auto-da-fe… suicide is, of course, the internal affair of the European countries.
...
Now our partners’ erratic actions – this is what they are – have resulted in a de facto growth in revenue in the Russian oil-and-gas sector in addition to the damage to the European economy.
...
Understanding what steps the West will take in the near future, we must reach conclusions in advance and be proactive, turning the thoughtless chaotic steps of some of our partners to our advantage for the benefit of our country. Naturally, we should not hope for their endless mistakes. We should simply, practically proceed from current realities, as I said.

Vladimir Putin, Meeting on oil industry development, May 17 2020, Kremlin, Moscow

Posted by b on May 18, 2022 at 14:01 UTC | Permalink

Comments
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Thanks b.
The date of President Putin's speech is May 17, 2022. A typo.

Posted by: R | May 18 2022 14:07 utc | 1

"One gets the impression that Western politicians and economists simply forget basic economic laws or just choose to ignore them."
.
They chose to ignore those laws and the people voted for
that with their masks compliantly tied on.

Posted by: Merkin Scot | May 18 2022 14:08 utc | 2

"The European response to the U.S. proxy war against Russia was based on media driven hystThe European response to the U.S. proxy war against Russia was based on media driven hysteric moralizing or maybe moralizing hysteria. It was and is neither rational nor realistic.eric moralizing or maybe moralizing hysteria. It was and is neither rational nor realistic"

So true!

Putin made it clear 3 weeks ago, America and the West was playing with fire.

VIDEO https://youtu.be/xGv_msiM_w0

Posted by: Dean Oneil | May 18 2022 14:09 utc | 3

When Nuland and Biden himself openly expressed such contempt for German sovereignty and openly said the US will dictate German energy policy, many thought it was so over the top the Germans would have to rebel.

Instead they've proven to be the most effeminate US poodles of all.

Europe's collective will to economic, cultural and, if the US demands it, physical suicide is hard to understand in any terms other than extreme terminal spiritual decadence. Whatever can arise from the ashes of the future, it won't be coming from Europe.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | May 18 2022 14:13 utc | 4

The Shock Doctrine is being repeated in Europe and its for the good of global private finance which was ok when it was done to South America but there seems to be some reticence by the public......Hmmmmmm, I wonder why?

Look at the zombies at the MoA bar that focus on all sorts of reasons for our situation but the public/private finance differences in our world. It is STUPID now to say TINA about private finance because China has 70+ years of example tp show that myth for the propaganda it is.

The only way humanity is going to be able to progress is to evolve beyond the God of Mammon cult leading Western society.

Posted by: psychohistorian | May 18 2022 14:21 utc | 5

I have long said that Germany and Russia are natural allies, in the sense that each has what the other wants and can best get by cooperating.

The goal of the United States has been to prevent Germany and Russia from cementing that alliance.

Posted by: Feral Finster | May 18 2022 14:22 utc | 6

Flying Dutchman | May 18 2022 14:13 utc | 4
"... other than extreme terminal spiritual decadence."
May it is just a lack of power for reasons unseen?

Posted by: Hausmeister | May 18 2022 14:23 utc | 7

happy to see that you've discovered Michael Hudson...

Yep er Dep. I hate to see, especially Germany fall for this stuff.

Reading an old book about Bakunin. I discovered a line, when Marx orchestrated in ostracism from the International, he realized that it was EASY TO GET THE GERMANS TO HATE A RUSSIAN.

Hum.

Posted by: Kim | May 18 2022 14:29 utc | 8

There used to be statesmen who sought to corral the warmongers that we see now. The Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975. All then-existing European countries (except pro-Chinese Albania and semi-sovereign Andorra) as well as the United States and Canada, altogether 35 participating states, signed the Final Act in an attempt to improve the détente between the East and the West.

The Helsinki Final Act included the Helsinki Decalogue, ten principles that the States participating in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) undertake to respect and put into practice in their mutual relations .
I. Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty
II. Refraining from the threat or use of force
III. Inviolability of frontiers
IV. Territorial integrity of States
V. Peaceful settlement of disputes
VI. Non-intervention in internal affairs
VII. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.
VIII. Equal rights and self-determination of peoples
IX. Cooperation among States
X. Fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law .here
. . . .comment
We can analyze the taxonomy of the Ukraine fiasco by recounting the violations of the Helsinki Decalogue.
First came the US/UK/NATO violation of Russian sovereignty by extending NATO up to Russia's borders, number I, an action long recognized by many non-Russians to be a threat to European security. Then came the US intervention of the US in Ukraine internal affairs, number VI, involving regime change involving neo-Nazis, the defeat of whom had been celebrated in Helsinki. . . Then one can go through the other Helsinki Decalogue violations ending with the US/NATO failures in number X, the fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law which include obligations beyond just allowing every nation to do whatever ot wants, including joining an aggressive NATO war machine and conducting themselves despite the self-injuring as b outlines above.

Posted by: Don Bacon | May 18 2022 14:33 utc | 9

Funnily enough no-one mentions Green Politics and The Agenda. "Europeans" is a strange concept much like "Americans" where people in Illinois behave much like those in Minas Gerais since both are "Americans".

Green Agenda is deep in journalists' mindsets and they revel at a chance to block fossil fuels - and to have a cause delivered by USA is just perfect. The leader of the CDU worked for Black Rock. The Anti-Industry bias in EU politics is deep and in the UK the Climate Change Act 2008 put in place by Ed Miliband has caused energy prices to render production non-competitive with Germany where Green levies were loaded onto households to subsidise business and retain export surpluses.

There are Chaoten everywhere who want to break the system.

US has simply painted Russia as Fossil Fuel Empire and the Greens are switched on.

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | May 18 2022 14:34 utc | 10

I was surpised by the stupidity of regular people. It's not that I was expecting mass riots, but some sort of protests I did expect, especially in Germany. They didn't even blink when Scholtzy was called a "sausage" by a nobody form Ukraine and their useless president was not invited by elensky as revenge for not sending enough weapons.
It's like Germany ranks below Ukraine in the order of puppets for the Biden family and they act accordingly. Kuleba, another trash, is getting close to spanking the German Defense Ministry for delays in sending 7 Gepard anti-aircraft (spanking reported by Welt).
Too much money, too much free time, brainwashing and not enough school :)) Can't wait to see them scream in pain even more

Posted by: rk | May 18 2022 14:34 utc | 11

Reuters yesterday: Euro Zone Trade plunges into Record Deficit in March due to energy - reuters.com

The European Union's statistics office Eurostat said the 19 countries sharing the euro recorded a trade deficit, unadjusted for seasonal swings, of 16.4 billion euros in March compared to a 22.5 billion surplus in March 2021.

39 billion euro swing from surplus to deficit in 1 year...

The unadjusted value of imports in March rocketed by 35.4% year-on-year, Eurostat said, while the value of exports rose only 14.0%.

The change in the value of energy imports was the most spectacular, with the deficit in energy trade almost tripling to 128.7 billion euros in the first three months of the year.

The European Union's trade deficit with Russia -- its main energy supplier -- more than quadrupled to 45.2 billion euros in the first quarter from 10.8 billion in the same period of 2021.

So post "shock and awe" sanctions, Russia trade surplus with the EU grew from 10.8 billion euros to 45.2 billion euros. So much winning /sarc

As I've noted before: the USD is to euro is 1.05. Previously in May 2008 during the previous energy price spike, the USD to euro was 1.55. Or in other words, the EU is paying almost double (in euros) for oil vs. last year and proportionately more for other energy.

Jakob Dreizen said the euro is falling due to the ruble - that's a load of nonsense. While energy is a major import - it is not the majority import by a long stretch; what is happening is that the USD is strengthening even as the euro is not - which is unusual to say the least. The DXY (USD index) is up 16% year on year, but the DXY is calculated from 6 different currencies: CAD, JPY, Euro, GBP, SEK, CHF.

Here are the USD vs. above 6 currencies, now vs. May 2021
CAD 1.28 1.2077 = -6%
JPY 128.61 108.8 = -18.2%
USD/Euro 1.05 1.21 = -13.2%
USD/GBP 1.24 1.42 =-14.5%
SEK 9.98 8.30 = -20.2%
USD/CHF 1.01 1.0941 = -8.3%

As you can see - all 6 components of DXY have weakened vs. the USD.

One last note:

USD to CNY, today vs. 1 year ago: 6.75 6.47 = -4.3%

So the CNY has weakened less vs. all 6 components of the DXY dollar index and less than Canada - a petro-state.

But that isn't the interesting part.

The USD/CNY rate in January 2020 was 6.9365 - or in other words, the Chinese yuan has been strengthening vs. the dollar since COVID. The present rate is actually 2.76% stronger for the CNY now than 2-ish years ago.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 14:37 utc | 12

My take-away from Putin's introductory remarks is the statement about Russia oil and gas industry proceeding to build out infrastructure necessary for vertical energy market direct to customer. Secondly, Europe is now and probably will be for a long time to come, a high-cost energy market for anyone to competitively operate in. Both of which are bad news for the collective west.

Also - Alex at the Duran is right about that old, retired U.S. general twittering on about Ukraine success in combating Russian aircraft. An absolute joke of a human being. Should have plenty of better things to be doing with his remaining time on this planet. Not only being completely wrong on just about everything, but he also apparently uses video images from video games as proof of his assertions. I mean really. Is this the best the west can come up with? It's truly laughable if it weren't for it all being so completely and unnecessarily tragic.

And the best is yet to come.

Posted by: thecelticwithinme | May 18 2022 14:38 utc | 13

Europe's collective will to economic, cultural and, if the US demands it, physical suicide is hard to understand in any terms other than extreme terminal spiritual decadence. Whatever can arise from the ashes of the future, it won't be coming from Europe.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | May 18 2022 14:13 utc | 4

A goddamm effective system of mind-control, in particular of the "elites", also helps, although the decadence of course is what makes that system work.

During the covid, I talked to some people, "elite" women, who were at the same time scared and, admittedly, fed up. Will it never end, they asked.

But I have already turned it off, I said. You may too. Don't look at the screen anymore, don't listen to the transmissions. Just turn it off. Don't take the bus, but walk (we didn't have the mask mandate for just going outside). Then it will end.

They were flabbergasted, but I saw a light turn on in their eyes...

Posted by: veto | May 18 2022 14:40 utc | 14

Zionist invented and driven culture Marxism in media = extreme terminal spiritual decadence.

Posted by: Obamavirus | May 18 2022 14:41 utc | 15

Excellent post b.

It's no wonder the Germans are 'spineless' against Empire. After two world wars in which Germany was a chief antagonist (noting the draconian deal put in place after WWI which caused depression and the rise of Hitler) and losing those wars which caused the deaths of tens of millions of people, the 'surrender' meant the loss of sovereignty/independence, and military occupation by Empire. Germany is not free, and to expect it to act independently is not realistic until Empire Falls.

Posted by: gottlieb | May 18 2022 14:43 utc | 16

Basically the EU bar one or two nations is sacrificing their economies and throwing their citizens into poverty and hardship to prop up US hegemony.

Meanwhile is this true or not, was the soldier tortured to plead guilty to something he didn't do.


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russian-soldier-pleads-guilty-in-first-ukraine-war-crimes-trial/ar-AAXpUcN?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=3ef14b34f76b462283fb0355d77fc0ad

Posted by: Republicofscotland | May 18 2022 14:45 utc | 17

How exactly do proponents of an change of alliance envision the transition?
The dangers are, on the one hand, the breakup of the European community (if there is one) and, on the other hand, the exchange of the U.S. as the main trading partner for Russia. Russia in addition - would probably be pleasing; instead - less.
Apart from that, nobody has any doubt that after such a step all hell would break loose in Germany in particular and the EU in general. Wouldn't the economic suicide occur even much faster then?
If one remembers the former Eastern bloc - there the real dissolution came only when the leaders of the empire themselves started to liquidate it. And even then there were still 150% believers who resisted the change ("he who comes too late is punished by life"). In other words, it's about regime change or even regime disruption in the USA. Perhaps that is what people everywhere are waiting for.
I have a question that is intricately related to the topic.
Does anyone know if and when the deployment of the dark eagle missile systems will take place? And isn't that the real and final provocation that would force the Russians to attack across a NATO border - even if it would trigger Article 5, i.e. the mutual assistance obligation? This, in turn, could prompt the Russians to try a decapitation strike. How likely is all this? What do barflies think about it?

Posted by: franziska | May 18 2022 14:46 utc | 18

From Maria Kondorskaya on Reading Junkie:

There is something that Ukrainians fail to understand. Apart from being used as cannon fodder in a proxy war against Russians, they are being eliminated and recycled, just like old Soviet weapons are being eliminated and recycled on the battlefield.

Except for Russians, no one needs Ukrainians. However and whenever this war ends, there will be no more Ukrainian people, both politically and ethnically.

Many are fleeing to Europe and will be assimilated there genetically, culturally and mentally. “Almost European” Ukrainians will be quite pragmatically used to refresh Europe’s aging white populations to dilute the flow of Middle Eastern and African migrants (second rate is still better than the third). They will never return to Ukraine. Some go to Russia and will maybe return to Donbass which is, like it or not, Russia. Some will be killed in action or perish. Mostly young people. And this depopulation is part of the Western plan.

My dear Ukrainians, if you read this, do you know why this is part of the plan? Because, in the eyes of your Western friends, you are… Russians.

Read more here:
https://readingjunkie.com/2022/04/12/my-dear-ukrainians/

Posted by: Ian Kummer | May 18 2022 14:46 utc | 19

Who's your daddy?

Hudson has it pretty much nailed. I would like to add something which might show that he missed one significant part to this (or if he did mention it I missed it- I've tried to keep up with his stuff, but sometimes skim it):

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c0003.html

US has been running a fairly hefty trade deficit with the EU. I suspect that this (and the US _IS_ worried as its deficits push into the stratosphere) was a big factors toward the push to [as Trump was spouting] "get NATO countries to spend more [so the US can spend less; and, of course, for US weapons manufacturers to grab more market share]). Energy was always going to be an issue for the EU: no secret here. The US decided to leverage it, to grab the energy market as one means of turning around the trade imbalance. Also, as noted, military weapons sales is also the aim. And you can be sure that in the mix is the notion of forcing austerity on the "socialists" in the EU.

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 14:48 utc | 20

Europe's failure to control their own destiny will be their downfall, entirely self-inflicted, and they cannot blame anyone else.

I wrote this on April 10: The Downfall of Europe
I can only guess, but I think I’m pretty close to the truth. Russia and Europe are natural economic and security partners. Yes, buying Russian oil and especially gas improves European security and it’s silly to claim it doesn’t. Transporting energy in pipelines is the most defensible and logistically sound method. What’s the alternative? Shipping containers of gas in little boats across the Atlantic? And adults say this with a straight face.
https://readingjunkie.com/2022/04/10/the-downfall-of-europe/

I also wrote this on March 18: Ukraine is the new Poland
Once upon a time, stop me if you’ve heard this story before, Anglo diplomats surveyed the ruins of a fallen empire, and hatched a nefarious plan. They insisted on the creation of a militaristic right-wing pseudostate, with borders drawn up in a way that would be deliberately provocative to her neighbors. Then the Western powers all swore that this weird artificial state had inviolable sovereignty and signed unenforceable mutual defense pacts with her. Just creating this imaginary country was a weird and stupid idea, and that decision was made even more weird and stupid by the following mutual defense agreements. Even a small border dispute would immediately and inevitably erupt into a world war, and of course that’s exactly what happened.
https://readingjunkie.com/2022/03/18/is-ukraine-the-new-poland/

Posted by: Ian Kummer | May 18 2022 14:50 utc | 21

*Vladimir Putin, Meeting on oil industry development, May 17 2022, Kremlin, Moscow

Indeed.

Posted by: Julian | May 18 2022 14:51 utc | 22

Well, one has to CONsider the WEFians in all the hubbub going on presently, no?? Looks as though the Germanians may be among the first to find that they will own nothing, but most likely will not be especially happy about their new lot in life..

Posted by: polecat | May 18 2022 14:53 utc | 23

their masks compliantly tied on.

Posted by: Merkin Scot | May 18 2022 14:08 utc | 2

why not just say "I'm a moron" rather than invalidating your point with ignorant white exceptionalism?

Posted by: Oso | May 18 2022 14:56 utc | 24

OSCE allowed the Nazi's to shell the RF, from the Saker.


"How the OSCE mission cooperated with the Azov terrorists

The filming crew of IA “Arbelet” was the first to visit the territory where the OSCE mission in Mariupol was located. Among other valuable finds, they found two mortar positions, equipped directly near the mission’s administrative building. The mortars themselves and their ammunition are of Italian origin, as evidenced by the markings. Another noteworthy fact: the last delivery of the Italian BC is dated March 11, 2022.

Do ordinary Italians know that their authorities are helping outright terrorists of the national battalions? How will the OSCE comment on the fact that they were in clear collusion with the terrorists, allowing “Azov” to fire from their territory? How, after these facts, will the OSCE be able to clean up their reputation at all?"

Posted by: Republicofscotland | May 18 2022 14:56 utc | 25

Re: Posted by: Feral Finster | May 18 2022 14:22 utc | 6

The goal of the United States has been to prevent Germany and Russia from cementing that alliance.

Not really - this has been the goal of the UK for centuries. The US has merely inherited this British policy.

Ever heard of Lord Hastings Ismay?

Ismay has a famous quote of course expressing British policy towards Europe that perfectly incapsulates what you say: "The purpose of the NATO Alliance is “to keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down”

Posted by: Julian | May 18 2022 14:56 utc | 26

There are two types of democratic thought liberal and totalitarian. Nowadays Europeans vote, but once the votes are counted politic elite do what they please. The is especially true in the UK where lying is the same a breathing. When democracies start wars without the consent of the people, while hiding the agenda, brainwashing its citizens and pushing out propaganda, then totalitarian thought dominates the political sphere.

Posted by: ATM | May 18 2022 15:01 utc | 27

Call it Russia First or maybe MRGA (Make Russia Great Again). And the US has the Biden administration.

Posted by: Musburger | May 18 2022 15:01 utc | 28

If only the world would let Russia do as it pleases, right?

Posted by: h8ist | May 18 2022 15:01 utc | 29

The US decided to drag the EU down with it and the EU decided it would be happy to come along for the ride.

What I don't get is the simultaneous talk that with an expanded NATO, Russia loses because Europe will rearm. Sure, conceptually that's the plan, but exactly how will they do that suffering from extremely high energy prices and reduced access to the necessary raw materials? And if it's a matter of buying US equipment, how does that get paid for given that there are national, fiscal requirements for EU members which will need to be rewritten to allow for the necessary deficit spending. What's the timeline for this rearmament? The US is currently producing 13 tanks/month and that only because politicians demanded the factory be kept open, not to mention that the M1 Abrams is too heavy for use in Eastern Europe.

The prognostications about the future of european-russian relations seem dependent on the economic dislocation that's just beginning being very temporary. That seems unlikely. It seems more likely that the heavily financialized US economy and the EU economy that's become fairly heavily financialized may well receive a shock that produces cascading failure like in 2008. Not allowing Russia to pay its bond coupon might just be the ticket to that ride since those are private bond holders and there are almost certainly a stack of derivatives tied to those bonds and all sorts of counter-party risk. And Russia may end up laughing given that the sanctions have essentially air-gapped the russian economy from the western economies. Is it possible that a massive economic collapse in the west would only be a ripple in Russia?

Posted by: Lex | May 18 2022 15:04 utc | 31

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 14:37 utc | 12

Although it's been a roller coaster, GLD has outperformed the USD since the start of the SMO. It's dropped after spiking, but is still just slightly up. GLD is, of course, a "physical" thing. Common to all things that are rising against the USD is that they contain "physical" properties, vs "paper" properties (currencies not backed by anything physical).

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 15:05 utc | 32

It's a mistake to frame the Western Europeans as the victims: they fully expected the sanctions against Russia to collapse the Russia economy, followed by the Russian government.

The whole 'dispute' between the U.S. and Germany on Nord Stream 2 is nothing but political theater, the pipeline is supposed to facilitate the plundered of Russian resources after Russia capitulates.

Remember, the same government that approved Nord Stream 2 also actively supported Maidan. Germany may have been defeated in World War II, but the dream of Lebensraum still lives on.

Posted by: Sid Victor Cattoni | May 18 2022 15:14 utc | 33

Posted by: Ian Kummer | May 18 2022 14:50 utc | 21

Europe's "destiny" was assured to be bleak as it was based on high energy dependence and it has scarce resources for creating energy.

Had Europe really concentrated on renewable energy then perhaps it (I realize that painting ALL countries with such a broad brush is problematic, but they really are pretty much in the same boat- and most tied to the Euro) could have weathered the future storms. Eventually ALL of humanity, ALL countries will face a time when there is insufficient energy available to continue the growth paradigm. For the immediate future, however, it is Canada, Russia and the US that has energy and Ag lands sufficient to maintain some semblance of modernity: although China is "rising" it doesn't have the energy, in which case it HAS to engage in foreign trade; dependence on others will eventually prove a bit challenging; I see China as eventually struggling here.

Caveat: nuclear power (IF, that is, there's uranium) is the only likely way forward, but that's something that is going to just push us up the hill toward an even larger cliff. People can wax all they want on some future breakthrough, but there's always the promise of such and basing humanity on something that's not a certainty is rather risky.

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 15:15 utc | 34

osted by: h8ist | May 18 2022 15:01 utc | 29

if only you idiots didn't lap up the propaganda of the moment so eagerly. Russia isn't pleased to be in a fight for survival.

Posted by: pretzelattack | May 18 2022 15:15 utc | 35

...people in Illinois behave much like those in Minas Gerais since both are "Americans"...

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | May 18 2022 14:34 utc | 10

Illinois is in the United Snakes and Minas Gerais is in the Federative Republic.

Posted by: William Haught | May 18 2022 15:22 utc | 36

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 14:37 utc | 12


re: euro weakening.

Yes, the euro and EU economy is going to the toilet. There is no other explanation. Normally euro could strengthen and bounce back as exports become more affordable and competitive for other blocs, but within a year or two there might not be any component of EU industry/economy, that would be bouncing back at all.

Posted by: unimperator | May 18 2022 15:22 utc | 37

Sorry, bit off topic, missed that last thread on the "for the Lulz" theme, but this is too good not to share:

NBC's WW3 War Game Show, w Chuck Todd-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIaq4Smloc4

[God Bless Jimmy Dore and his commentary]


"Never Go Full Retard" - Tropic Thunder, RDJ

Posted by: Et Tu | May 18 2022 15:23 utc | 38

There are some structural problems in western "democracy" (republics/whatever)
- they follow the money
- the pain does not fall on those making the bad choices
- they are democracy wherein populism is seen as a threat
This will not be fixed soon and there will have to be hardship.

Either Russia will collapse under the strain or its economy will adapt and be made more resilient.

He needs to make economic development the focus.
It seems to me that economic theory leaves lots of room for improvement - it has been developed to protect the wealth of some at the expense of efficiency.

Posted by: jared | May 18 2022 15:25 utc | 39

@Seer #20
I don't disagree with the notion that there are those in the US salivating at the opportunity to replace Russian oil, gas and diesel at higher prices.

But the trade deficit isn't the factor. Let's not forget that the US can and has been creating zeros in computers (printed money) to pay for these resources.

The proof? The last year the United States had a trade surplus was 1975.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:26 utc | 40

What to think of European Union subsidies for hydrogen as a substitute for natural gas? You're Talking about tens of thousands of billones of euros.

Posted by: Passerby | May 18 2022 15:28 utc | 41

Germany might be screwed economically and socially in another way too. Will Turkey get EU admission in exchanged for Finland and Sweden in NATO?

Permanent unlimited mass migration from Turkey to Germany with the powerful pull of the massive pre-existing diaspora.

Posted by: Altai | May 18 2022 15:28 utc | 42

There is great risk of US/Russia war near the end of Biden's term.
To ensure that successor will be constrained.

Posted by: jared | May 18 2022 15:32 utc | 43

Don't underestimate upward trending yield curves as a factor. There are few big currencies to hedge in - Yen is going into free-fall because Japan is going nowhere and Russia is key to import prices and Japanese stability - sanctions hurt Japan and Abenomics has bankrupted the country.

So Yen Carry trade looks precarious. Euro is stuck with negative rates because Lagarde is a Baker McKenzie lawyer with no economic sense and is funded French deficits with confiscatory interest rates which cause negative interest in German banks on customer savings.

Fed has a rising yield curve with 2-3 increases in coming months - UK is same but economic outlook is dire. ECB will raise in July they say.

The problem is labour wage demands are going to seek compensation - UK has wage demands of 11% coming through - Germany is facing labour militancy. These input price shocks coupled with Covid Lockdown Trauma are creating instability.

US dollar can strengthen but that does nothing for real US economy save boosting imports and building brisk of dollar-denominated debt defaults

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | May 18 2022 15:32 utc | 44

« Europe will become the world’s most costly region for energy resources.
Prices will rise and resources will go to counter these price hikes ... »

I see ideologues' carbon strategy.
Crises is their authoritarian way of imposing "Elites"'s policies to peasants, including "save the planet from global warming".
But History teach that "Elites" are invariably consanguineous idiots.
In their dogmatic belief in their god-like hability to magically create reality, they don't study/respect peasants' sciences, physics.
Physics says you need energy input to transform.

Reality needs fossil energy to tranform into the ability to not use it.
They will just - again - kill New-Rome.

Posted by: Gilles Turcotte | May 18 2022 15:32 utc | 45

@Lex #31
Let me put it this way: what is the possibility that the EU will ever be independent given its military non-existence plus the presence of 100K US troops stationed there?

I think that possibility is zero.

An EU that actually can defend itself at least has the potential to be independent whereas an EU utterly dependent on US military force for defense, cannot.

My view is that there seems to be little evidence that the average Frenchman, German, Dutchman, etc have any interest whatsoever in contributing their livelihoods and lives to fighting anyone, much less Russia. So long as this is true, an armed Europe is not going to wage industrial war on Russia.

Then there's the tweet I put up some time ago by some Twitter wag, to the effect that Germany was being encouraged to arm up, march through Poland and wage war on Russia and this was ok?

People in Europe still remember World War 2 and the direct and personal devastation it wrought throughout that continent.

Yes, it was less than Russia but was real all the same.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:33 utc | 46

The European leadership genuinely regard themselves as rock-stars and are intent on committing rock-and-roll suicide.

The truth as we know it is that they're toothless, spineless treasonous maggots.

If the civilian populations in Europe cannot see who the real enemy is despite all the evidence & LIES then F**K Them, as their gracious benefactor Nudelman kindly suggested.

Posted by: WTFUD | May 18 2022 15:33 utc | 47

@ Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:26 utc | 40

High prices does not ensure profit.
US cost to produce is high + transportation cost.
I believe US reserves are rather wide and shallow.
US will need to seize reserves of another country.

Posted by: jared | May 18 2022 15:35 utc | 48

Andrei Martyanov has said repeatedly that America's devious plan was to "eat" Europe in order to slow down its own decline.

Put another way, America provoked the Ukraine War in part to induce Europe into pushing policies that the Americans will profit from--and thus cushion its own economic implosion.

Germany in particular had to scuttle the Nordstream 2 natural gas pipeline and now will be compelled to buy more expensive American "Freedom Gas."

The Europeans will also be compelled to militarize and spend more money on their war machines, which the Americans by wild coincidence have been demanding since at least the Donald Trump regime. Germany, for example, is launching its largest militarization since World War 2 and has established a fund of €100 billion for this militarization.

One curious thing about German remilitarization is that this €100 billion proposal was actually formulated in October 2021--before the Ukraine War, which conveniently came along a few months later in order to overcome any public and political opposition to it:

"Significantly, according to a report in Der Spiegel titled “The 100-billion bazooka,” the rearmament programme was already agreed and finalised during the talks on forming a coalition government last October. “The idea has been discussed in the Ministry of Defence for some time now,” writes the news magazine. “Months ago, the military planners and the department’s budgetary officials had already drawn up a series of confidential templates, which were forwarded to the negotiators in the coalition talks.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was provoked by the NATO war offensive, “now made the unthinkable possible,” reports Der Spiegel."

How Germany’s “new foreign policy epoch” was prepared
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/03/05/ltuf-m05.html

And guess which country (cough, America) and its military-industrial complex are salivating over the massive profits it will reap from selling weapons to Europe with this militarization drive?

General Lloyd "Raytheon" Austin would be happy to give you a clue.

Posted by: ak74 | May 18 2022 15:38 utc | 49

@Seer #32
GLD is a sucker trap; its performance vs. the base metal is very unimpressive - exceeded in incompetence only by the oil ETF.

As for gold overall: historically, gold prices have suffered as interest rates go up. I don't see a change this time around.

While I agree with the view that there has been historic money printing - it does not tally that gold must automatically go up in response. In fact, the same gusher of liquidity benefits gold.

People constantly mistake the difference between a commodity (gold) and a law of physics. From my view: we are likely in a commodity supercycle. Gold will benefit as a commodity but that benefit is at least partly offset by rising interest rates. There are many other places I would (and have) put my money.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:39 utc | 50

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:26 utc | 40

BUT! We know that it only lasts until the music stops. The extraordinary status of the USD, made possible by means of it being the world's reserve currency AND that of the petro-dollar trade, is currently under threat. Unless anyone can show an instance in which a massively inflated/devalued currency has not ended up in a burned heap I will assume that the USD will be added to the heap.

When growth lies in the creation of "zeros" there WILL be an eventual reckoning. Russia's response to the make-believe world of US dominance based on zeros is the match to the USD pile of paper. I'd predicted quite some time back that Russia had the perfect angle/leverage on making this all come about via the energy trade (think what the "+" in OPEC+ means). One can now see the Saudis starting up an oil-for-Yuan deal with China: might have been inevitable, but for certain Russia has upped the time-frame. The Saudis are the US's petro-dollar dance partner and it looks like they're starting to have eyes for another... Russia is the first to have opened up the exit gates and now everyone is looking and is starting to head through those gates. Tipping point...

Loss of the force/power that the petro-dollar provides, ultimately making the USD king of currencies, will mean that all those zeros on the US's books will be laid bare. Without the ability to get things for free (paper), the US will have to actually shell out stuff of real value; austerity looms... (the tide turns and that which was stolen from Russia will wash back up on Russia's shores - Karma).

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 15:47 utc | 51

@unimperator #37
Indeed - I have speculated in an Open Thread post that this time around - the tightening of liquidity worldwide that normally forces cash from 2nd/3rd world economies into the 1st world might instead be replaced by cash forced from Europe to everywhere else.

As you said, high energy prices increase costs across the board for consumers and manufacturers alike - this decreases competitiveness such that it could well drive European companies to offshore like the US has been doing.

Low euro exchange rates particularly hurt the PIIGS - remember them? Portugal, Greece and Spain had trade deficits even before 2022. Italy seems like it will swing to deficit. Ireland probably should not, of course, they have UK related problems on top of imported energy issues (Ireland imports like 2/3rds or more of its energy).

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:47 utc | 52

@jared #48
The US' reserves are infinite because it can print infinitely more USD/Treasuries.
Only if other countries stop accepting dollars, will this change - and I see no evidence of that.

If anything, this latest sanctions debacle has shown that the Five Eyes, EU and Japan will slavishly kowtow to US prerogatives even to the detriment of their own.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:49 utc | 53

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:39 utc | 50

EVERYTHING is a "sucker trap" as EVERYTHING will, eventually FAIL. I can readily make that argument for ANYTHING.

I included GLD because it is but one more indicator. I believe it will hold up as a physical backer of currencies than computer-generated-zeros. It's a big casino and people are free to bet with/on whatever the want: anyone believing they KNOW the solution/winner, well, good luck!

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 15:54 utc | 54

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/05/how-europe-was-pushed-towards-economic-suicide.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef0282e15624aa200b#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef0282e15624aa200b

The purpose of the new iron curtain is to isolate markets ... to protect the fossil-free market from cheap imports from fossil-producers.

I see the ideology flashing like a police car.
Europe will decline massively ... but it's to "save the planet".
The heretics fossil burners will live richs, but Europeans will be liked by God.

Posted by: Gilles Turcotte | May 18 2022 15:54 utc | 55

@Passerby #41
Hydrogen has several good points but even more bad ones.

Good points:
1) Hydrogen engines are literally IC - so the changeover to hydrogen is relatively painless as compared to EV or hybrid.
2) Hydrogen itself burns cleanly - H2+O2 = water.

Bad points:
1) The most common and cheap source for hydrogen is natural gas. Uh, isn't natural gas already an issue in the EU?
2) Even if a magical catalytic solution is found, you still have the extremely severe problems of hydrogen infrastructure: it is really hard to store and transport hydrogen without adding enormous cost and/or waste. We're talking rebuilding or building of all brand new hydrogen distribution networks and their associated hardware such as pipeline infrastructure and storage tanks.
3) Long term, hydrogen fuel is a terrible idea. Hydrogen literally escapes the Earth's atmosphere so making lots of hydrogen accelerates loss enormously.

EVs, at least in theory, can make use of existing transmission grids - although this is bullshit both on the generation and transmission sides - but introduces enormous extra material requirements for the vehicles: battery components in particular but also weight reducing metals such as aluminum and electricity related metals such as copper.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 15:58 utc | 56

Who shot the corn silo in Odessa yesterday ?

Posted by: Stephane | May 18 2022 16:00 utc | 57

There are starting to be more and more serious side effects from this war to collapse Russia quickly. Only occasional mention of the Chinese embargo of goods to the West that cannot produce much themselves that is now 2 months old. Severe dislocation dead ahead.

"Hospitals in the United States are on high alert, with some doctors prioritizing patients in critical condition as the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai has caused a global shortage of chemicals used in medical imaging.

Some of the largest U.S. hospitals said earlier this month they were facing significant shortages of iodinated contrast media products, which are dyes given to patients so that their internal organs and vessels can be picked up by CT scans, X-rays, and radiography.

The dwindling supply was due to the temporary closure of the production facility of General Electric’s health care unit in Shanghai, a trade hub that has been locked down for nearly two months. "

Posted by: Quanah | May 18 2022 16:01 utc | 58

@Seer #51
Yes, in theory the US money printing will crash and burn the USD.

But keep in mind that the US is still the 2nd largest economy by absolute size; it is the 3rd largest population country and it has enormous energy and food resources.

I will also point out that the massive inflation in the US also has the benefit of reducing the purchasing power parity repayment requirement on all that US debt. If the US debt is $30T - then an annual inflation of 8.3% reduces the purchasing power parity value of this debt by $2.5 trillion dollars.

That nearly offsets the nominal federal deficit of 2021 = $2.8 trillion...

I have long been of the belief that the US must engage in a hyperinflation - defined as a 100% inflation either in 1 year or over several years - as a way to offset its debt.

Well, we're on our way...

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 16:03 utc | 59


Why is Germany sacrificing its economy to the West?

Because it's in a weak economic bargaining position.

Why is Germany in a weak economic position?

Because it imports energy and raw materials and exports high-end manufactures. It needs raw materials, and it needs export markets.
It doesn't have enough of either to support its standard of living.

When the U.S. says "if you don't do as we say, we'll close off one of your biggest export markets", Germany can't walk away from the deal.

If Russia says "if you don't do as we say, we'll turn off the gas". Germany can't walk away from the deal.

Germany is currently stuck between two big, grinding tectonic plates, and that's why it's getting economically mauled.

What can Germany do?

Simple, and also very difficult: Germany has to re-position its economy so that it can walk away from the U.S., and it has to be able to walk away from Russia.

It may not actually have to do either, but it must be able to do both. Then the negotiation takes on a very different cast.

When a commercial enterprise gets into this position, a capable management team would respond by conducting a SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Strengths: Germany can build anything, has world-class chemical engineers, can raise capital
Weaknesses: Needs export markets, has to import materials and energy.
Opportunities: Make a new source of energy that Germany controls. Build a product that the rest of the un-aligned world needs, and thereby provides Germany with free access to those markets
Threats: somebody is currently exploiting Germany's weaknesses, and wishes to continue to exploit those weaknesses

The other day I suggested that Germany build an industrial component which converted renewable energy into a fuel. Germany has great solar and wind potential. Part of the electricity generated by the renewables would be used to create the fuel. The fuel is stored. When the renewables aren't generating electricity, the stored fuel is used to run fuel cells. Fuel cells convert fuel directly into electricity. The effect is to smooth out the peaks and valleys of solar/wind electricity production, and deliver a continuous, constant flow of electricity.

Germany would located this industrial component (electricity-fuel-electricity facility) at locations throughout the country which have grid access, and are proximal to industries whose processes require input heat, such as cement, smelting, kilns, greenhouses, so forth.

When electricity is converted to fuel, heat is generated. When fuel is converted to electricity, heat is given off. If the "lost" heat is directed into "heat-loving" mfg'g processes, that heat isn't lost. If the manufacturing processes were to be co-located and sequenced intelligently so that the heat is moved from one process to the next, that heat gets re-used several times before it is finally radiated into the atmosphere.

Capturing and using that heat would make the "electricity-fuel-electricity" facility extremely efficient. That efficiency would confer an enormous economic advantage upon Germany.

Should Germany decide to build such a component, and it surely could, every nation on the planet that has access to renewables, and doesn't have oil or nukes would be a customer. That is a lot of countries, and nobody controls, or will control, all those markets.

There is no aspect (electricity to fuel, fuel to electricity, stacking industrial processes, etc) to any of the foregoing that isn't currently being done; what remains is to integrate the sub-components differently than is current practice, and to scale up.

For various good reasons, you may disagree with my suggested solution. Fine. Let the engineers work it out. I believe they can.

The broad framing of the situation, and the general solution of being able to walk away from a bad deal is likely to be self-evident.

Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | May 18 2022 16:03 utc | 60

@Seer #54
I call GLD a sucker trap because it is, by its historical performance vs. gold, clearly nothing more than a vehicle to suck value out of its buyers via fees and/or incompetence.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 16:05 utc | 61

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | May 18 2022 15:32 utc | 44

Needs to be a sticky!

Anyone who doesn't understand that this is about TRADE, control over markets, is either asleep or shouldn't be driving. Martyanov sees it clear as day.

Interesting article on defense spending (mostly about US; note Russia's weapons export decline- tell me again who is responsible for more war actions around the globe?):

https://www.defensenews.com/global/2021/03/15/us-increases-dominance-of-global-arms-exports/

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 16:07 utc | 62

@Tom Pfotzer #60
Germany is in its position at least partly because of its energy policies: turning off its nuclear reactors and shutting down its coal plants.
As for the notion of converting electricity to fuel: I am certain you haven't looked at the actual economics of doing this.

As part of an ongoing potential venture, I have.

Using the Birkelande Eyde process, you can convert electricity to nitric acid. The conversion rate is roughly 40 kWh to 1 kg of nitric acid.
Nitric acid is not fuel, but add ammonia and you get ammonium nitrate - which is a principal nitrogen fertilizer and also an explosive.
But even if we use the 1kg as a direct proxy for oil, here are the numbers:

Germany usage of oil = 2.4 mbd = 119.45 billion kg of gasoline per year (2.4m*365*300/2.2).

At 40 kwh/kg, this yields 4.78 trillion kWh needed.

Germany generates a total of around 600 billion kWh, so no - not going to happen.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 16:15 utc | 63

@rk | May 18 2022 14:34 utc | 11

I was surpised by the stupidity of regular people. It's not that I was expecting mass riots, but some sort of protests I did expect, especially in Germany.
How can you be surprised after "covid"? That was extremely successful obedience training for the masses, just snap a finger to reprogram people from "covid" to "ukraine". It's a brave new world.

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2022 16:16 utc | 64

Still have the feeling that China - Russia and Germany are in a long game to oust the US. All sanctions where predictable, Germany only deleveres old unusable military stuff. Nothing spectacular from Germany against Russia. Confiscated funds can be returned NS2 can be fired up any moment. So what if the old plan is ousting us forces from Germany, killing Nato and de facto taking control of West Europe by Germany.

Posted by: Michel | May 18 2022 16:20 utc | 65

@veto | May 18 2022 14:40 utc | 14

But I have already turned it off, I said. You may too. Don't look at the screen anymore, don't listen to the transmissions. Just turn it off. Don't take the bus, but walk (we didn't have the mask mandate for just going outside). Then it will end.

They were flabbergasted, but I saw a light turn on in their eyes...


You got that right. It was human reprogramming on a massive scale, and now they are running the new program.

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2022 16:21 utc | 66

Thanks, b, for doing the work to tie in Dr. Hudson's assessments to Putin's words spoken during the meeting on developing the oil industry. My short analysis includes the meeting's complete translation. The day before, I parsed of what was discussed at the CSTO Anniversary Summit after noting the belated announcement by Lavrov and the Board of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that "The Outlaw US Empire Has Declared War Against Russia and the Multipolar World", and events continue to occur at a somewhat rapid pace that makes it difficult to keep abreast with written assessments. I see there are three events that need to be noted and commented upon already and I haven't even read all the news yet.

I've been using the Tar Baby story as an allegory to describe how Russia benefits from the hostile actions of the Outlaw US Empire during its Hybrid Third World War against the 7/8ths of the planet wanting to be free from its boot. As one commentator noted above and as I explained in my analysis, Russia now aims to complete the vertical organization of its entire petrochemical complex, which includes its oil industry, primarily because it must since most international support companies have exited Russia due to the illegal sanctions regime. Yes, again the Outlaw US Empire provides Russia with the motivation to further insulate its economy from any outside turbulence aimed at destabilizing it, and not just at Europe's expense but also at the expense of vital donor corporations within the Empire who are not at all happy with Biden's decisions. Indeed, the state of affairs has changed so drastically that Biden was forced by said donors to allow them to reenter Venezuela's oil industry--provided Maduro lets them, of course. That insulation also means the profits generated by being vertically organized all remain within Russia--Russia's becoming richer and more able to afford its national development goals thanks to Outlaw US Empire policy. So, go ahead and add more sanctions Russia says; we like the hurt they bring.

Posted by: karlof1 | May 18 2022 16:21 utc | 67

There are a number of changes coming that will affect the war in Ukraine.

1) Republicans will probably sweep elections in November. They seem a lot more eager to pick a fight with China than with Russia. Indeed, they hold the only opposition to the $40 billion giveaway - which could get passed just in time to see most of Ukraine's army collapse. And they have a solid basis for looking into impeachment ! The Hunter laptop and the unchecked invasion from Mexico.

2) SCO will gradually displace the UN. There are rumors that Russia is dumping western agencies possibly in favor of starting new ones with SCO. The UN is looking more like 'League of Nations" 2.0

3) The EU/US look to be crumbling economically and that will influence their throwing money at Ukraine. They wrecked Libya because of a 'duty to care' and then left it helpless amidst jihadis killing people and no central government.

4) Burrell said Ukraine wil be decided on the battlefield. Now, EU is insisting on negotiation. Sounds like 'we're losing'.

5) JP Morgan admitted that Russia is doing a lot better than they thought. Not collapsing at all. Smaller oil trade companies are grabbing business from big ones that left Russia. Tether crypto is doing millions a day between Russia and China. There are rumors of shipped commodities being exchanged as barter.

6) the State Dept. is upset that diplomats in Vietnam (ASEAN meeting) were laughing at Biden, mocking him. How does the US maintain respect with this man in charge? ( Breitbart)

Posted by: Eighthman | May 18 2022 16:29 utc | 68

Posted by: Dean Oneil | May 18 2022 14:09 utc | 3

Since the aftermath of the Vietnam War the American military has been conscious that "preparation of the battlespace" must include the "information space." This mandates the US exert control over all media delivered to a population. If the population are resistant to "politics by other means" i.e. resistant to armed conflict, the leadership will have difficulty taking the state to war.

On the other hand, if the populations are stirred to righteous indignation ("Remember The Maine," the "attack" on the Maddox and Turner Joy, Saddam's weapons of mass destruction and his earlier attack on the incubator babies of Kuwait) then the politicians will be unable to resist the demands of the fully aroused population hungry for retribution, nazi accolades and acceptance. Goebbels understood this. Edward Bernays, an American, wrote the first how-to-do-it book on the topic. I am sure Goebbels possessed a copy.

Posted by: Sushi | May 18 2022 16:38 utc | 69

@ Michel | May 18 2022 16:20 utc | 65

That's exactly what I think is possible. Don't forget: Behind the façade of regime loyalty, officials of the SED (in the former GDR) negotiated the terms of the handover of the GDR with the FRG government at the time. Long before November 9 (when the Berlin Wall fell.) Could it be that the EU or even Germany is simply waiting for the consequences of de-dollarization, possibly even in consultation with the Russians, and considers itself economically equal to this trial of strength? The current military weakness of the Europeans, admittedly, means that they are unable to counter the current US occupation. On the other hand, they cannot well be consumed "to the last European" in a NATO war to further weaken Russia. This weakness has something perfidious, don't you think? But effective. The bad thing about it is that it is a European variant of brinkmanhsip. Because a NATO that is conventionally too weak to attack Russia has no other option but to go nuclear. If anyone, anywhere should attempt an escalation. (Haven't we already considered such acts of desperation by Russophobes in the form of false flags with mininukes?)
But then there are the foreseeable rearmament measures. Regularly, without any false flags.
That's why I asked above about the deployment of the dark eagles.

Posted by: franziska | May 18 2022 16:46 utc | 70

Hollywierd and Madison Ave (television advertising) are following the cultural Marxist agenda. The agenda works hand in glove with the Democrat party. The goal of this information war is to make regular, white conservative voters, who are in fact the majority, “ feel surrounded” and “helpless” to fight against the system of “ fundamentally changing America” and I assume this applies to all Anglo countries and EU with the various local minorities, immigrants and environmental agenda.


Posted by: Obamavirus | May 18 2022 16:46 utc | 71

In retrospect, turning Ukraine "hot" was the agenda all along of the Biden administration and the re-appointment of Nuland into the Political Affairs office of the State department signalled that. This indicates the theory that Maidan et al occurred because no one at senior levels of Obama admin was paying close enough attention to the neo-cons is incorrect, and instead we see the provocation of Russia into a hot proxy war to redirect Europe's geopolitical future was unstated continuous policy for the Democrat Party - whether Obama, Clinton, or Biden. This also explains in some measure the freak-out directed at Trump, whose foreign policy advisors eschewed the Russian focus in favour of concentrating solely on China.

Posted by: jayc | May 18 2022 16:50 utc | 72

Speaking of Nuclear power - a tour of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - Europe's largest power station by John Dougan. Remember this is the plant that the Russian's 'attacked and bombed' a while ago. Includes some footage of the admin building where the fire was. Interesting comment at the very end of the video about the mayor of the town.

For those wondering about the status of illegal/unlawful combatants and Russia's pending terrorist designation for Azov this site has some information.

The Russian SMO has only been going on for less than 3 months and the momentum of the world economy is considerable. I think it will take several more months for consequences to work their way through the system and by that time the shock value of the Russian operation will have lessened considerably - and perhaps the new political shape of the territory of Ukraine will be clearer by then - so questions about "what will Europe do?" and will it commit economic seppuku are likely somewhat premature.

Likewise, Turkey has named a price for its acquiescence to NATO membership for Sweden and Finland - lift sanctions from S400 purchase, back in F35 program, and F16 jets and upgrades - not to mention that the Finns and Swedes must designate PKK terrorists and act accordingly. This much is public and there may be other private demands. Will they get all this? Who knows, and are they the only nation willing to make a veto threat? Perhaps not. I see that Greece wants jets also, and who knows what others may ask as their price.

This interview from Oksana Boyko on Worlds Apart with Italian Emanuel Pietrobon is quite interesting (as are her other shows).

Posted by: the pessimist | May 18 2022 16:53 utc | 73

So DEU and Die Deutschen were pawned by Nudelman-Khagan, Burisma-Biden, Blinken, StoltenTURD, Gynecologist Von der Leyen, TreeHugging Trampolina Baerbock, Kolomoisky, Zelenskyy, UKRanians, and POLs(note the Khazar-Ashkenazi Players here)...

...While SWE/FIN Eloi are being Cull-Called into NATO by Morlock-Murica...

Looks like Morlock-Murica's Plutarchy managed to Ensnare, Subjugate, and Cannibalize key EuroZone Members.

As EuroZone Energy Px climb, CHN, IND, and most of Asia are going to continue rcvg more Inexpensive Energy Exports from RUS. DEU may have to Outsource more Production to their Plants in CHN.

So Sad, Too Bad -

Posted by: IronForge | May 18 2022 16:54 utc | 74

Paul #44; If I may sum up your statement by including;
1. The currencies (paper money) are losing value due to massive printing of money by any government and the EU. A nation's GDP and inflation go up and the value of the currency goes toward zero.
2. The debt and credit markets will collapse and over one quadrillion US dollars of intertwined investment worldwide is destroyed. (the number is an underestimate by 3X)
3.The destruction isn't something the governments can control because they will never stop printing money. But they will try to make it look like they are doing something by printing money. Repeating something that doesn't work.
This will be horrible for the animals. The standard of living on this iceberg may more closely resemble olden times

Posted by: Tard | May 18 2022 16:58 utc | 75

I read here i believe a while back that Nordstream 1 was getting old and cost to repair becoming uneconomic. True?

Will we see NS2 come on line soon as NS1 is "retired"?

Anyone seen a RF oligarch's London or NYC property deed after sanctions or confiscations or whatever they are misnamed? Wonder what was recorded?
May be different for US vs UK. Curious!

Posted by: Michael | May 18 2022 16:59 utc | 76

Some great comments on this thread (thx b, et al) esp re: Mr. Hudson's observations

The suiciding of the West has been occurring incrementally on for decades, starting seemingly benign at first, ie. Political Correctness (among other things). Steps so small, it would be difficult to argue against them, w/o sounding crazy, even if we knew then where they would lead (and many did)

I came to really appreciate MoA with it's Syria articles & also Ukraine coup - thinking at the time I would do well to pay attention because you never know if the tactics used there would find their way to me - and sure enough they did

I was, however, disappointed by the Covid coverage, in part because it was a missed opportunity to "tie it all together", as I believe all the Western "invisible boogeymen" are related, and intended for the subjugation of Western people by their "leaders" & those behind, er, above them

"The people who rule you will always fabricate an invisible enemy, like the war on terror, the red scare or the killer virus, because all those things are invisible. That means all those things are invisible. That means the enemy is everywhere and nowhere, all at once. An invisible enemy means you can neither confirm nor deny anything about the narrative... and that means you regress to that of a child - afraid of a fictitious boogeyman." - Jason Christoff

And so for me, as one of the few, aware Canadians, there's little I can do to affect the course of national or global events (other than pray). And so I "resigned myself" to focus on the well-being of my family, neighbours & community, while I still have breath - living as free as possible along the way

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do" - Robert Heinlein

Godspeed all, in your respective endeavours...

Posted by: ianMoone | May 18 2022 17:03 utc | 77

@ franziska, michel --

Nice scenario but entirely unrealistic as long as Germany is under effective US military occupation and -- more importantly? -- as long as virtually every German politician and media source is literally in the pay of, and thoroughly surveilled by, the US DoS, NGOs, and "security services."

Posted by: malenkov | May 18 2022 17:06 utc | 78

Who shot the corn silo in Odessa yesterday ?

Posted by: Stephane | May 18 2022 16:00 utc | 57

An “incident” would be one method of covering up disappearing stocks. There were a number of “incidents” at ammunition storage depots in Ukraine a few years ago.

Posted by: Cortes | May 18 2022 17:11 utc | 79

Since the aftermath of the Vietnam War the American military has been conscious that "preparation of the battlespace" must include the "information space." This mandates the US exert control over all media delivered to a population.
Posted by: Sushi | May 18 2022 16:38 utc | 69

In broadest outline, it's Western communications technology versus Russian military technology. Narrative mastery versus "operational art" (subject of Martyanov's latest talk).

Posted by: Aleph_Null | May 18 2022 17:18 utc | 80

Top post by b uses the phrase ‘dimwit national goverment’ which seems exactly correct. Everyone currently in a western government is a dimwit. In what world could Pete Buttigieg or Tony Blinken or Justin Trudeau possibly hold a position more elevated than dishwasher? While Jen Psaki occasionally seemed to have a spark of intelligence she clearly saw her job as forestalling any possibility of adult conversation. Her replacement is incapable of adult conversation.

Maybe Macron has a brain. He is also a nasty foul tempered flunky for someone unseen offstage.

At a friends house last week saw on the table a freshly printed history of Ukraine. The book was written by a full professor at Harvard. Looking inside it seemed to be written for sixth graders by a committee of eight graders. My wife the copy editor took her turn and said the publishers editors had simply given up.

On the other side Lavrov and Putin are consistently brilliant. The entire supporting cast appear as capable adults.

Posted by: Oldhippie | May 18 2022 17:19 utc | 81

not completely related, but i have to wonder if this stupidity is going to be a new MSM fave:

https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/05/18/russias-reported-abduction-of-ukrainian-children-echoes-us-history-of-kidnapping-native-american-children/

wow. so much stupid to unpack in the title alone. i'm sure every cherokee in the US loves being a token prop used to defame people fighting nazis.

also, hasn't ukraine topped the yearly list of countries most likely to kidnap liam neeson's daughter? i think they tied with turkey a few years back. luckily russia has a "special set of skills". so funny to screech "won't someone think of the CHILDREN!?!?" about a country famous for its kiddie porn and trafficking.

back to the subject at hand, a (long but important) quote comes to mind:

"Americanization in Europe is widespread and evident. Some time ago I wrote that of the two great dangers confronting Europe — Americanism and Communism — the first is the more insidious. Communism cannot be a danger other than in the brutal and catastrophic form of a direct seizure of power by communists. On the other hand Americanization gains ground by a process of gradual infiltration, effecting modifications of mentalities and customs which seem inoffensive in themselves but which end in a fundamental perversion and degradation against which it is impossible to fight other than within oneself."

emphasis mine. written in the late 1940s and yet...here we are. progress!

Posted by: the pair | May 18 2022 17:20 utc | 82

@63 c1ue:

Those are good points. No, I haven't run the numbers, but I probably don't have to, as someone else who is an expert already has.

To wit: I note that there are extant electricity-to-H2 pilot plants running (and specifically renewables-electricity-to-H2), and I infer that means the economics of going from electricity to fuel already work out. There appear to be some sizeable bets being placed on H2 as fuel in the N. European theater.

Now the question becomes "which fuel?" Hydrogen might be the right one, maybe ammonia, maybe methane, maybe something else. They all have their respective strengths and weaknesses. As I noted in my Strengths bullet-point, Germany (and N. Europe in general) has plenty of chemical engineers, industrial process engineers, etc. They can do the work. Since this is a hybrid problem potentially spanning several industries, e.g. smelting, metal forming, cement, plastics (using synthesized methane (nat gas) as feedstock), fertilizer (if ammonia was the fuel) etc. there should be an interdisciplinary team assembled to solve the rubik's cube of permutations of fuel molecule, mfg'g process, export-market potential, etc.

Next: how much fuel needs to get made? Enough to smooth out the peaks and valleys. Maybe a bit more, if the fuel's industrial uses have enough econ potential. It is not necessary to replace all energy input; just need to fill in renewables' peaks and valleys. That's a much smaller number, right?

I am purposely avoiding the "Germany did bad, turned off its nukes" issue. They may choose to turn on the nukes; that would resolve the energy dependency. I don't want a nuke plant in my back yard, but I realize that nukes have some strong points.

My intent is to a) correctly frame the issue (strategic econ weaknesses), and to b) present one quite-possibly-viable alternative that dings the "reduce input dependencies" and "increase export markets" requirements. There are (probably) many such alternatives, this is just one. And a good one, IMHO.

Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | May 18 2022 17:22 utc | 83

Oldhippie | May 18 2022 17:19 utc | 81 was the 'history' book perhaps by Timothy Synder? (He went to Yale though...)

Posted by: the pessimist | May 18 2022 17:23 utc | 84

Of course the European (and UK) 'leaders' don't care about the affects of their moronic policies because it doesn't impact them one iota.
The ordinary people are going to suffer for this stupidity and are going to have to pay financially for it. Massive public dissent is needed, rebellion indeed, let's hope it happens soon.

Posted by: Henry Smith | May 18 2022 17:24 utc | 85

veto | May 18 2022 14:40 utc | 14

"A goddamm effective system of mind-control, in particular of the "elites", also helps, although the decadence of course is what makes that system work.

During the covid, I talked to some people, "elite" women, who were at the same time scared and, admittedly, fed up. Will it never end, they asked.

But I have already turned it off, I said. You may too. Don't look at the screen anymore, don't listen to the transmissions. Just turn it off. Don't take the bus, but walk (we didn't have the mask mandate for just going outside). Then it will end."

The Covidian mass insanity phenomenon is the best example of the ongoing deterioration into decadence. The mind controllers such as Fauci in the US and Ferguson in the UK, at the behest of their techno-globalist bosses, have been trying to get this "pandemic" matrix of terrorism and control going since the 1980s but each time the masses didn't bite until suddenly in 2020 they responded with a kind of mass lunatic ecstasy.

The reason for this can only have been that the free-floating fear-itself felt by the masses over economic, ecological, cultural, biological erosion had reached such a pressure-cooker extreme that millions of individuals were primed to transform into a locust swarm given the right stimulus, which turned out to be the "Covid" astroturf.

And then this mass insane tendency seamlessly transformed into the Russophobic war-fever insanity. And from here we can expect nothing but mass-insane binges the rest of the way. The masses are spiritually, psychologically, intellectually spent and Western civilization is no longer capable of solving any problem, only making it worse. And of course most of the problems, like "Covid" or this war crisis, are 100% artificial and gratuitously chosen.

So yes, we have the perfect melding of top-down malice and propaganda with bottom-up mass spiritual and psychological decay.

Posted by: Flying Dutchman | May 18 2022 17:31 utc | 86

Pessimist @ 84

Do not want to do a commercial for that tripe. The author was a Ukrainian spelling Serhii, last name was something like Plokhy or Plokny. Published by Basic Books/Hachette, who should be embarrassed. Harvard should be embarrassed. The title is currently a bestseller.

Posted by: Oldhippie | May 18 2022 17:33 utc | 87

Yesterday, Lavrov took part in one of his favorite organization's event, the Knowledge Society's New Horizons educational marathon, where he delivered an address and provided answers to several questions. Fortunately, the transcript's in English, and I highly suggest it be read by all barflies and shared far and wide for as usual Lavrov educates us all. Most importantly, Lavrov verifies the Outlaw US Empire's declaration of war on Russia and the Multipolar World. On the Multipolar World, Lavrov's most concrete example of what's occurring begins with the following paragraph and is echoed elsewhere in his talk:

"NATO member countries led by the United States won’t even hear of a multipolar world. Interestingly, during talks in the UN they propose the wording of final documents for some conferences and write that all of us undertake to observe human rights, the rule of law and democratic values. We are not arguing against this because all of it is part of the universally accepted documents, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. Just the opposite – we are committed to having the universally applicable and accepted agreements remain the foundation of our joint work to promote the observance of human rights. We do not want absolutely unassailable values to be stretched to embrace modern neoliberal requirements that respect be shown for all things that cannot attract support now and that go against our cultural, ethnic and religious values. Human rights, the rule of law – who could oppose that? However, as soon as we offer, in the course of coordinating with Western countries, documents with the wording like this, to stress that the rule of law and democratic values also need to be encouraged in international relations – not inside a country but in the international arena – we are told that they will not do it for the time being and they refuse to reaffirm a commitment to a democratic approach to world affairs. This directly contradicts the principle written into the UN Charter that is the precursor of a multipolar world and that serves as a pillar on which respect for the sovereign equality of countries rests. Our Western partners do not respect the sovereign equality of countries and do not want to have a multipolar world. They have declared a unipolar world."

On the Outlaw US Empire's declaration of war against Russia, Lavrov provides this explanation while answering a very basic question:

"Can Kiev get away with anything? If so, why?

Sergey Lavrov: Yes, it gets away scot-free with anything. You have correctly described the West’s attitude to its clients in Ukraine. Nobody needs Ukraine. It is expendable in the total hybrid war against the Russian Federation. Nobody doubts this anymore. This has been announced in public. The EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell says this war must be won on the battlefield. The British, Americans, presidents, prime ministers and ministers declare that they have no right to let Russia win – it must be defeated. They have declared war. This is a war not at all between Ukraine and Russia, but between the West and Russia. There is a popular saying: “The West is prepared to fight to the last Ukrainian.” Just so. Ukraine is expendable in the fight against the Russian Federation and so all is acceptable. This is why neo-Nazism is flourishing and the Western sponsors are ignoring this. Moreover, they are taking part in training neo-Nazi units and motivating them to engage in anti-Russian actions. They have already banned the Russian language, starting with the fifth form, all Russian media and even the Ukrainian media in Russian, which are upholding the views of the opposition party. The Russian language is prohibited even in everyday life. During all these long years of blatant excesses, we couldn’t bring this home to NATO, the EU, the US, the OSCE or the Council of Europe. We couldn’t get them to notice the fact that this contradicts all the conventions that form the foundation for the defence of human rights in the international community." [All Emphasis Mine]

Lavrov's address makes an excellent educational lesson/lecture, and the questions posed enable him to expand and further complement his words. IMO, it's one of his best for its completeness and relative brevity. Other events continue to occur, today's briefing by Maria Zakharova being but one that I'll comment upon later.

Posted by: karlof1 | May 18 2022 17:34 utc | 88

Come on, it's always been US policy to do down the EU as a rival (as much as Russia). Trump said it outright, Biden hid the policy again. The current EU chiefs are fools, fooled into following US policy to their own detriment. The previous lot, who ran the Brexit negotiations, were much brighter. von der Leyen and Scholz allow themselves to be led up the garden path. Macron is better, but he still has only half a head on his shoulders. He couldn't bring himself to abandon the Christians and pro-Israel policy in Lebanon after the Beirut explosion (so the Lebanese suffer).

Posted by: laguerre | May 18 2022 17:35 utc | 89

thanks b... excellent post! i bought michael hudsons latest book online yesterday... i am looking forward to reading it - The Destiny of Civilization - based on a lecture... i like the title and this it is quite relevant here...

thanks for the many insightful posts by others here too..

Posted by: james | May 18 2022 17:36 utc | 90

@thecelticwithinme (13) That twittering retired general is almost certainly on the payroll of some defense-related company. Hence, he has personal reasons for spouting nonsense.

Posted by: Rob | May 18 2022 17:38 utc | 91

@ianMoone | May 18 2022 17:03 utc | 77

"The people who rule you will always fabricate an invisible enemy, like the war on terror, the red scare or the killer virus, because all those things are invisible. That means all those things are invisible. That means the enemy is everywhere and nowhere, all at once. An invisible enemy means you can neither confirm nor deny anything about the narrative... and that means you regress to that of a child - afraid of a fictitious boogeyman." - Jason Christoff

Thank you, this is 100% correct and so important. All we need to solve our problems is to spread this understanding, because then the tool to rule us will become useless.

All we have to fear is fear itself.

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2022 17:41 utc | 92


"I was surprised by the stupidity of regular people. It's not that I was expecting mass riots, but some sort of protests I did expect, especially in Germany." @rk@11

These are very early days. The reality is only beginning to sink on. While the propaganda is just now beginning to be seen for what it is.
When people begin to understand what has happened they will react. It is quite obvious that living standards are going to fall dramatically. So far the oil price increase has been the only change to register but that alone has led to considerable inflation of the price of necessities. U haven't seen shadow stats but I imagine that the consumer price index is well above 10% per annum. And this is only the beginning.
And then there is bound to be unemployment. When a man receives a lay-off notice from a plant that has run out of fuel and raw material supplies he is apt to think about the reasons. When he goes to collect government assistance and has to run the gauntlet of mean minded bureaucrats, he thinks even more deeply.
The war will soon be over but the effect of the sanctions has only just begun.
There is a vacuum on the popular side in politics- an obvious need for campaigns to control if not abolish the 'elites.'

"How can you be surprised after "covid"? That was extremely successful obedience training for the masses, just snap a finger to reprogram people from "covid" to "ukraine".." Norwegian@64

You claim incessantly that Covid is a hoax, deliberately imposed upon the world. You claim that this conspiracy was motivated by the need to school people into obeying authority.
But you can produce nothing in the way of evidence either that this is the case or that any identifiable power was its author.
As a matter of fact people have been doing what they are bid by those with power for a very long time. There is nothing in the Ukraine propaganda that was not repeatedly employed in the past- against the Soviet Union, against Cuba, against China, against Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Chile, Palestine, Yemen etc etc
And you think that people have just now been 're-programed' to hate the enemy of the day?

The only possible logic behind the 'covid hoax' theory would involve the supposition that the war between NATO and Russia is itself a hoax and that all the world's governments were complicit in the 'covid hoax' and are pretending to be at war as an excuse to prevent a popular awakening.

Posted by: bevin | May 18 2022 17:45 utc | 93

@Flying Dutchman | May 18 2022 17:31 utc | 86

I agree, very well said!

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2022 17:47 utc | 94

If Germany and other EU countries succeed in impoverishing themselves, a fascistic popular uprising may not be far behind?

Posted by: Rob | May 18 2022 17:49 utc | 95

pessimist @ 84

You reminded me who Snyder is. Another dimwit. Anyone with a scrap of common sense knows not to publish high order historical synthesis while still young. I wasted a couple hours reading the beginning of his Bloodlands. Quite a few of the commenters here could do better. First you would have to convince those commenters that anyone might want to read their musings at book length and that a publisher would give them more than a pro forma rejection slip. If to the manor born it is OK to be a dimwit. You get a chair at Yale and will be published.

Posted by: Oldhippie | May 18 2022 17:53 utc | 96

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 16:05 utc | 61

@Seer #54 I call GLD a sucker trap because it is, by its historical performance vs. gold, clearly nothing more than a vehicle to suck value out of its buyers via fees and/or incompetence.

Mea culpa! I was trying to shorthand REAL GOLD with "GLD." (so much for trying to conserve vowels!) My intentions were all about the real thing, not the paper crap: paper undervalues real gold something like 10x, 100x? I think that this puts us back in sync? :-)

Regarding your other post about the US's economic standing, yes, the US has resources and value, this I've alluded to when noting that ONLY the US, Canada and Russia can lay claim to having energy and Ag to support its own populace at any levels resembling modernity. As trade declines globally that will mean a smack-down of the growth paradigm that the USD and most other currencies lay on top of. The USD, however, has the farthest to fall owing to its mantle of being the world's reserve currency. Books in the US being denominated/recorded in USD means that a LOT of red ink is going to flow as things unwind. And as you say, hyperinflation is headed the US's way. The USD will burn, but there's still wealth (as far as land/resources/energy goes) underneath the pile of paper... How long the USD is viable we will have to wait to see.

Posted by: Seer | May 18 2022 17:54 utc | 97

Re: Michel | May 18 2022 16:20 utc | 65 I agree with Michel, it seems this entire enterprise might well be an effort to fundamentally shift the currency situation in favor of the Eurasian bloc. While the West is scheming to maintain its control, the East may be using the West's project to gain control. Generally I believe that when the situation is between a general f**k-up and a conspiracy, the f**k-up wins each time. Maybe it is the case deep thinkers planned all this Ukraine invasion years ago, planned "forcing" Russia to invade, but my sense here is arrogance and hubris on both sides led to this - on the West the certainty Russia was weak and would topple and for Russia's part that the Ukrainian people would fold fast and NATO would not come in. Guess what - Russia is not toppling but now NATO is expanding all along Russia's border not just in Ukraine. It is easy to look back and declare a Grand Plan implemented by Evil and Duplicitous Agents, but I think a more likely (and depressing) reason is that arrogant too-sure leaders stumbled into unintended consequences, and here we are.

The only thing now that will simplify and defuse this thing is either that some European countries come to their senses and demand a cease fire right now, needing that Russian gas, or regular people in the West rise up and howl for this to stop, though it seems the anti-war movement that last exercised itself before Iraq has gone to sleep.

As Jimmy Dore pointed out, when you have in the United States ONLY 58 right wing MAGA-head conservative Republicans voting against giving Ukraine billions and every single Progressive legislator voting for more war you just might have a serious problem.

We have a problem, folks.

Posted by: Boomheist | May 18 2022 17:56 utc | 98

@Tom_Pfotzer #83

You mean this plant? Siemens begins work on 8.75 MW green hydrogen plant in Germany

On Friday 9 July, Siemens held a ceremony to commemorate the start of construction at its Wunsiedel green hydrogen plant, a facility which will produce 1,350 tons of hydrogen annually from renewable energy.

8.75 MW = 76.65M kWh of electricity (8.75*1000*365*24).
1350 tons - assume metric tons = 1350000 kg of hydrogen.
76.65M / 1.35M = 56.8 kWh per kg. That's actually worse than the above thought experiment of 40 kWH per kg. Even if the plant has only 80% capacity factor vs. 100%, that drops the kWh/kg ratio only down to 45.4 - or in other words, Germany would have to increase its electricity production multiple times in order to replace its oil needs.

So no, the economics have not been worked out in the least.

Posted by: c1ue | May 18 2022 17:59 utc | 99

@bevin | May 18 2022 17:45 utc | 93

You claim incessantly that Covid is a hoax
That is a strawman. I claim the null hypothesis. I have yet to see real world evidence that "Covid" is as deadly as is claimed. The effects of this policy, I have seen, and it is very real. I also see the zombie like behavior of people regarding that issue as well as with "ukraine". Both happened to me personally in communication with people I have known for a long time and which are generally no fools.

Posted by: Norwegian | May 18 2022 18:03 utc | 100

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