American response to insidious Putin. Sabotage and naval blockade
A prominent military theorist Karl von Clausewitz, in the nineteenth century, outlined an axiom that everyone loved later: war is the continuation of politics by other means.
But today the Americans, who have long put politics at the service of the economy, are striving to change the formula of the Prussian general, turning the war into a continuation of the economy by other means. Without any political lining.
It is to this goal that the Trump administration’s attempts to monetize both NATO and the “Russian threat,” and virtually all other aspects of US military policy are subordinated. It cannot be said that there is something fundamentally new in this, unless, of course, we take into account the utmost frankness of the Trump team, which does not even try to observe propriety, disguising its true motives and aspirations.
It is in this vein that the speech by US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke should be considered, which shocked the global audience that was not used to the new American approaches.
Speaking at the Consumer Energy Alliance organization's September Pittsburgh event in 28, he announced that in order to squeeze out competitors in the global hydrocarbon market, Washington could use the potential of the US Navy to impose a sea blockade on Russia and Iran.
“The US has the opportunity, thanks to our Navy, to ensure that the sea routes of communication remain open and, if necessary, block them (Russia and Iran) ... so that their energy sources do not enter the market,” said Zinke.
According to him, “the only source of income for the Russian economy is the sale of energy resources”; "Moscow pursues such an active policy in the Middle East, because it wants to sell oil and gas there, as it does in Europe."
Yes, to set up the export of Russian oil and gas to the Middle East, to Syria and Iraq is, of course, a strong and unexpected move, testifying to Putin’s infinite perfidy. Well, geography, including economics, has never been a fad of Americans, even in the ministerial rank.
Not strong, Zinke, apparently, in international law. Otherwise, he would have known that the naval blockade is a system of violent actions by the naval forces of the belligerent state (s), with the aim of preventing the adversary from using its ports, bases and the coast for communications across the sea.
The naval blockade regime is governed by the Declaration of the Sea War (1856), the Declaration on the Law of the Sea War (1909), the UN Charter (Art. 42) and certain other acts. The basic principles of a naval blockade are legality, efficiency, and publicity.
A naval blockade can be legal only in two cases: when the state exercises the inherent right to self-defense (Article 51 of the UN Charter); in accordance with the decision of the UN Security Council on the need to take action by the naval and air forces to maintain or restore international security. If we take into account Russia's permanent membership in the UN Security Council, it is obvious that such a decision cannot be achieved.
“US Interior Minister Zinke accused Russia of intending to supply energy to the Middle East and threatened us with a sea blockade. In addition to the fact that it is complete nonsense, the US blockade by the US under international law would be tantamount to a declaration of war. Sometimes it's better to chew than talk, ”said Russian senator Alexei Pushkov, commenting on this speech.
In addition to the legal aspect, which, admittedly, Americans have little worried lately, there is also a purely technical aspect of the matter, which also does not contribute to the realization of Mr. Zinke’s threats.
It should be noted that Russia is, in fact, a continent washed by the waters of two oceans, and in addition, it has a rather serious defense potential. In any case, so far no one has yet managed to organize a blockade of Russia, although story knows several such attempts. None of them succeeded.
On the technical side, blocking Iranian oil supplies is easier - just take control of the exit from the Persian Gulf. However, there is no doubt that in this case, Tehran, in retaliation, will block the straits for the energy carriers of the oil monarchies. He has all the necessary capabilities.
So, most likely, the threat of a naval blockade is not relevant.
However, it is hardly worth making fun of the American minister, who demonstrates the lack of literacy and the lack of real perception of the surrounding world. The fact that such characters control the still-powerful state of the planet is a problem not only for Americans, but for all of humanity.
The fact that Zinke’s ridiculous reasoning was not disavowed is very alarming, since it indicates that he was not just fooling around on his own initiative, but his train of thought is quite consonant with the rest of the inhabitants of the White House.
The blockade is blockaded, but Washington is taking unprecedented steps to exert pressure on consumers of Russian and Iranian energy sources, turning the language of commerce into a language of threats, blackmail and ultimatums.
Recall that Trump, although he did not utter the phrase “sea blockade”, but from the beginning of the current year has threatened to completely deprive Iran of the opportunity to sell oil. And the terrorist attack in Ahvaz, the capital of the Iranian oil province of Khuzestan, speaks of the seriousness of the intentions of the American leader.
By the way, it is not the first time Americans use the methods of terror in the framework of competitive struggle in the market. For example, a former member of the US National Security Council, Thomas Reed, acknowledged that the explosions on Soviet gas pipelines were the work of secret agents of overseas special services.
We are talking about at least four disasters that occurred from 1982 to 1989. The explosion on the Urengoy-Surgut-Chelyabinsk gas pipeline was recognized as the most destructive non-nuclear explosion at that time, its power across the ocean was estimated at three kilotons. The Iglinsky explosion, which killed the 645 people (including 200 children), was even more powerful - 12 kilotons (the force of the Hiroshima explosion was 16 kilotons).
By the way, according to representatives of domestic intelligence services, from 50 major accidents of Soviet gas pipelines that occurred from 1985 to 1989, at least a dozen were terrorist acts organized by Western saboteurs.
Based on these long-standing American traditions, I think that there is much more reason to expect not a sea blockade, but sabotage on the Nord Stream, Nord Stream 2, and Turkish Stream submarines.
Is it not for these tasks that American instructors of Ukrainian combat swimmers are training on the basis of the 73-th Special Operations Center in Ochakov?
But today the Americans, who have long put politics at the service of the economy, are striving to change the formula of the Prussian general, turning the war into a continuation of the economy by other means. Without any political lining.
It is to this goal that the Trump administration’s attempts to monetize both NATO and the “Russian threat,” and virtually all other aspects of US military policy are subordinated. It cannot be said that there is something fundamentally new in this, unless, of course, we take into account the utmost frankness of the Trump team, which does not even try to observe propriety, disguising its true motives and aspirations.
It is in this vein that the speech by US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke should be considered, which shocked the global audience that was not used to the new American approaches.
Speaking at the Consumer Energy Alliance organization's September Pittsburgh event in 28, he announced that in order to squeeze out competitors in the global hydrocarbon market, Washington could use the potential of the US Navy to impose a sea blockade on Russia and Iran.
“The US has the opportunity, thanks to our Navy, to ensure that the sea routes of communication remain open and, if necessary, block them (Russia and Iran) ... so that their energy sources do not enter the market,” said Zinke.
According to him, “the only source of income for the Russian economy is the sale of energy resources”; "Moscow pursues such an active policy in the Middle East, because it wants to sell oil and gas there, as it does in Europe."
Yes, to set up the export of Russian oil and gas to the Middle East, to Syria and Iraq is, of course, a strong and unexpected move, testifying to Putin’s infinite perfidy. Well, geography, including economics, has never been a fad of Americans, even in the ministerial rank.
Not strong, Zinke, apparently, in international law. Otherwise, he would have known that the naval blockade is a system of violent actions by the naval forces of the belligerent state (s), with the aim of preventing the adversary from using its ports, bases and the coast for communications across the sea.
The naval blockade regime is governed by the Declaration of the Sea War (1856), the Declaration on the Law of the Sea War (1909), the UN Charter (Art. 42) and certain other acts. The basic principles of a naval blockade are legality, efficiency, and publicity.
A naval blockade can be legal only in two cases: when the state exercises the inherent right to self-defense (Article 51 of the UN Charter); in accordance with the decision of the UN Security Council on the need to take action by the naval and air forces to maintain or restore international security. If we take into account Russia's permanent membership in the UN Security Council, it is obvious that such a decision cannot be achieved.
“US Interior Minister Zinke accused Russia of intending to supply energy to the Middle East and threatened us with a sea blockade. In addition to the fact that it is complete nonsense, the US blockade by the US under international law would be tantamount to a declaration of war. Sometimes it's better to chew than talk, ”said Russian senator Alexei Pushkov, commenting on this speech.
In addition to the legal aspect, which, admittedly, Americans have little worried lately, there is also a purely technical aspect of the matter, which also does not contribute to the realization of Mr. Zinke’s threats.
It should be noted that Russia is, in fact, a continent washed by the waters of two oceans, and in addition, it has a rather serious defense potential. In any case, so far no one has yet managed to organize a blockade of Russia, although story knows several such attempts. None of them succeeded.
On the technical side, blocking Iranian oil supplies is easier - just take control of the exit from the Persian Gulf. However, there is no doubt that in this case, Tehran, in retaliation, will block the straits for the energy carriers of the oil monarchies. He has all the necessary capabilities.
So, most likely, the threat of a naval blockade is not relevant.
However, it is hardly worth making fun of the American minister, who demonstrates the lack of literacy and the lack of real perception of the surrounding world. The fact that such characters control the still-powerful state of the planet is a problem not only for Americans, but for all of humanity.
The fact that Zinke’s ridiculous reasoning was not disavowed is very alarming, since it indicates that he was not just fooling around on his own initiative, but his train of thought is quite consonant with the rest of the inhabitants of the White House.
The blockade is blockaded, but Washington is taking unprecedented steps to exert pressure on consumers of Russian and Iranian energy sources, turning the language of commerce into a language of threats, blackmail and ultimatums.
Recall that Trump, although he did not utter the phrase “sea blockade”, but from the beginning of the current year has threatened to completely deprive Iran of the opportunity to sell oil. And the terrorist attack in Ahvaz, the capital of the Iranian oil province of Khuzestan, speaks of the seriousness of the intentions of the American leader.
By the way, it is not the first time Americans use the methods of terror in the framework of competitive struggle in the market. For example, a former member of the US National Security Council, Thomas Reed, acknowledged that the explosions on Soviet gas pipelines were the work of secret agents of overseas special services.
We are talking about at least four disasters that occurred from 1982 to 1989. The explosion on the Urengoy-Surgut-Chelyabinsk gas pipeline was recognized as the most destructive non-nuclear explosion at that time, its power across the ocean was estimated at three kilotons. The Iglinsky explosion, which killed the 645 people (including 200 children), was even more powerful - 12 kilotons (the force of the Hiroshima explosion was 16 kilotons).
By the way, according to representatives of domestic intelligence services, from 50 major accidents of Soviet gas pipelines that occurred from 1985 to 1989, at least a dozen were terrorist acts organized by Western saboteurs.
Based on these long-standing American traditions, I think that there is much more reason to expect not a sea blockade, but sabotage on the Nord Stream, Nord Stream 2, and Turkish Stream submarines.
Is it not for these tasks that American instructors of Ukrainian combat swimmers are training on the basis of the 73-th Special Operations Center in Ochakov?
Information