US Sanctions Coming on China, Turkey, and Nord Stream II Companies?

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Time and again, the US unilaterally and illegally sanctions countries, entities, and individuals for non-submissiveness to its demands.

It's part of its war on humanity by other means. Along with its hot wars of aggression, it's what the scourge of its imperial ruthlessness is all about.

According to Politico on Thursday, the Trump regime may impose sanctions on China for continuing to buy Iranian oil, reportedly a million barrels in June — the legal right of all nations to maintain political, economic, and trade relations with Iran.

Illegal US sanctions on all nations should be ignored, not observed, by the world community — the way to defeat them as a weapon of economic, financial, and trade war.

China invested billions of dollars in Iranian energy, water management, transport, and other projects.

If the Trump regime sanctions China for its legitimate economic, financial, and trade relations with Iran, resolving major Sino/US structural differences will be much harder to achieve — relations already strained by unreasonable White House demands.

On Wednesday, China's Vice-Foreign Minister Le Yucheng warned of "disastrous consequences" if the US continues adversarial relations against its government — how Washington treats all nations it doesn't control.

Beijing is highly unlikely to stop buying Iranian oil or change its policy toward the country as the US demands.

John Bolton's lied saying "(w)e will continue to increase pressure on (Iran) until it abandons its (nonexistent) nuclear weapons programs, and ends its (nonexistent) violent activities across the Middle East, including (nonexistent) terrorism around the world" — a US, NATO, Israeli speciality, not how Tehran operates.

Turkey ignored the unacceptable Trump regime demand to buy more expensive, less effective, US Patriot air defense missiles, not superior Russian S-400s — what President Erdogan called "out of the question."

The White House gave Ankara until end of July to change it mind, threatening non-delivery of F-35 stealth warplanes, economic "ramifications," and possible sanctions if it goes ahead with the purchase.

India also signed an agreement with Moscow to purchase S-400s, angering the White House, its Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, saying "(w)e will do what is in our national interest."

On Friday, RT reported that Turkey "received the first shipment of S-400 air defense missile system equipment from Moscow, defying pressure from Washington to scrap the arms deal with Russia."

On July 12, a statement by Turkey's Defense Ministry said the following:

An agreement with Russia to meet "the needs of Turkey's air and missile defense-400 Long Range Regional Air and Missile Defense System supply contract was signed on April 11, 2017."

"Within the scope of the contract, the transfer of the first group materials of S-400 Long Range Regional Air and Missile Defense System to Mürted Airport/Ankara started on 12 July 2019."

A Russian Defense Ministry official said the shipment arrived and deliveries will continue on schedule.

Sanctioning Turkey and India for choosing Russia's air defense system over over the inferior US one will affect their relationship with Washington negatively if the Trump regime goes this far.

When completed, Russia's Nord Stream II pipeline will double its existing low-cost 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas capacity to European markets — putting much more expensive US liquified natural gas (LNG) at a competitive disadvantage.

It's why the Trump regime is going all out to undermine the project by threatening sanctions on companies and individuals involved in its construction.

Congressional hardliners support imposition of sanctions. While US LNG exports to Europe are increasing, low-cost Russian natural gas makes the country's Gazprom the most logical supplier for nations along its pipeline route and others it can supply cost-effectively.

According to neocon Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Nord Stream-related sanctions are coming in the "not too distant future" — on companies involved in the project if they're imposed.

Europe needs Nord Stream for reliable, easily accessible, plentiful, low-cost natural gas Russia is ideally positioned to supply, a good neighbor nation with the world's largest reserves.

Europe's economic powerhouse Germany especially wants access to Russian gas. The Trump regime's sanctions threat isn't likely to deter its ruling authorities.

According to RT, Nord Stream II, scheduled to be completed late this year or early 2019, "already attracted more than 670 firms from 25 countries."

It's a project from a reliable supplier too favorable not to take advantage of.

In May, German envoy to Washington Emily Haber said "(a)ny additional steps taken by the US against the project would be counterproductive and undermine the European agreement reached on this difficult issue involving energy security policy."

Plentiful Russian natural gas is essential for Europe's energy needs. Trump regime threats aren't likely to undermine the project or the willingness of European countries to buy it.

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