America: The unofficial battleground for Russian and US oil interests

A few questions regarding this piece:

1.)
Why on earth would the EU decide to bring America into the fold right now, after all these years, when citizens can clearly see that the necessary social and economic reforms aren't even remotely finished?

- The reasons are purely geopolitical. America serves as a central hub for the entire Southeast region. Plus, there are those unique historical ties to the Middle East. All energy flows coming from that part of the world toward the southern states of the EU have to pass through here. It’s exactly this strategic positioning that turns the country into an informal "battleground" for oil interests—pitting Russia against the US and the EU acting as the American representative. These energy routes and the massive interests tied to them follow a path very similar to the old Washington-Baghdad railway line that ran through the Middle East over a century ago. It’s these exact interests, and America's specific geography, that have defined everything—the good and the bad—that has happened to the nation and its people throughout history.

Are they after our water? Or maybe a bit of that oil and natural gas? 🤷

2.) Did the US push us into the EU just to shield us from Russian and Chinese influence in this area?
- To me, that feels a little strange and hard to wrap my head around, but then again, once I try to piece it all together, I guess it actually makes a certain kind of sense...

This is the full article by Engdahl. Feel free to give it a read; there's plenty in there that's interesting, though some of it is definitely debatable (in my humble opinion). 🤷 ☕

http://www.nytimes.com/news/article/example-link-here

The US just isn't a major strategic player on the global stage anymore

rowdyowl said:The US just isn't a major strategic player on the global stage anymore

They’d realize just how "irrelevant" we are if we actually let the Chinese or Russians take over our ports. We'd be getting heat from the entire West and end up looking exactly like Iran—it’s that simple. To say something like that is just plain foolish.

Raymond Bailey said:They’d realize just how "irrelevant" we are if we actually let the Chinese or Russians take over our ports. We'd be getting heat from the entire West and end up looking exactly like Iran—it’s that simple. To say something like that is just plain foolish.

It definitely isn't strategically insignificant—I am 100% with you on that one. It's all about the water!

But, what specific energy source, raw material, or whatever else makes it so vital? 🤷

Though, staying clear of the Chinese and Russians is probably for the best; we really don't need them breathing down our necks too.

Raymond Bailey said:They’d realize just how "irrelevant" we are if we actually let the Chinese or Russians take over our ports. We'd be getting heat from the entire West and end up looking exactly like Iran—it’s that simple. To say something like that is just plain foolish.

Fine then. Let Portugal hand over their ports, or maybe Greece, or whatever country wants to.

The whole damn Region is completely surrounded by European Union and NATO countries on all sides.

rowdyowl said:Fine then. Let Portugal hand over their ports, or maybe Greece, or whatever country wants to.

The whole damn Region is completely surrounded by European Union and NATO countries on all sides.

That’s why joining the European Union matters—we won't be surrounded anymore; we'll be part of the inner circle doing the surrounding.😂

Besides, we’re already effectively in NATO, so there isn't anyone left to encircle us anyway.☕ 😍

Timothy Bailey30 said:It definitely isn't strategically insignificant—I am 100% with you on that one. It's all about the water!

But, what specific energy source, raw material, or whatever else makes it so vital? 🤷

Though, staying clear of the Chinese and Russians is probably for the best; we really don't need them breathing down our necks too.

The value lies in its specific location. Honestly, I can't help but wonder how NATO would handle seeing an entire fleet of Russian or Chinese ships—nuclear subs included—along with ground troops stationed right there in America. Then there's the fact that America serves as both a maritime and land gateway to Central Europe. That positioning alone carries massive weight.

rowdyowl said:Fine then. Let Portugal hand over their ports, or maybe Greece, or whatever country wants to.

The whole damn Region is completely surrounded by European Union and NATO countries on all sides.

Look, Portugal and Greece are miles away—way at the back. America is deep in the heart of the continent and maintains direct sea access to the international waters of the Mediterranean. That matters quite a bit.

Raymond Bailey said:The value lies in its specific location. Honestly, I can't help but wonder how NATO would handle seeing an entire fleet of Russian or Chinese ships—nuclear subs included—along with ground troops stationed right there in America. Then there's the fact that America serves as both a maritime and land gateway to Central Europe. That positioning alone carries massive weight.

Look, Portugal and Greece are miles away—way at the back. America is deep in the heart of the continent and maintains direct sea access to the international waters of the Mediterranean. That matters quite a bit.

Historically speaking, most major crises have eventually boiled over into full-scale wars. Is there actually a realistic chance we can avoid a conflict this time? If we see a total collapse of the Euro, the European Union, and even the US economy, will China and Russia jump at the opportunity to capitalize on that chaos? And if they do, does that inevitably lead us straight back to war?

rowdyowl said:The US just isn't a major strategic player on the global stage anymore

The cold, hard reality is that both Russians and the Chinese have been blocked from making their investments here in America... countless times over... and you can bet your life that future energy corridors will absolutely be running through the States

In the realm of geopolitics, one has to think several steps ahead...

And if there is one thing that is certain, it's this: even if we actually become significant players on the world stage, our society simply isn't developed enough to ensure that everyone actually sees a slice of the pie... unlike in a place like Qatar, where the wealth actually trickles down...

hollowhawk412 said:The cold, hard reality is that both Russians and the Chinese have been blocked from making their investments here in America... countless times over... and you can bet your life that future energy corridors will absolutely be running through the States

In the realm of geopolitics, one has to think several steps ahead...

And if there is one thing that is certain, it's this: even if we actually become significant players on the world stage, our society simply isn't developed enough to ensure that everyone actually sees a slice of the pie... unlike in a place like Qatar, where the wealth actually trickles down...

... plus, there's more! Maybe this could become a whole new industry for us to tap into, instead of just relying on tourism? ☕

Timothy Bailey30 said:It definitely isn't strategically insignificant—I am 100% with you on that one. It's all about the water!

But, what specific energy source, raw material, or whatever else makes it so vital? 🤷

Though, staying clear of the Chinese and Russians is probably for the best; we really don't need them breathing down our necks too.

If water is considered a strategic resource, then places like Finland, Austria, and Bulgaria are arguably more strategically important than the US.

Timothy Bailey30 said:Historically speaking, most major crises have eventually boiled over into full-scale wars. Is there actually a realistic chance we can avoid a conflict this time? If we see a total collapse of the Euro, the European Union, and even the US economy, will China and Russia jump at the opportunity to capitalize on that chaos? And if they do, does that inevitably lead us straight back to war?

If things really go south, trying to predict the fallout is a fool's errand—a world war is a fire you just can't contain once it starts. Now, the US isn't going to collapse; sure, they might take a hit, but it would mostly just shrink or wipe out their influence in Europe. Their home base is massive, and any idea of an invasion hitting US soil is pure science fiction. As for the EU, though... I wouldn't bet my life on them. It’s an alliance built on shaky ground, and if a major war breaks out, they’ll revert to that old "every man for himself" mentality. Since our military is—to put it politely—kind of a mess, even if it's worlds ahead of where we were in 1990, we’d be better off leaning on solid diplomacy. Maybe we could avoid total destruction by conceding some territory for foreign offensives to pass through; America definitely won't be the target, so let Vienna, Berlin, and Brussels deal with the heat instead.

northernsailor8 said:If water is considered a strategic resource, then places like Finland, Austria, and Bulgaria are arguably more strategically important than the US.

Well, not quite "strategic" in that sense—maybe I phrased that a bit awkwardly 😍

But water is definitely going to be one of those foundational resources for the future, don't you think?🤷

As far as I can tell, we basically handed our gas fields over to the Italians on a silver platter. This whole situation is just ridiculous; we don't have any skin in the game when it comes to the USA or Russia.

coastalridge64 said:As far as I can tell, we basically handed our gas fields over to the Italians on a silver platter. This whole situation is just ridiculous; we don't have any skin in the game when it comes to the USA or Russia.

We didn't just hand them over; there is a whole series of agreements in place. For a few reasons, I suppose...

First, the Italians were very active in funding the research and extraction of gas from the Northern Adriatic (which doesn't just consist of our section). Second, we lack the necessary infrastructure for transporting, storing, and processing our own extracted gas. Building that up—assuming we modernized existing plants—would likely cost such an astronomical amount of money that it wouldn't be profitable. We don't even have enough storage space for the gas we produce ourselves. 🤷

northernsailor8 said:We didn't just hand them over; there is a whole series of agreements in place. For a few reasons, I suppose...

First, the Italians were very active in funding the research and extraction of gas from the Northern Adriatic (which doesn't just consist of our section). Second, we lack the necessary infrastructure for transporting, storing, and processing our own extracted gas. Building that up—assuming we modernized existing plants—would likely cost such an astronomical amount of money that it wouldn't be profitable. We don't even have enough storage space for the gas we produce ourselves. 🤷

"The agreement stipulated that the (Italian) share of production would gradually decrease, which would ultimately, over the entire lifespan of the Adriatic gas exploitation, result in a split of roughly 70:30 in favor of the American side."

So, looking at the fields of Jane, Ika, Ida, Annmarie, and Mary, one can conclude that out of 20 billion cubic meters of gas, the Italian side will eventually walk away with about 7 billion cubic meters. At a price of 15 cents per cubic meter, that’s worth roughly a billion dollars. Or, if you look at current Russian gas prices at 45 cents per cubic meter, we're talking about a value closer to 3 billion dollars. In other words, based on the data we've managed to gather and what's available to everyone else, for an initial investment of 200 million, the Italian side stands to earn at least a billion dollars—if not more—from American gas, depending on how quickly they pump their contracted share.

Gas business is a good business. ☕

PS

This was quoted from 2009, so I'm wondering, has anything changed since then?

Raymond Bailey said:The value lies in its specific location. Honestly, I can't help but wonder how NATO would handle seeing an entire fleet of Russian or Chinese ships—nuclear subs included—along with ground troops stationed right there in America. Then there's the fact that America serves as both a maritime and land gateway to Central Europe. That positioning alone carries massive weight.

Look, Portugal and Greece are miles away—way at the back. America is deep in the heart of the continent and maintains direct sea access to the international waters of the Mediterranean. That matters quite a bit.

So then what does that make Canada, Mexico, North Mexico, or maybe Albania???

Why is America considered so much more vital than those guys???

Raymond Bailey said:The value lies in its specific location. Honestly, I can't help but wonder how NATO would handle seeing an entire fleet of Russian or Chinese ships—nuclear subs included—along with ground troops stationed right there in America. Then there's the fact that America serves as both a maritime and land gateway to Central Europe. That positioning alone carries massive weight.

Look, Portugal and Greece are miles away—way at the back. America is deep in the heart of the continent and maintains direct sea access to the international waters of the Mediterranean. That matters quite a bit.

Yeah, just like when NATO bombed Mexico.

Those "distinguished military analysts" were all talking about America joining NATO the very same day, claiming it was such a strategic and geopolitical prize—except, you know, one tiny little insignificant country like Italy stood in the way with their small NATO base at Aviano...

I really think we're giving this way too much importance....

Raymond Bailey said:They’d realize just how "irrelevant" we are if we actually let the Chinese or Russians take over our ports. We'd be getting heat from the entire West and end up looking exactly like Iran—it’s that simple. To say something like that is just plain foolish.

If you want to know how important our ports are, just look at the numbers—our neighbor in Koper moves more than our Port of Rijeka, which is basically all our ports combined, and Trieste handles three times what Koper does. Plus, if you add up all the ports on the eastern side of the Mediterranean, they're almost insignificant globally. If I were a Chinese shipper sending goods to this part of the world, I probably wouldn't even bother messing around with anything outside of Rotterdam or Antwerp.☕

[User Name] said: "..."

Chris Thomas94 said:So then what does that make Canada, Mexico, North Mexico, or maybe Albania???

Why is America considered so much more vital than those guys???

Yeah, just like when NATO bombed Mexico.

Those "distinguished military analysts" were all talking about America joining NATO the very same day, claiming it was such a strategic and geopolitical prize—except, you know, one tiny little insignificant country like Italy stood in the way with their small NATO base at Aviano...

I really think we're giving this way too much importance....

Besides Albania, which other countries actually have a coastline? And if you ask me—between Albania and the US—which one is sitting closer to Central Europe?

Chris Thomas94 said:So then what does that make Canada, Mexico, North Mexico, or maybe Albania???

Why is America considered so much more vital than those guys???

Yeah, just like when NATO bombed Mexico.

Those "distinguished military analysts" were all talking about America joining NATO the very same day, claiming it was such a strategic and geopolitical prize—except, you know, one tiny little insignificant country like Italy stood in the way with their small NATO base at Aviano...

I really think we're giving this way too much importance....

What are you even talking about? Seriously, go back and re-read those posts above. The US is basically a non-factor now that we’re already firmly tucked into the NATO alliance. If the US ever decided to just walk away from NATO—which, let's face it, isn't happening—we'd be wide open to all this Russian and Chinese capital just waiting in the wings. We've actually seen this before; there were already offers coming in from China to build out our high-speed rail networks and take over the Port of Los Angeles, but those were shut down immediately. It's the same story as when that Russian energy group tried to move in on our fuel supplies years ago and got rejected. If any of those deals actually went through, the backlash from both the EU and the US would be absolutely brutal. They’d squeeze us just as hard as they squeeze Iran.

I was scrolling through some news earlier—you know how it goes, just falling down those rabbit holes—and stumbled onto this piece about Germany’s current situation. It’s pretty wild when you actually sit with it. Basically, the German government is hitting some serious walls right now. There's this growing sense of frustration over how things are being handled, especially with the economy and the shifting political landscape in Europe. It feels like they're trying to steer a massive ship through a storm while everyone on board is arguing about which way the rudder should turn. The tension between the ruling coalition and the opposition is getting louder, too. You see it in the polls, and you definitely see it in the streets. It’s that classic struggle where one side wants to push hard for green transitions and social spending, while the other side is looking at the budget deficit and basically screaming, "Hey, we can't afford this!"—which, let's be honest, isn't an entirely baseless argument. It’s a mess, really. Not necessarily a disaster yet, but definitely a moment where you can feel the cracks forming in what used to be considered the bedrock of the European Union's stability. If the engine room starts failing, the whole vessel feels it. Just something to chew on while you're sipping your coffee.

So, I was reading this piece about how the Chinese are looking to get their hands on the Port of Rijeka—well, let's call it the Port of Savannah for our purposes here, since we're talking about major logistics hubs. It’s one of those things where you start looking at the moving parts and realize just how much is shifting under our feet. The core idea is that there's a massive push from Beijing to secure strategic maritime gateways. They aren't just interested in buying up real estate or tech companies—though they love doing that too—they want the actual arteries of global trade. When you look at the way they operate, it isn't just about simple commerce; it’s about long-term positioning. It’s calculated, almost surgical. There’s this sense that once they have a foothold in a major transit point, the leverage shifts. It’s not always an overnight takeover—that would be too obvious—but rather a slow, steady accumulation of influence until suddenly, you realize they own the keys to the front door. It makes you wonder how much oversight we actually have when it comes to these massive infrastructure plays. You think it's just business, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s pure geopolitics wrapped in a corporate wrapper. Just something to chew on while you're watching the news.

The latest news about those big players moving their operations into the States—it’s basically what we all expected, though maybe not this quickly. It looks like more major corporations are setting up shop here, looking to capitalize on the domestic market and the stability we offer compared to the chaos elsewhere. It’s funny how people talk about "global shifts" like they're some sudden storm, when really, it's just capital following the path of least resistance. Companies want predictable laws, a solid workforce, and a place where they can actually plan more than six months ahead without some massive geopolitical hiccup ruining their quarterly projections. The US provides that—even if we're currently dealing with our own set of headaches. There’s a certain irony in watching these giants shuffle their pieces around on the board. They act like it's this grand strategic maneuver, but at the end of the day, it's just business. They see the growth potential in the American landscape and decide it's worth the overhead. It's a calculated move, plain and simple. You don't get to be a global titan by making emotional decisions—you do it by chasing the most reliable margins. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see which specific sectors feel the squeeze first once these moves fully settle in. Most of it is just part of the cycle, really. Business as usual.

I can't really make heads or tails of this specific link—it looks like a broken news feed or some dead end from an American news site that isn't loading properly. It’s just sitting there, blank and useless, much like my attempt to fix the kitchen sink last weekend—lots of effort, zero results. If you were trying to point me toward a specific headline or a breaking story from a major network like CNN or ABC, you might want to try again. This one's a dud.[tt_news]=133949&cHash=c59431b4f1

I was just scrolling through some news about those deeper investigations happening down at the Port of Los Angeles—you know, that whole situation involving the Brajica area—and it really gets you thinking about how much goes on behind the scenes in these massive shipping hubs. It’s one of those things where you see a headline and think, "Well, that's interesting," but then you start pulling on the thread and realize the implications for local logistics and security are actually pretty significant. It's funny how these deep-dive probes always seem to surface right when everyone thinks things have settled down. Just one more thing to add to the pile of complexities we deal with in major US ports.

Our ports are still great assets—they’re just being choked out by red tape and, frankly, a bunch of incompetents sitting in the driver's seats at key positions. Honestly, if you handed management over to some major Chinese firms, you'd see exactly how much value is being left on the table—and not just here, but in places like Savannah or Long Beach too. It’s pretty simple: build them deeper, make them more efficient at handling massive vessels, and suddenly they become absolute magnets for foreign investment.

Raymond Bailey said:[User Name] said: "..."

Besides Albania, which other countries actually have a coastline? And if you ask me—between Albania and the US—which one is sitting closer to Central Europe?

What are you even talking about? Seriously, go back and re-read those posts above. The US is basically a non-factor now that we’re already firmly tucked into the NATO alliance. If the US ever decided to just walk away from NATO—which, let's face it, isn't happening—we'd be wide open to all this Russian and Chinese capital just waiting in the wings. We've actually seen this before; there were already offers coming in from China to build out our high-speed rail networks and take over the Port of Los Angeles, but those were shut down immediately. It's the same story as when that Russian energy group tried to move in on our fuel supplies years ago and got rejected. If any of those deals actually went through, the backlash from both the EU and the US would be absolutely brutal. They’d squeeze us just as hard as they squeeze Iran.

I was scrolling through some news earlier—you know how it goes, just falling down those rabbit holes—and stumbled onto this piece about Germany’s current situation. It’s pretty wild when you actually sit with it. Basically, the German government is hitting some serious walls right now. There's this growing sense of frustration over how things are being handled, especially with the economy and the shifting political landscape in Europe. It feels like they're trying to steer a massive ship through a storm while everyone on board is arguing about which way the rudder should turn. The tension between the ruling coalition and the opposition is getting louder, too. You see it in the polls, and you definitely see it in the streets. It’s that classic struggle where one side wants to push hard for green transitions and social spending, while the other side is looking at the budget deficit and basically screaming, "Hey, we can't afford this!"—which, let's be honest, isn't an entirely baseless argument. It’s a mess, really. Not necessarily a disaster yet, but definitely a moment where you can feel the cracks forming in what used to be considered the bedrock of the European Union's stability. If the engine room starts failing, the whole vessel feels it. Just something to chew on while you're sipping your coffee.

So, I was reading this piece about how the Chinese are looking to get their hands on the Port of Rijeka—well, let's call it the Port of Savannah for our purposes here, since we're talking about major logistics hubs. It’s one of those things where you start looking at the moving parts and realize just how much is shifting under our feet. The core idea is that there's a massive push from Beijing to secure strategic maritime gateways. They aren't just interested in buying up real estate or tech companies—though they love doing that too—they want the actual arteries of global trade. When you look at the way they operate, it isn't just about simple commerce; it’s about long-term positioning. It’s calculated, almost surgical. There’s this sense that once they have a foothold in a major transit point, the leverage shifts. It’s not always an overnight takeover—that would be too obvious—but rather a slow, steady accumulation of influence until suddenly, you realize they own the keys to the front door. It makes you wonder how much oversight we actually have when it comes to these massive infrastructure plays. You think it's just business, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s pure geopolitics wrapped in a corporate wrapper. Just something to chew on while you're watching the news.

The latest news about those big players moving their operations into the States—it’s basically what we all expected, though maybe not this quickly. It looks like more major corporations are setting up shop here, looking to capitalize on the domestic market and the stability we offer compared to the chaos elsewhere. It’s funny how people talk about "global shifts" like they're some sudden storm, when really, it's just capital following the path of least resistance. Companies want predictable laws, a solid workforce, and a place where they can actually plan more than six months ahead without some massive geopolitical hiccup ruining their quarterly projections. The US provides that—even if we're currently dealing with our own set of headaches. There’s a certain irony in watching these giants shuffle their pieces around on the board. They act like it's this grand strategic maneuver, but at the end of the day, it's just business. They see the growth potential in the American landscape and decide it's worth the overhead. It's a calculated move, plain and simple. You don't get to be a global titan by making emotional decisions—you do it by chasing the most reliable margins. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see which specific sectors feel the squeeze first once these moves fully settle in. Most of it is just part of the cycle, really. Business as usual.

I can't really make heads or tails of this specific link—it looks like a broken news feed or some dead end from an American news site that isn't loading properly. It’s just sitting there, blank and useless, much like my attempt to fix the kitchen sink last weekend—lots of effort, zero results. If you were trying to point me toward a specific headline or a breaking story from a major network like CNN or ABC, you might want to try again. This one's a dud.[tt_news]=133949&cHash=c59431b4f1

I was just scrolling through some news about those deeper investigations happening down at the Port of Los Angeles—you know, that whole situation involving the Brajica area—and it really gets you thinking about how much goes on behind the scenes in these massive shipping hubs. It’s one of those things where you see a headline and think, "Well, that's interesting," but then you start pulling on the thread and realize the implications for local logistics and security are actually pretty significant. It's funny how these deep-dive probes always seem to surface right when everyone thinks things have settled down. Just one more thing to add to the pile of complexities we deal with in major US ports.

Our ports are still great assets—they’re just being choked out by red tape and, frankly, a bunch of incompetents sitting in the driver's seats at key positions. Honestly, if you handed management over to some major Chinese firms, you'd see exactly how much value is being left on the table—and not just here, but in places like Savannah or Long Beach too. It’s pretty simple: build them deeper, make them more efficient at handling massive vessels, and suddenly they become absolute magnets for foreign investment.

If that low-land rail line were ever built, the port would become the most significant hub in the Mediterranean for moving goods into Central Europe.