Stephen Lendman

European countries subordinate their sovereign independence to Washington.

It’s what the CIA’s formation of the EU was all about, including economic powerhouse Germany, occupied by numerous US military bases - over 70 years after WW II ended.

Things on the continent are exacerbated by eurozone tyranny - 19 EU nations surrendering their monetary and fiscal sovereignty to Brussels, Berlin and Washington.

In response to Senate members passing legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia, notably targeting its energy and financial sectors, Germany hypocritically criticized the move, along with France and Austria - for actions against Moscow harming their economic interests.

They’re most concerned about negatively affecting joint Russia/EU energy projects, including the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to deliver natural gas to European countries.

Angela Merkel’s spokesman commented, saying “(t)he US Senate’s decision raises exactly the same questions for her as it did for (Austrian Chancellor Christian) Kern and (German Foreign Minister Sigmar) Gabriel. It is, putting it mildly, a peculiar move by the US Senate.”

A joint Gabriel/Kern statement said “Europe’s energy supply is a matter for Europe and not the United States of America.”

“We cannot accept threatening European companies that contribute to the development of European energy supply with extraterritorial sanctions that violate the international law.”

“Sanctions as a political instrument should not be linked to economic interests. (They threaten) German, Austrian and other European enterprises, which take part in the gas supply projects such as the Nord Stream 2 together with Russia or finance them.”

US penalties “would add an absolutely new and highly negative aspect in relations between (Washington) and Europe.”

“The issue is all about the sale of US condensed gas (to European countries) and pressing Russian energy companies (out of) the European market.”

Complaining about America interfering in European affairs ignores how it’s treated these countries for decades.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert declined to comment on the Russian sanctions issue, instead welcomed the first LNG shipment to Poland.

The Senate measure heading for certain overwhelming House passage permits sanctioning nations, enterprises and individuals investing to “directly and significantly contribute to the enhancement of (Russia) to construct energy export pipelines.”

It also prohibits purchasing “goods, services, technology, information, or support that could directly and significantly facilitate the maintenance or expansion of the construction, modernization, or repair of (Russia’s) energy pipelines.”

The administration is assessing how it’ll react once legislation reaches Trump’s desk.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said Washington should coordinate its moves on Russia with other G7 nations. A European Commission statement was similar.

European criticism about newly passed Senate sanctions rings hollow. Member states dutifully went along with US sanctions on Russia over its nonexistent interference in Ukraine, including its non-seizure of Crimea.

They expressed approval of Washington’s and imposed their own sanctions - despite opposition from business interests in their countries harmed by their actions.

When will European countries realize they’re best served by acting independently from Washington, putting their own interests first, along with cooperating with Moscow instead of maintaining hostile relations?

When will they assert their sovereign rights and end longstanding vassalage to America? When will they renounce US-launched wars and work for a new era of global peace and stability?

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html