Sevim Dagdelen takes the Scholz government to task for its lack of “strength and will” in responding to Seymour Hersh’s reporting on the U.S. sabotage of the Russian pipeline. Video and text of her Feb. 10 speech to the Bundestag.
Sevim Dagdelen in 2013. (DIE LINKE Nordrhein-Westfalen Foto: Niels Holger Schmidt – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)
By Sevim Dagdelen
Sevim Dagdelen
Madam President! Ladies and gentlemen! At the time of war, journalism in our country is often carried out under the motto of “The American president declared, the federal government announced, the police inform.”
Throughout his entire career, internationally-renowned investigative reporter Seymour Hersh has always positioned himself against “press release”-style journalism that attempts to peddle government standpoints and rattle the credibility of any criticism of government actions.
Today, this goes as far as having privately-financed so-called fact checkers work on undermining war policy opposition and all but officially declaring what is deemed correct and what is not.
From the revelations about the U.S. massacre in My Lai during the Vietnam War to our present day, Seymour Hersh has understood journalism to be more than merely the production of truths at the direction of the state. It is all the more striking that his revelations regarding the acts of terror presumed to have been carried out by the USA and Norway have played practically no role whatsoever in public service media or in mainstream media outlets.
And it appears that the federal government itself has neither the strength nor the will to properly investigate these terrorist acts. Hiding behind the federal public prosecutor general simply isn’t a strategy that can pursued until the end of time.
I by no means wish to presume why there appears to be this lack of willingness to investigate on the part of the federal government. What are the real reasons? Maybe we don’t need to jump to the assumption that Federal Chancellor Scholz and Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock wouldn’t even venture out to buy a loaf of bread without first getting permission to do so from the U.S. administration.
But it is becoming obvious to more and more people in Germany that the federal government’s renunciation of an independent and diplomatic foreign policy, which does not see itself as being in a relationship of bondage to the USA, threatens to become an ever-increasing problem for the security of the population.
Plenary chamber of German parliament, the Bundestag, Berlin, 2020. (David McKelvey, Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
If, however, you as the federal government wish to counter the impression that you have no real interest in investigating the matter of terrorist attacks on the supply of energy via key gas pipelines, then I call upon you as the federal government to at least refrain from preventing the creation of an international investigative commission, ideally under the aegis of the United Nations.
In the past few hours, a peace manifesto — against the escalation of arms supplies, for a ceasefire and peace negotiations — has been published, with 69 intellectuals and artists, from Reinhard Mey to Katharina Thalbach and the son of Willy Brandt, Peter Brandt, among the first signatories, and which I too have signed. This appeal states:
“As citizens of Germany we cannot have a direct influence on America and Russia or on our European neighbours. Yet we can and we must hold our government and Chancellor to account and remind them of their oath: ‘to protect the German people from harm.’”
And this is also what I expect of the federal government when it comes to the investigation of the terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines.
Those who recall their oath of office must now urgently pursue this matter, regardless of the fact that the revelations so far indicate that our own ally, the USA, is responsible for this terrorist attack on our country.
There was a clear statement by U.S. President Joe Biden on 7 February last year. At a press conference with Federal Chancellor Scholz, he said:
“If Russia … invades, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.”
I also wish to remind you of the public joy expressed by Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland about these terrorist attacks. The President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen had declared following the attacks:
“Any deliberate disruption of active European energy infrastructure is unacceptable and will lead to the strongest possible response.”
I sincerely hope that this statement still applies now that the federal public prosecutor general sees no evidence of Russia being the perpetrator, and that the federal government would also find the strongest possible response to a terrorist attack on German and European infrastructure.
Thank you.
Sevim Dagdelen is deputy leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) in Parliament and spokeswoman for the Left Party parliamentary group on the Bundestag’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
This article is from Sevim Dagdelen
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
If Germany ceases to be as submissive as Britain or Japan, will it be attacked somehow? Thou Shalt Not Sass Uncle Sam!
Nothing happened to Bush, Cheney, etc. And, no doubt nothing will happen to Biden, Blinken or that awful Nuland person.
” Honesty is such a lonely word.” But at least, we have one honest person, Seymour Hersh.
All members of NATO must be investigated. The head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg has conducted himself as anything-but-neutral. He seems to dislike Russia. Norway had a role carrying out this crime, which makes it likely Stoltenberg, a Norwegian and former head minister, was informed. Informed for no other reason but as a courtesy. If so, it would be shameful he or all those with previous knowledge did not stop this dangerous attack.
This just might be NATO’s demise.
The German congresswoman stated what should be obvious to anybody paying attention; Nord Stream 2 is part of Germany’s infrastructure that had been destroyed by an act of terrorism so demanding from the government an investigation sounds very reasonable to me.
“sounds very reasonable to me”..
Well, ever since the Corona debacle, reason is being framed as “right-wing”. Same as logic. Even if coming from the left!
That’s postmodern neoliberalcon fascism for ya. It is inverting every single truth and wisdom we’ve ever held.
U.S. President Joe Biden on 7 February last year. At a press conference with Federal Chancellor Scholz, he said:
“If Russia … invades, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.” Can somebody explain rationally to me why Scholz did not react? Biden just admitted that he will to put and end to Nord Stream 2 if Russia invaded. Scholz couldn’t utter a single word against Biden or did not have the guts. What kind of a German “leader” is he?
Good point. The implied message at the time public-wise was that Germany was not in disagreement.
Finally, there seems to be a German with a backbone.
Sevim Dagdalen is very diplomatic, but makes the point that her government is run by spineless compradors, who make Vidkun Quisling look like a statesman.
There is more than just this one.
However: Those people are regularly smeared and silenced by our public and corporatemedia.
No voice is given to them, at least not in an open way which could lead to serious discussions.
Anything and anyone questioning the official line of propaganda faces oppression.
That reaches from distinguished journalists which in the past have worked from inside Russia for very long years and have been THE face of one particular public channel (Krone-Schmalz) or other journalists who really dared to go and observe the proceeding of votings in the separatist parts of Ukraine and because of this the university where he helds lectures revoked his employment, to admirals of our navy, which had to go simply because they expressed reasonable doubt about our course towards Russia.
And those are only people with some kind of standing and reputation.
What do you think happens to someone of the majority of ‘small people’ if they openly dared to question the public narrative?
We even got a brand new law, explicitely tailored to prohibit anything able to put a scratch on that ferrytale of an unprovoked war…
Believe me, it is unbearable.
Plain stupid McCarthyanism.
can confirm.
Da?dalen is only “very diplomatic” when she is trying to persuade people from other, opposing, parties to live up to their oath of office. Otherwise, she is more likely to give outspoken, hard-hitting speeches. For example. her keynote speech at the traditional demonstration against the Munich Security Conference: hxxps://youtu.be/WQgZousBTvs
(Unfortunately, the audio recording is poor.)
I have yet to hear from the Norwegians; they also were implicated in this caper. What will be the relationship of this country to Germany after this incident? Will Germany declare war on Norway, the US?
The German government hasn’t even demanded an explanation from the Norwegian ambassador. Norway’s implication has been kept out of the news coverage about Hersh’s article, so most German citizens have no idea. All they get presented with is a constant smearing of Hersh as a senile old white conspiracy theorist who has lost his marbles and was never that important of a journalist anyway. So no, Norway will not be attacked, not even criticized, because the NATO big boy players have “Cum Ex” Scholz by his proverbial balls.
A once proud nation falling to its knees to an “ally” whose intent is to destroy it – what a legacy!
I don’t believe the US has any intention toward Germany other than it comply with US wishes. In that it is consistent throughout its dealings with all nations. It is the essence of Empire and hegemony.
Why? you may ask. I say – “follow the money.”
Forget Nordstream. THE QUESTION THAT NEEDS ASKING IS WHY THE USA IS SHIPPING NUCLEAR WASTE TO UKRAINE.
Can you provide a link please?
Also letting the methane from 750 miles of pipeline into the atmosphere is a crime against all of humanity.
Ya, clearly these state-sponsored material abuses blow holes and sabotages the Western, American and especially Democratic Party’s credibility and commitments to environmentalism and all that useable bullshit. The poor cows are being stigmatized for allegedly over-farting the world to global-warming yet these elite political bulls are allowed to get away after gassing-off right on the face of the climate-crazy world ! In an increasingly genderized and wokeish world Greta Tundbergs are left to face the Dagdelens on global issues while their conspiring, and I suspect actually controlling, male counterparts retire behind the scenes to relaxly play with their own marbles !
In a nutshell, Sholz has no spine to confront the Americans . With that said, Germany has lost it’s standing as a sovereign nation and is now an American vassal
We could argue that Germany (the BRD) has been a vassal since 1945, and is still occupied by the US military. But yeah, the degree to which Germany is sacrificing its own economic, political and security interests seems unprecedented. A desperate US empire is gambling all-or-nothing with Ukraine and Europe as sacrifice zones. Vast areas of the US and US population are sacrifice zones as well.
Angela Merkel’s phones were tapped by the NSA for years, with the knowledge of the BND (German CIA) yet they did not inform her. The BND answers to the CIA and NSA, not the German govt. That much was made crystal clear.
Some former US officials have said that Euro politicians are bribed to toe the US line. If financial “incentives” don’t work, then there is also the threat of “an unfortunate accident” happen.
Finally a progressive voice with a spine! Thank you Sevim Dagdelen and the Die Linke party.
This lady too doesn’t mince her words:
hxxps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGn7Z4t7zY
Clare Daley
How sad that the people of Germany seem to have abandoned die Linke Party which had become the only anti-war representatives in Parliament. So-called “greens” and Christians and social democrats and free reps show none of these characteristics in their acceptance of US domination.
Alternative for Germany is also anti-war, although I do not know if these are individual members of Bundestag, or the party line. I have the same doubt about Linke, I do not know a good source on that in languages I know.
People here have abandoned that party, because nowadays it is mostly driven by wokists and genderists.
In result of this nobody from the working class with just the normal working-class-everyday problems has any reason to vote for this party.
Those few real leftists still left in that party are not very powerful and if they dare to say something the wokeists are not fond of, they face to be thrown out.
That has been the case when Wagenknecht (one of their most famous faces) gave a speech, seriously questioning the course of our government.
The Linke is nothing but a perfect match for the depiction of ‘the left’ MontyPythons gave in ‘Life of Brian’
It is about time that Germany, the Bundestag and the German people hold Olaf Scholz and Annalena Baerbock responsible for their silence on this act of war by the United States against Germany. Before the bombings were carried out, both President Joe Biden and Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland threatened the existence Nordstream pipelines. Both Nuland and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed their endorsement for this act of international terrorism following the demolition operation. Sweden’s slow-walked investigation of the damage concluded only meekly that it had clearly been an act of ‘sabotage.’ Even before Seymour Hersh’s article detailed the operation, it was plainly clear and obvious that only the United States had the intention, the means and the motive for destroying tens of billions of Euros worth of German and Russian owned critical infrastructure. Not only has Biden destroyed Germany’s economy through sanctions on Russia, but he also committed an act of war against a NATO ally. The question remains, when and how will Article 5 of the NATO treaty be invoked and carried out. Another question is: What did Olaf Scholz know about the operation and when did he know it?
I have been interested to see the increasing silence from our former “progressives” (Jayapal, Cortez. Omar et al) ever since the signing and immediate withdrawal of their letter to the President asking him to focus on negotiations, not war.
Truly, I am flabbergasted and worried about our paralysis here. It seems no one has any courage to express ideas–which is their perfect right to do. And how ironic it is that those speaking against the Ukrainian adventure comer from the Republican side: Goetz, Green and a few others.
Our congressional silence disenfranchises us all.
I have written to my Congressman and both of my Senators asking if they were given any notice of this war activity. If they have not, then Congressional authority, only Congressional authority to declare war is the SOLE authority of Congress, not the executive. I have received no response. Now hearing Jefferey Sachs tell the U.N. the same thing.
James, congratulations on your excellent lesson in civics!! The crickets you hear is unfortunately another, perhaps greater, lesson. Basically, these same elected public servants, all biting their lips, trying to determine which “action plan” is more likely to get them re-elected. Do I stand up for the truth, or toe the “official” (NOT “party”) line? The issue of “public service” is non-existent.
I foresee a lot of eggs on faces, and variations of ALL of the following excuses: “I never would have thought we could do such a thing…”, “I demand full accountability for all of those who were involved …”, “This NEVER would have happened if I was in that committee/organization/etc…”
The best government money can buy.
Ms. Dagdelen garnered lots of support for her speech, which was apparent by the applause she received. Now let’s see if the German government will “protect the German people from harm”.
Seymour Hersh has certainly opened up a can of worms. Only it seems more like a can of snakes.