Thread image created by yours truly, depicting Iran and Pakistan very impolitely not asking whether America, on the other side of the planet, is okay with them transporting gas around.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has long been obstructed by American involvement in the region. Iran completed its section of the pipeline quite quickly, but Pakistan has been unable to finish its construction for a decade due to the fear of falling afoul of American sanctions on Iran. The United States has repeatedly tried to pressure Pakistan to give up the project and obtain gas from other countries instead. Recent articles on the state of the pipeline are contradictory, with some stating that Iran or Pakistan have given up on the pipeline while American sanctions persist. Pakistani officials reject this framing, saying that they are still working with Iran to try and get the project completed somehow. Nonetheless, Iran is becoming increasingly frustrated and is threatening a legal battle and a demand for reparations.

Meanwhile, back in Niger, the $13 billion under-construction pipeline connecting Nigeria and other West African countries to Spain and Italy will likely face delays due to the sanctions applied by the West and ECOWAS on Niger. Those following the European gas fiasco will be aware that while Spain and Italy have been impacted by the energy crisis, they have been very busy making deals with African countries to replace their Russian gas, and thus stand a better chance than Germany of making it through the crisis with their industries somewhat intact. The coup has thrown a wrench into their plans, though they can still obtain some gas from northern African countries.

And, last but not least, America tried for years to stop the construction of the Nord Stream pipelines between Germany and Russia, which culminated in them deciding to blow them up late last year.

All in all - the United States really does not like it when countries build up energy infrastructure and gain some independence from them.

Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.

This week’s first update is here in the comments.

This week’s second update is here in the comments.

Links and Stuff

The bulletins site is down.

Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists

Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Add to the above list if you can.

Resources For Understanding The War

Defense Politics Asia’s youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.

Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.

Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.

Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don’t want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it’s just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.

On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists’ side.

Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.

Telegram Channels

Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.

Pro-Russian

https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR’s former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR’s forces. Russian language.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.

https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.

https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster’s telegram channel.

https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.

https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.

https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.

https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.

https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a ‘propaganda tax’, if you don’t believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.

https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.

Pro-Ukraine

Almost every Western media outlet.

https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.

https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.

Last week’s discussion post.

  • Teekeeus [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    37·
    1 year ago

    Report: US Considering ‘Military Solutions’ to Protect Shipments from Ukraine’s Danube River Ports

    The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the US is considering “military solutions” to protect shipments of grain leaving Ukraine’s Danube River ports as an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal that Russia recently exited.

    The Journal cited an unnamed senior US official based in Washington. The report reads: “The US is considering all potential options, including military solutions, to protect ships headed to and from Ukraine’s Danube ports, the Washington official said, but declined to give specifics on those options or say what countries would be involved in them.”

    Since Russia decided not to renew the grain deal, the war has significantly expanded in the Black Sea. Russia has been bombarding Ukraine’s ports, including those on the Danube River, which are just across the waterway from NATO member Romania. Ukraine has also declared war on Russian commercial shipping and targeted a Russian tanker with a sea drone attack. Over the weekend, Russia fired warning shots and boarded a cargo ship that was headed to Ukraine.

    The Journal report said that the US is in talks with Turkey, Ukraine, and other regional countries on an alternative grain deal that would involve increasing Ukraine’s capacity to ship grain out of the Danube River. Ships carrying Ukrainian grain would go to nearby ports in Romania, and then from there, the cargo would be shipped to its destination.

    If the US or any other NATO nation is involved in securing safe corridors for ships leaving Ukrainian ports, it would risk a direct clash between the Western alliance and Russia.

    Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh was asked about the situation in the Black Sea on Tuesday and said she didn’t have anything to announce. “We’ve been very clear we don’t seek war with Russia and that this is, you know, a fight that we are helping support Ukraine in. But at this moment, I don’t have any announcements to make when it comes to the Black Sea or any secure of helping shipments move out,” she said.

    While the US is considering alternatives to the grain deal, the UN and Turkey are working to try and restore the original agreement with Russia. Moscow said it would rejoin when it was satisfied with Western efforts to facilitate the export of Russian agricultural goods. One of Russia’s main demands is reconnecting the Russian Agricultural Bank to the SWIFT payment system.