Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Russia Turkey and the New Greek Sirtaki

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Russia Turkey and the New Greek Sirtaki

Click here to access article by F. William Engdahl from New Eastern Outlook.

Engdahl uses a popular Greek dance, Sirtaki, as a metaphor for the celebration of an apparent Russian deal with both Turkey and Greece to build an pipeline through their countries. And, Putin apparently also offered money to the Greek government to sweeten the deal. The Greek and Turkish governments may be celebrating, but will Europe join in the dance? Stay tuned for the next episodes.

...Russia and Turkey have completed the landmark deal to begin deliveries of Gazprom Russian gas via a new “Turkish Stream” pipeline into and across Turkey through a pipeline now in construction. Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller announced on May 7 that, “An agreement has been made on the beginning of exploitation and deliveries of [Russian] gas along the Turkish Stream in December 2016.” The statement came following Miller’s meeting earlier in the day with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız. The new pipeline will travel through Turkey to a gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border for further distribution to European customers.