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In return, the Norwegian government angered liberals and some moderates in its parliament last November by passing the Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA). Under the new deal, the U.S. legal system would have jurisdiction in certain “agreed areas” in the North over American soldiers accused of crimes off base, as well as over those Norwegian citizens accused or suspected of interfering with the work at the base.-->

In return, the Norwegian government angered liberals and some moderates in its parliament last November by passing the Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA). Under the new deal, the U.S. legal system would have jurisdiction in certain “agreed areas” in the North over American soldiers accused of crimes off base, as well as over those Norwegian citizens accused or suspected of interfering with the work at the base.-->

Norway was one of the original signatories of the NATO Treaty in 1949, in the early days of the [[Cold War]]. Today, the supreme commander of NATO is Jens Stoltenberg, a committed anti-communist, who served as Norway’s [[prime minister]] for eight years before moving to his high NATO post, with American backing, in 2014. He was a hardliner on all things Putin and Russia who had cooperated with the American intelligence community since the [[Vietnam War]]. He has been trusted completely since. “He is the glove that fits the American hand,” the source said.

Norway was one of the original signatories of the NATO Treaty in 1949, in the early days of the [[Cold War]]. Today, the supreme commander of NATO is Jens Stoltenberg, a committed anti-communist, who served as Norway’s [[prime minister]] for eight years before moving to his high NATO post, with American backing, in 2014. He was a hardliner on all things Putin and Russia who had cooperated with the American intelligence community since the [[Vietnam War]]. He has been trusted completely since. “He is the glove that fits the American hand,” a source directly familiar with the matter said.

Back in Washington, planners knew they had to go to Norway. “They hated the Russians, and the Norwegian navy was full of superb sailors and divers who had generations of experience in highly profitable deep-sea oil and gas exploration,” the source said. They also could be trusted to keep the mission secret. (The Norwegians may have had other interests as well. The destruction of Nord Stream—if the Americans could pull it off—would allow Norway to sell vastly more of its own natural gas to Europe.)

Back in [[Washington, D.C|Washington]], planners knew they had to go to Norway. “They [[Russophobia|hated the Russians]], and the Norwegian navy was full of superb sailors and divers who had generations of experience in highly [[profit]]able deep-sea oil and gas exploration,” the source said. They also could be trusted to keep the mission secret. (The Norwegians may have had other interests as well. The destruction of [[Nord Stream]]—if the Americans could pull it off—would allow Norway to sell vastly more of its own [[natural gas]] to [[Europe]].)

On September 26, 2022, a Norwegian Navy P8 surveillance plane made a seemingly routine flight and dropped a sonar buoy. The signal spread underwater, initially to Nord Stream 2 and then on to Nord Stream 1. A few hours later, the high-powered C4 explosives were triggered and three of the four pipelines were put out of commission. Within a few minutes, pools of methane gas that remained in the shuttered pipelines could be seen spreading on the water’s surface and the world learned that something irreversible had taken place.

On September 26, 2022, a Navy P8 surveillance plane made a seemingly routine flight. Three of the four pipelines were put out of commission. Within a few minutes, pools of [[methane gas]] that remained in the shuttered pipelines could be seen spreading on the water’s surface and the world learned that something irreversible had taken place.

Asked at a press conference days later about the consequences of the worsening energy crisis in Western Europe, Blinken described the moment as a potentially good one:

Asked at a press conference days later about the consequences of the worsening energy crisis in Western Europe, [[Biden regime]] foreign minister [[Antony Blinken]] described the moment as a potentially good one:

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to once and for all remove the dependence on Russian energy and thus to take away from Vladimir Putin the weaponization of energy as a means of advancing his imperial designs. That’s very significant and that offers tremendous strategic opportunity for the years to come, but meanwhile we’re determined to do everything we possibly can to make sure the consequences of all of this are not borne by citizens in our countries or, for that matter, around the world.”

:''“It’s a tremendous opportunity to once and for all remove the dependence on Russian energy and thus to take away from Vladimir Putin the weaponization of energy as a means of advancing his imperial designs. That’s very significant and that offers tremendous strategic opportunity for the years to come, but meanwhile we’re determined to do everything we possibly can to make sure the consequences of all of this are not borne by citizens in our countries or, for that matter, around the world.”''

More recently, Victoria Nuland expressed satisfaction at the demise of the newest of the pipelines. Testifying at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in late January she told Senator Ted Cruz, “​Like you, I am, and I think the Administration is, very gratified to know that Nord Stream 2 is now, as you like to say, a hunk of metal at the bottom of the sea.”

[[Victoria Nuland]] expressed satisfaction at the demise of the newest of the pipelines while testifying at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in January 2023.

 

 

 

 

“The only flaw was the decision to do it.”

==See also==

==See also==