My letter to the NY Times re: Those hard-nosed Russian capitalists

 Re: A Russian Pipeline Changes Direction, and Energy Politics Comes to the Fore by Andrew E. Kramer

Dear Sirs:

In his fear-mongering report that something evil this way comes in regard to the real purpose of Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia, under the Baltic Sea, to Germany, Mr. Kramer should have stopped his report with this sentence in the second paragraph:

"In themselves, the Russian reports were no cause for alarm, and the giant Russian energy firm, Gazprom, said Saturday that it is filling all European orders."

Thereafter, Mr. Kramer regurgitates every possible fear that Russia wants Germany and the EU to become dependent upon Russian natural gas in order to...well, we don't know quite what. Nowhere does Mr. Kramer mention that perhaps, just perhaps, Russia has spent all this time and money on Nord Stream 2 in order to...wait for it...sell natural gas at a profit!

The case for Russian perfidy falls apart if Germany and the rest of the EU simply diversify their energy supplies. Regrettably, Germany has thrown all its hopes onto Green Energy, which is supposed to make it energy independent while saving the planet. But Green Energy hasn't worked, and Europeans may freeze this winter. Drum roll, please, while we cue the Russians to the rescue. But, according to Mr. Kramer, the Russians will sell their gas "only if European companies and governments agree to lock in long-term contracts." Golly, whoever would have thought that the West one day would accuse the Russians of being hard-nosed capitalists?