#Germany in a nutshell

#OlafScholz:
"Russia turned off the gas"

Scholz blamed Moscow for the country’s high energy prices and inflation
(Germany opted to obey the US command to sanction Russia's oil and gas. In case Germany got second thoughts, Biden blew up #NordStream pipeline)
"Germans should blame Moscow and not Berlin for high energy prices, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview published on Friday. He claimed the embargo against Russia was necessary for defending Europe from “imperialism.”
Speaking with Die Tageszeitung, Scholz defended his government’s policy of unequivocal support for Ukraine.
“It’s about defending Europe’s peace order. Russia is waging an imperialist war and must not win,” he told the outlet. “Second: Russia stopped its gas deliveries, not us.”
Russia’s Gazprom delivered natural gas to Germany both via Ukraine – upholding the existing transit contracts – and via the Nord Stream pipeline, built under the Baltic Sea. Under pressure from the US, Germany blocked the certification of Nord Stream 2 in November 2021 – months before the Ukraine conflict escalated.
Berlin refused to certify Nord Stream 2 even after Nord Stream 1 was destroyed by explosive charges in September 2022. Western investigators have yet to name the culprit for the bombing.
According to Scholz, however, his government “developed new sources of supply for gas and oil and built terminals to import liquefied gas.” The LNG has come mainly from the US, at a much higher price.
“All of this has led to energy prices falling again,” the German chancellor said, arguing that his government prevented a ten-year economic crisis through “decisive action.”
Scholz seconded the message of his economy minister, Green leader Robert Habeck, who has argued that the German model of prosperity built around cheap Russian energy was over for good.
“The peacemaking effect of economic contacts was certainly overrated,” he told the Tageszeitung, claiming that Russia sacrificed its economic well-being by choosing violence. To defend its “democracy and freedom,” Germany needs a strong military, an efficient arms industry, and to support Ukraine, he insisted.
Scholz also brushed off the Germans’ concerns about the economy and inflation by saying that green energy and the pharmaceutical industry will soon turn things around.
On the same day his interview was published, Germany’s largest steelmaker Thyssenkrupp announced “a substantial reduction in production” at its Duisburg facility, laying off 13,000 employees. The company blamed “high energy costs and tight emission reduction regulations” as well as increased pressure from Asian imports."

https://archive.ph/2q13d

#Iran retaliatory strike at #Israel

Estimated military cost of last night's operations based on the figures published in the media:

110 ballistic missiles: 30-50 million dollars

45 cruise missiles: 4-7 million dollars

170 Shahed-136: 4-5 million dollars

Total: 62-38 million dollars

The collective West spent 1.1 billion dollars defending Israel

This video is from 2017 "Russian MRLS Grad" (at 0:32)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?si%E2%80%A6&v=hThwvrV_N3U&feature=youtu.be

#Iran retaliatory strike on #Israel

Alex Christoforou on X:

"

Iran side:
Iran is celebrating a successful retaliation. They responded to the attack on their Embassy in Syria.
They showcased their military capabilities. They showcased powerful hypersonic missiles. Iran shows it is a force in the region.
Iran saves face.

Israel side:
CNN: "No reports of injuries directly through Iranian strikes" and "Israel's military says 99% of weapons fired by Iran intercepted" and finally "The US assessment is that Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful."
Israel's Air Defense is strong. US Air Defense is strong (MIC sales $$$).
Israel saves face.

US/Biden WH:
Neocons want Iran war. Biden is a neocon, but a neocon trying to get re-elected. Any other time in his Presidency and Biden would be all in...BUT Jake Sullivan who runs Biden's foreign policy is a campaign guy at heart, and he knows war with Iran would sink Biden's re-election. They opted for a calibrated response/defense, with an off-ramp for all sides.

FT hinted that US and Iran are in back-channel talks facilitated by Oman, "Tehran is unlikely to target Israeli diplomatic facilities in the region, said an official briefed on talks between Iran and Oman, the Gulf state that has often facilitated back-channel diplomacy between Tehran and Washington."

Biden WH official readout: "Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack."
KEY WORD is "diplomatic" not military response.

Conclusion:
There is no need for further escalation. A wider war can EASILY be avoided. Everyone can walk away from this claiming a W.

Problem:
Netanyahu, hardliners and neocons (whispering in Bibi's ears), as well as Biden WH mixed messaging.

Israel appears to be going along with the US narrative (for now), but Netanyhu may want to test Biden and launch a strike on Iran. Biden WH said they will not take part in a conflict with Iran, but Biden WH also said their support for Israel is ironclad. MIXED MESSAGING.

Biden has given Netanyahu many blank checks. Bibi may try his luck and cash in another check. Biden said the US will not join Israel in an attack against Iran, but Bibi may want to test that statement, and the neocons will be pushing him to do just that.

👉Long post, but I believe this is where we are.
NO NEED FOR WIDER WAR! This is an easy one to walk away from. All Biden and his team of foreign policy wiz kids need to do is make it very clear that this ends NOW, for all parties involved"

#Iran retaliatory strike on #Israel

Fadi Quran on X:

"My analysis is that the scale of Iran’s attack, the diversity of locations it targeted, and weapons it used, forced Israel to uncover the majority of anti-missile technologies the US and it have across the region. The Iranians did not use any weapons Israel didn’t know it had, it just used a lot of them. But the Iranians likely now have almost a full map of what Israel’s missile defence system looks like, as well as where in Jordan and the Gulf the US has installations. It also knows how long it takes to prepare them, how Israeli society responds…etc This is a huge strategic cost to Israel, while Arab regimes now are being blasted by their peoples, particularly the Jordanian monarchy, for not doing anything to protect Gazans but then going all out to protect Israel. Crucially, Iran can now reverse engineer all the intel gathered from this attack to make a much more deadly one credible. While the US and Israel will have to re-design away from their current model which has been compromised. Its success in stopping this choreographed attack is thus still very costly. Moreover, with the threat of a regional war that neither the US nor the Arab regimes want feeling nearer, it’s likely their pressure on Israel to back down will increase, making a ceasefire more feasible. Anyone assuming this is just theatrics is missing the context of how militaries assess strategy versus tactics. Theatre is an important factor, but gathering intelligence of the “enemy’s” posture is more valuable, especially if one believes they’re in a long war of attrition. Netanyahu and the Israel government prefer a quick hot and urgent war where they can pull in America. The Iranians prefer a longer war of attrition that bleeds Israel of its deterrence capabilities and makes it an ally for Arabs and the US that’s too costly to have. Lastly, if you are a person who hates war, if you want peace, the best and only way to get there in the region is to support the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and dignity. There is no sustainable peace possible as long as Palestinians live under an oppressive system of apartheid."

#Iran retaliatory strike on #Israel

Rania Khalek on X:

"THE KEY TAKEAWAY FROM THE IRANIAN RETALIATION ON ISRAEL:

This is a deterrence win for Iran.

Had Israel been taken by surprise and not had the days long preparation to mitigate the impact of an Iranian attack this large, the damage would have been huge.

There is no way Israel could have intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles without a week of its allies putting defenses in place and Iran intentionally taking its time.

A real war would NOT be telegraphed in advance so Israel can prepare with a symphony of air defenses from its allies.

Biden understands the risks posed by further escalation, especially to US forces, which is why he told Netanyahu he will not back an Israeli counterstrike."

The equation in the region has changed and Iran did it masterfully and responsibly without igniting the big war."

Debunking #EU #UrsulavonderLeyen fabrications and disinformation

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1779483481703162342.html?utm_campaign=topunroll

Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran:

The Iranians used inexpensive older generation drones and missiles to force the Israelis and their Western allies to fire interceptor missiles worth $1.3 billion.

Iran didn't reveal any of its latest technology. The Zionists did the opposite.

Who won?

https://www.channel4.com/news/if-the-israeli-regime-wants-to-continue-iran-will-have-the-excuse-to-hit-it-harder-and-harder-says-university-of-tehran-professor

🇬🇪-🇺🇸🇪🇺US-backed mobs attempt to coerce Georgia's government to abandon a bill that would restrict US-European interference in their internal political affairs.

Besides the fact that Georgia has a right to defend against foreign interference under international law, and that the US-Europe have much stricter laws, the fact that the West is using opposition it controls to pass or oppose laws in another sovereign country demonstrates how dangerous this is and how important it is for Georgia and ALL other nations to pass similar legislation... ↘️↘️↘️

This is the West's "international order," under which they dictate everyone's matters to them all around the world, serving their own interests at everyone else's expense, in complete contravention of international law.