“The evolution of caesium-134 and caesium-137 deposited on the territories, and the ensuing dose rates in the air, are decisive elements in guiding strategies with regard to the return of inhabitants to the evacuated zones and decontamination measures.”
This is science speak for everything near the doomed Fukushima Nuclear site is going to throw out rads for a long long time. Anybody wondering just how long can go camp in the Chernobyl region… not a particularly healthful idea. Why is this relevant right now, right here? Because anybody who wants to argue for the proliferation of new nuclear plants in Europe better be one hell of a snake oil salesman.
But what about coal, or as our POTUS likes to slur… cleeaan coal. Turns out it’s not that clean and, along with the rest of Europe, Germany has phased out much of its coal-fired energy capacity in line with other prudent measures to address climate change.
The Nord Stream natural gas pipeline, put on the chalk board back in 97’ when Russia still offered pretensions of partner rather than adversary, has helped make much of Europe’s move away from nukes and coal possible, but not without a cost. Vulnerability to Russia.
To that end, aggressive wind, biomass and solar development efforts have helped create entire cottage industries, complete with the jobs Obama often cited in his rhetoric extolling similar projects in the US. Point is, European, and most particularly German, dependence on the Russian natural gas tap is not a new concern, nor is it something affected governments have taken lightly.
It’s a certainty Donald Trump is a terrible poker player. His tells are apparent almost immediately, and he has no ability to modulate his thinking. Childlike would be the best discription of his body language when interacting with others, particularly as the situation becomes more stressful.
Thus, one needs no degree in psychology, or a seat at the final table in Vegas, to connect the dots of his shameful international incident in Brussels today. He might as well have had a thought bubble above his head.
Equating Germany’s dependence on Russian natural gas with subservience to Moscow was as ridiculous as it was gratuitously insulting. It was also stilted and poorly delivered, contrived by a man notorious for his aversion to adequate preparation. That Trump’s addled mind was desperately spinning to lay out his grievances was palpable. As was the piss ant game plan behind the whole shameful exchange.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg started the meeting by ever graciously attending to Trump’s gripe about expenditures, making it clear “billions” have been added to member country contributions and structural commitments are in place. Of course, this wasn’t enough for our Veruca Salt, who first demanded Stoltenberg give him full credit for the increase, illiciting awkward laughter from his lackeys Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Mike Pompeo (John Kelly appeared to be holding back a seizure throughout the whole affair), and promptly complaining it wasn’t enough. Trump being Trump, he then clumsily started in on the Germany-as-Russian-puppet bilge, and lied that he has been pointing out the issue “from the beginning.”
One could almost see the corroded gears of our blackmailer-in-chief’s lil brain tortoriously cranking away and envisioning fresh new material for his rallies back home: “Did you see me give it to what’s his name at the NATO meeting? Germany gets all of its energy from Russia and the fake media says I’m in bed with Putin. They want us to pay to protect them from the country they give billions to! Not going to happen folks!”
It’s even money Trump didn’t come up with this fresh red grievance meat himself, and even Miller would think twice before giving Trump more nitro to blow things up in Brussels… or not. Outside suspects, who would coach up Bevis on this angle? Steve Bannon? Sean Hannity? Gorka? Whoever! The list’s length makes your back hurt.
Our country is currently represented by a vacant nihilist, solely concerned with impressing his micro constituency at the expense of… everything else. It’s not unreasonable to think Trump fully believes the guff he spouts; it all makes sense when it’s hissed to him. Like every other issue our POTUS digests, stopping at C with zero interest in thinking it through to Z, and then allowing Fox/AM to corrupt A and B, it becomes only so much more inane fodder, just another example of the moronic synergy between Trump and his wretched core.
Whatever validity an issue carries, whatever room there is to agree or disagree, will be rendered meaningless by the time Trump is finished. Burden sharing and energy dependence on Moscow, particularly by East European nations, are exactly the questions the annual Brussels conference is meant to address. That they have become cheap throwaway lines of our globally despised President’s transparent preening to a servile political base clarifies the awful damage even only 18 months has wrought. A second Trump term is unimaginable; European leaders are now pondering just that specter and mumbling a tragic new truth… with friends like us, who needs enemies? BC