To really understand the impact of Russian oil and gas on Europe — and to understand the impact on the future of Ukraine — you have to study the existing pipeline system.
Nobody seems to be willing to do their homework to understand the magnitude of the problem.
Here is a decent schematic showing the network of current pipelines. It is a massive distribution system. Click on this graphic and study the enormity of Russia’s hold on Europe.
Chap asks me, “Why do you think Putin lusts after Ukraine?”
So, I do some research and here is what I come up with.
Ukraine is an enormous land mass and its addition to the Russian Putin Empire would be an gigantic coup in terms of land mass and pushing the Russian boundary westward thereby foiling the eastward march of NATO and exposing American weakness.
The country possesses huge mineral and energy reserves, agricultural, and industrial power.
Ukraine overlaid on Europe
There are some days when your mind wanders and you develop no large theme about which to write, but a number of small things accumulate in the recesses of one’s mind.
Here are a few that have solidified in the Big Red Car’s mind:
Putin, a thug overseeing a middling economy on par with Italy’s, is a small man who has a thin, poorly worn veneer of civility holding back an Amazonish flow of despotic behavior. He is a bloody murderer.
Putin in his Siberian Pimp outfit with furry cuffs and hood.
The same morons who masterminded the disastrous withdrawal of US personnel and forces from Afghanistan after the US trained and equipped 350,000 man Afghan National Army was routed by 30,000 Taliban are getting ready to involve the United States in another tinderbox potential shooting war situation.
Three masked men discussing the future of Ukraine. “General Milley, have you figured out that whole white rage thing? Is our Army up to speed on its pronouns?”
Every new administration must find its footing with our adversaries. Amongst those adversaries today are China, Russia, and Iran.
Our new administration is struggling to find its own bearings at the same time. This is not only normal, but it is also confusing because the positions of the new admin are radically different versus its predecessor.
This normal transition, the unusually aggressive posture of China, Russia, and Iran taken together with the internal policy confusion makes for a fine kettle of fish.
China and Iran have just cozied up to each other with a 25-year alliance.
Russia announced that it will be conducting a “trial shutdown” of the Internet country-wide. What bad could happen from that, you ask?
Russia explains it will be testing its own homebrew version of the Internet called the “RuNet.” Must have worked with a very powerful branding firm on the naming. Catchy.
The Russians will pull the plug on 1 November.
The first problem they have acknowledged is they are not perfectly certain they know how to shut down the Internet in Russia. They have been working on this idea for more than a decade and they are still not sure they can kill the Internet.
The Russians passed a law back in May that not many folks paid attention to, but the law directed the Roskomnadzor (Russia’s communications oversight agency) to gin up an “internet management and monitoring center to be able to suspend outside internet traffic.”
OK, I think he’s talking about that wacky Word of the Day site. Right?
Big Red Car cruising the international military sites and stumbles on a troubling issue — HYPERSONIC WEAPONS.
OK, there are other things out there like Venezuela and the idea the Russians might have already slipped nuclear weapons into the country — Big Red Car is a huge skeptic — and be ready to trigger Cuban/Venezuela Missile Crisis Redux. This could get dicey quick.
But, there is something we need to get on top of now. NOW. Hypersonic weapons.
Here’s a picture of Vlad Putin overseeing the testing of an Avangard hypersonic missile that Russia claims is capable of Mach 20 — 15,340 MPH. For the record, the Big Red Car is skeptical of all Russian weapons claims. Of course, the American military establishment uses such info to get Congress to take their hands off the checkbook.
The test was conducted at the Kura Test Range which is significant as it is a real test range that Russia uses frequently. It was observable from space. The total travel distance was 3,800 miles, so this was a full scale test when you think how accessible all of Europe is to Russia.
Hey, Germany, why the Hell are you buying natural gas from a country that has weapons that can nuke you?
It is also significant that Putin kept his shirt on and he wouldn’t have come for a dud.
Big Red Car here enjoying the warm, gray days in the ATX. OK, had the air conditioning on yesterday afternoon! Hello, America.
So, the USA has been distracted by all the distractions and has not been paying attention to Venezuela and Russia.
You know that Russia has been meddling in our hemisphere for some time: Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These countries have welcomed Russian assistance because they are economic basket cases.
[Hey, what happened to the Monroe Doctrine? <<<link]
“Wow, Vlad, you’re a little shit, aren’t you?”
Stop — Venezuela used to be the wealthiest country in South America with the largest known oil reserves in the world. They have 300,000,000,000 recoverable barrels of oil lurking below the surface. Still, somehow, they have managed to find a way to turn into a shithole [talking to you, socialism].
Cuba was once the wealthiest Caribbean island, but Fidel Castro and communism killed that baby.
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