Germany-Led EU in Hegemon USA's Crosshairs

by Stephen Lendman

Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA — with branch offices in Washington, other US cities, Europe and Australia — the RAND Corporation operates as a virtual extension of US imperial rampaging and one-world technocratic rule, what's unsafe and unfit to live in for the vast majority so the privileged few can maximally benefit.

In January, RAND reported on why hegemon USA is pushing Germany-led EU regimes to back Nazified Ukraine and sever ties with Russia.

Deteriorating US conditions suggest that the empire of lies and forever wars cannot "function without financial and material support from external sources."

The Wall Street-controlled Fed and other monied interests have long known that money printing madness to elevate financial markets to unparalleled heights is unsustainable over the longterm.

What can't go on forever never does.

Germany is Western Europe's linchpin, its "economic model…based on two pillars," RAND explained, saying:

"These are unlimited access to cheap Russian energy resources and cheap French electric power (from its) nuclear (energy) plants."

"The importance of the first factor is considerably higher."

"Halting Russian supplies can well create a systemic crisis that would be devastating for the German economy and, indirectly, for the entire European Union" — as well as for Britain.

Weakening Germany economically and Western Europe overall greatly benefits corporate America.

At the same time, US control over Europe is strengthened.

It's in stark contrast to the failure of hegemon USA's proxy hot and sanctions war on Russia.

Its largely self-sufficient economy is holding up well while US/Western ones falter, especially European ones.

And notably without Russian oil, gas and other key commodities over a sustained period, their economies risk collapse.

Heavily industrialized Germany, the continent's economic powerhouse when operating well on all cylinders, is in crisis.

Last week, Reuters reported that that German industrial orders fell for the 6th consecutive month, citing the Scholz regime's economic ministry.

In July, the Financial Times reported that "Russian (oil and) gas cuts threaten to shutter Germany industry," adding:

"Many companies have few options, if supplies dwindle or Moscow halts all flows."

SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz's CEO, Petr Cingr, said the following:

Germany's largest ammonia producer and key supplier of fertilizers and exhaust fluids for diesel engines will "have to stop (production) immediately" if Russia halts energy supplies to the country.

At the same time, the Scholz regime fears a winter gas crisis, what'll paralyze industry and leave millions of households without heat when most needed.

According to Germany's Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI) — the trade group representing the country's chemical industry — its companies "will either have to reduce their gas consumption or curb production."

Based on consensus of most German economists, the nation's industry will experience a severe fall in output without Russian energy.

Swiss Bank UBS predicts a "deep recession" without it, German GDP to decline around 6%.

While German firms are seeking ways to replace lost Russian energy, especially its gas, reality they face is there's no alternative.

According to VCI's Jorg Rothermel:

"There is now a danger that we won't be able to produce certain things in Germany any more because there just won't be the gas, or the energy costs are so high that it's no longer competitive."

Germany's BASF, the world's largest chemical company, warned that if Russian gas drops below half of what's needed, its major Ludwigshafen plant will have to cease operations.

And this from Germany's ThyssenKrupp, its largest steelmaker, saying:

Without Russian gas, its blast furnaces cannot operate.

"(S)hutdowns and technical damage to our production facilities cannot be ruled out."

Germany's ArcelorMittal, the country's 2nd largest steel producer, warned that production is "no longer competitive" because of soaring energy costs.

The firm halted production at two of its plants.

German industry across the board is adversely affected because of current conditions.

Things will greatly worsen if Russia halts energy supplies to the country and other European ones because of their alliance with hegemon USA's proxy hot and sanctions war on the Russian Federation.

That's where things are heading if German and other European regimes continue shooting themselves in the foot by self-inflicting harm instead of pursuing their own interests over sticking with US diktats.