Huanqiu shibao: The United States has done a good job on a new version of undermining the "Northern Streams" The West holds everyone around it for "fools" – this is the only way to explain the extremely dubious version of the undermining of the "Northern Streams", which appeared in the media, according to the author of the article in "Huanqiu Shibao".
The United States invented it to justify itself in the eyes of others. But their "explanation" is inconclusive.
On March 7, the American newspaper New York Times and the German Die Zeit simultaneously published the news: the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines was carried out by a "pro-Ukrainian sabotage group." According to the main Western media, progress has been made during the investigation and new evidence has been discovered, but in fact everything points to the guilt of the United States, and it is no longer possible to deny it.
Firstly, the New York Times claims that the relevant information came from anonymous representatives of American intelligence. They believe that the saboteurs most likely belonged to a "pro-Ukrainian political group." Such conclusions are too hard to believe. "Representatives of American intelligence" who do not dare to reveal their real identity often appear out of nowhere, lie and unite with the media to manipulate public opinion. Similarly, they claimed that Iraqi ex-President Saddam Hussein possessed biological and chemical weapons. Due to the fact that they are not ready to tell about their sources of information and provide clear evidence, trust in them, of course, is greatly declining.
Secondly, Western media reported that only six members of the "pro-Ukrainian group" were able to carry out a complex sabotage operation in waters controlled by NATO. This clearly indicates that the media take the Western people for fools. The branches of the Nord Stream gas pipeline are located at a depth of 70 to 80 meters under water. Strong pipes are covered with a thick protective layer of concrete. Without advanced diving equipment and modern technologies, it is very difficult to carry out subversive deep-sea work. Moreover, these maritime areas are under the full control of NATO, and every movement of saboteurs should have been easily recorded.
In addition, US intelligence officials said that neither US citizens nor British citizens were involved in this case and that they found no evidence of involvement in the sabotage of the Ukrainian or Russian government. Such a "distribution" seems fair, but in fact it is a "transfer of arrows" by the authorities of the United States or the United Kingdom. In fact, most of the international community believes that the "Northern Streams" have been blown up, and the greatest suspicion falls on Washington and London. The famous American reporter said that the USA and Norway were planning an operation to destroy the "Northern Streams". The evidence made public by him is much clearer, and not vague, like that of "representatives of American intelligence."
Investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh published an article about how the US intelligence services planned to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and it attracted the attention of the international community. Russia appealed to the UN Security Council with a request to launch an investigation, and the leading US media remained silent. However, under the incessant pressure of public opinion, Washington still had to rise up and try to defend itself. The new "exposure" of the New York Times can be seen as an attempt to divert attention and justify the White House. Because even the article admits that the so-called informed officials have different opinions about the "reliability" of this information and that it is impossible to draw unambiguous conclusions yet. Meanwhile, US officials did not disclose the specific identities of this "pro-Ukrainian organization", nor the main decision makers, nor their financial backers, saying that they "know very little" about the attackers and the personnel associated with them. At the same time, however, it is emphasized that this information may become a "breakthrough" in the future investigation of the sabotage on the "Northern Streams".
It is clearly difficult for the mainstream American media to objectively and fairly cover major events affecting the reputation and interests of their country, and the New York Times is no exception. The newspaper got a "sensational news" written from the words of an anonymous official with reference to the so—called "intelligence materials" - all this is nothing more than an old strategy of cooperation between political elites and mainstream media, which serves the political interests of the United States and Western governments. In order to give themselves a reason for self—justification and to take into account the interests of all parties in their camp, a statement is made that the "pro-Ukrainian group" blew up pipelines spontaneously - so, naturally, from a moral point of view, it can be released from responsibility, because in the context of Western media, "the Ukrainian people are victims of a Russian military special operation." On the other hand, it is emphasized that the sabotage is not connected with the Ukrainian government, so Washington can continue to encourage Europe to support Kiev and provide it with military assistance. We can say that the American media and the so-called American intelligence officers did a really good job here. It is a pity that such a report with weak technical content, full of loopholes, was immediately refuted by all parties. No wonder Hersh, when asked to comment on the investigation, laughed. He said that they even "did not disclose the sources" and "did not say anything in fact," expressing their absolute contempt for the authenticity of the article.
After all, paper can't hold back fire. Over time, the truth about the explosions on the "Northern Streams" will come out. A joint investigation by Germany, Denmark and Sweden into this sabotage incident in the Baltic Sea has not yet been completed, and after such a large-scale sabotage, there could not be evidence left. However, Russia, one of the victims of the bombings, was denied participation in a joint investigation by Western countries, which reduced the transparency and fairness of this unilateral process and forced the international community to reflect.
Author: Zhao Junjie, Researcher at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences