I'm talking about passing the NDAA with provisions to sanction 'from hell' anyone associated with completion of the Nordstream 2 pipeline. The U.S. is now openly dismissive as a matter of law any ally or partner who engages in economic activity it disapproves of.

We do this all the time with countries we consider rivals or who have committed 'human rights abuses' or contravened international laws or societal norms.

But this is about a simple commercial transaction. Yes, it has geopolitical implications, but those are secondary. No one will be harmed by Nord Stream 2. The real harm is to the U.S.'s ability to bring political pressure on European countries to adopt its anti-Russian policies.

This pipeline is, ultimately, none of the U.S.'s business. It is an energy project openly entered into by six companies in accordance with EU regulations (which, thanks to U.S. pressure, changed during its construction) to provide energy security to Germany.

Germany needs the pipeline, so does most of Europe through reselling the gas. The U.S. takes this step now in imperial fashion because everything else has failed.

It presupposes that Russia and Europe are enemies. They are not. And if Ted Cruz (R-Oil Country) wants to define their relationship for them in that way, then he should introduce a declaration of war on Russia and force a NATO resolution to that effect.

He's not doing that. He's simply creating an international incident and ensuring the breakup of NATO that much more quickly.

Seriously, are these people that brain dead?

I think so.