US vows to stop Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades Ukraine
US President Joe Biden has said there is no chance of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project going should Russia mount an offensive. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on his first White House visit in office, was more guarded.
src: click
DW.com managed to misrepresent germanys position (several reporters and ankers on record saying that “now the potential reaction from the west and EU countries has become more clear, and unified” in the past days, while none of that was true.). They’ve managed to miss, that there was a difference in positions for the past week. They’ve managed to miss, that the US announced a “common position of the US and the EU” on this unilaterally, thereby suddenly contradicting the german governments public position. They’ve managed to miss, that that was seen as an outrage by people following political reporting on the issue closely. They’ve managed to miss the BBC rebuttal, that indicated, that this wasnt a premedetated move by the US, but only a “mistake”, after the US spoke to some northern european countries, then announcing a common position that never was one. They managed to miss the aggressive nature in the US announcing that statement in todays announcement, again. (Second time in a row isnt a mistake anymore.) They’ve managed to miss asking for further clarification on part of the german government, because the position “its part of a wide range of meassures” doesnt necessarily mean, we state, that we’ll stop it outright, if there is any kind of conflict in the coming days. Not because thats an important distinction in itself necessarily, but because it leaves room for diplomacy after the fact, without pronouncing it a red line - like the US just did, again. Without caring for the european position in the least (as far as I understand france isnt in line with the US announcement either, but some of the founding NATO members within the EU are). With questionable jurisdiction in the matter. They’ve managed to prolong this effing state of “who the f*ck makes european security and energy policy decisions” for over a f*cking week, not do any reporting on it and now present another pressure play from the US in a “manner of fact” way.
What the f*ck?
Past developments layed out, with primary sources linked, in here:
click
edit: DW now (a few hours later) is doubling down, instead of admitting their mistake:
The German chancellor came to the White House empty-handed. His hollow reassurances about Germany’s commitment to Ukraine will have done little to convince his critics in Washington, says DW’s Michaela Küfner.
src: click
Calling it a missed opportunity, still having no idea that they were wrong in reporting this all the way. Still showing no signs of correcting themselves, or admitting any of it. If you go with the most hawkish trans-atlantic think tank stance, its your best option in todays journalism landscape, by proxy, it seems. At least for DW.com
Its time for another overview on how transatlantic PR works in this case.
1. US teasing, that in case of an attack the North Stream 2 Pipeline would never become active, in an NPR Podcast.
DWs reporting: Rather matter of fact.
2. US, one day later, unilaterally announcing, that there is a joint european position on that Nord Stream 2 would never become active, if any form of invasion would take place. Contradicting the german governments position on the issue, at the time - in a public announcement. Thats after Biden had to be corrected talking about a difference between a smaller and a large form invasion earlier. Because apparently that difference didnt exist from the US’ point of view. (Even though Biden publicly announced it did.) Thats two pretty large scale scandals in a row - that none of the pundits in any of the western media outlets had anything to say about.
DWs reporting: “Finally a unified strategy, and a clear position, we are now seeing consequences emerge”.
3. A day later Germany still not changing their position (Nord Stream 2 will be part of a range of actions, if an invasion takes place.)
DWs reporting: “Still a unified strategy and a clear message, that if there is an invasion North Stream 2 will never become active.”
4. BBC produces a report in which it announces, that there still is severe uncertainty over how europe would proceed in detail in case of an invasion, regarding what would happen to Nordstream 2, and only on that stance - mentioning, that the cause was the US talking to “one northern european alley” and then having announced a unified European and US position.
DWs reporting: None existent.
5. The US repeating the prior made statement - with US journalists questioning the speaker, on what basis those remarks were made, and why the US had the presumption that this would be the unified stance. Journalists are shut down, and not given an answer.
DWs reporting: None existent.
6. By now the german talkshow circuit (Anne Will, …) is filled with coached pundits, that cant talk freely on issues in the Ukraine, but have very prominent talking points, that germany is not pulling its weight, bringing in the gambit of the 5000 helmets delivered to the Ukraine only - which Klitschko was on a press circuit for - but which if looked at closely was fulfilling a demand for supplies the Ukraine had made prior, and then turned around into ridicule to increase public pressure on the german government, prior to the US visit. Ukraine officials later backtracked, and went the potential deniability route of “the number (5000) had been the issue”, and too small, although they didnt specify a number before, just that they needed helmets.
DWs reporting: Germany is being criticised by its allies for not pulling its weight.
7. Scholz announces his talking points for the meeting with Biden prior to the flight.
DWs reporting: By then having switched onto the “Germany is being critiziced for being too inactive, and not providing weapon shipments” beat, with think tank experts featured criticizing germany for “being unclear in their stance towards their allies” - which never was the case, because the gambit used to announce that was now a combination of “Germany doesnt want NS2 to be used as a red line in threatening russia” and germany not delivering weaponry into conflict areas. Both of which were long standing positions, for weeks, at that point.
8. Scholz still using a different wording after the meeting underlining that germanys position hadnt changed. While Biden tries to strong arm the red line position once more, by announcing, that the US - and not its partners, would prevent NS2 from becoming active in case of an invasion.
DWs reporting: NEWSFLASH! Germany is using different wording!
9. DW reporting that the meeting had been a flop, because germany went to the US without making any further concessions coining it as “At every step of the way, Scholz has avoided addressing the issue directly. Instead, he sounds like a broken record churning out the same non-committal statements the public has become accustomed to after his first 62 days in office.”. Not mentioning the 5000 helmets stand in for the criticism in the least, because that only was used as a pressure point prior to the talks, and now has become entirely - useless it seems. As germany hasnt changed position. So… Not an issue anymore, right? Lets just drop reporting, without mentioning, that that was a gambit employed by the Ukraine, reacting outraged at the fulfillment of an actual request made. (You can see that exchange here: click)
DW never admitting the mistake on their part. Never looking at it from the european perspective, never acknowledging, that the US tried to pull a fast one here, … Plainly repeating the narrative, that Scholz had failed in his mission of outlining germanys position. (Which by then had become a failure to merge positions, with the US announcement.). Which at the time it was made, was entirely made up. Just as made up, as the “unified US and european position” on making NS2 a red line, which they reported for two days, without correcting it - and still haven’t corrected up until now.
Also - as DW is entirely relying in their interpretation on think tanks like the German Council on Foreign relations (thats possible?), may be it would be interesting to hear their position on future developments in the matter.
Which is a not so reasonable - Everything short of a war is “very difficult to imagine”.
See:
Lets see on that point, how accurate they turn out to be in the coming weeks. Just know that one thing will remain certain. DW will ask them for their assessment in a daily segment in the future as well - and then model their editorial position somewhere around the statements given.
edit: Just so you know what to think and feel, when talking about this story, the austrian Die Presse also is very helpful in instilling that in you.
Olaf Scholzes press appearance was “bizarre”, because he didnt fulfill hawkish transatlantic thinktank expectations. See: click Its so helpful to always get told what to think and feel, without getting the background on a story.
