Geopolitics and Markets Review – 20th February 2023

Nord Stream Investigation Blown Open, Just Like The Pipeline

When the Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany were sabotaged and blown up last September, it was debated who did it. At the time, I believed this was pointless. Whoever did it would have covered their tracks well enough such that it wouldn’t have been discovered. In the short term.

But now that has changed. Investigative journalist veteran Seymour Hersh has investigated the Nord Stream attacks and concluded it was America who plotted to destroy the pipeline. His piece is detailed and in-depth and I’m not going to cover any of it here other than the piece's final conclusion. So please go read it for yourself.

Biden has been saying during his entire presidency that the pipeline would never be operational. So is it such a surprise that they attacked it? And why would Russia attack their own pipeline? They wouldn’t. It gave them power and influence in Europe.

The US world order and NATO have a few deep-lying principles for existing. To keep the United States in Europe, to keep Russia out of Europe, and to keep Germany down (said by 1st Secretary General of NATO Lord Ismay) so they can’t develop into the large industrial power they are capable of becoming. A major challenge to the US world order occurs whenever Russia and Germany align. Russia has a thriving energy industry that it sells for cheap. Germany, when a large industrial power, needs a lot of this energy.

Photo by Ant Rozetsky on Unsplash

The United States can’t afford for Germany to grow its industry too much. Germany is still one of the leading powers in Europe. But they’re heavily influenced by the current world order, and they are surrounded by those who suffered when Germany was a great power in the period surrounding both world wars. The US world order of peace and togetherness in Europe suits them too.

Does the US need to add another element to the deep-lying principles of its world order? To keep China east? They’re certainly giving that a good go too. But after aiding the rise of China into the global power we see today; will the US have realised their mistake too late?

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Has Anybody Seen My Balloon?

A Chinese spy balloon or a balloon from a hobby group? Either way, it's going to get obliterated by a $400,000 Sidewinder Missile. So if you’re a balloon hobbyist, I’d perhaps wait a little bit before launching anymore.