Vale, preparaos para bomba mental.
Hoy sale el barbudo que ha liderado la revuelta contra Assad. Ya no tiene tanta barba, ya no va disfrazao de Mortadelo-Bin Laden. Ahora parece un revolucionario pragmático y pactista. Dice "No nos ha ayudado nadie, ningún país extranjero, ha sido la mano de dios etc". Pero ni chilabas, ni kalashnikov ni pollas.
Y leo esto en Reddit:
Middle Eastern Natural Gas: A Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
For decades, countries in the Middle East have pursued the objective of establishing a natural gas pipeline to Europe, one of the world's most lucrative markets. Until 2022, Russia dominated natural gas sales through extensive pipeline networks:
Existing Pipeline Capacities
- Nordstream 1: 55 billion cubic meters (cbm) per year
- Nordstream 2: 55 billion cbm per year
- Yamal: 33 billion cbm per year
- Bratstvo: 32 billion cbm per year
With Europe's annual demand ranging from 350-450 billion cubic meters, the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline connecting Azerbaijan to Europe remained a minimal competitor, supplying just 16 billion cubic meters annually.
Qatar: The Emerging Energy Powerhouse
Qatar stands out as the potential biggest winner in this complex geopolitical chess game. The small Emirate possesses 24 trillion cubic meters in proven reserves—enough to supply Europe for nearly a century, likely bridging the gap until full decarbonization.
Pipeline Route Strategies
Qatar has historically pursued two primary pipeline routes:
- Qatar → Saudi Arabia → Kuwait → Iraq → Turkey
- Qatar → Saudi Arabia → Syria → Turkey
Both routes faced significant challenges:
- Route 1 was complicated by Iraq's ongoing instability and Kurdish territorial tensions
- Route 2 was previously blocked by Syria's allegiance to Russia under Assad
Geopolitical Transformation
Recent developments have dramatically altered the landscape:
- Assad has been ousted from power in Syria
- Syria is now controlled by rebels with good relations to Qatar
- Qatar and Saudi Arabia have re-established diplomatic ties in 2021
- The Arab Gas Pipeline from Egypt to Syria can potentially be completed
Russia's Strategic Decline
These shifts represent a catastrophic scenario for Moscow:
- Nordstream 2 pipelines are destroyed
- Gazprom is virtually bankrupt
- A significant new competitor is emerging in the European energy market
Putin's personal decisions—particularly allowing Assad refuge in Moscow—are viewed as strategically disastrous. The text suggests this choice is rooted in Putin's personal memories of feeling abandoned in Dresden, leading to emotional rather than rational geopolitical planning.
Broader Implications
Syria is emerging as a potential critical energy hub, directly challenging Russia's historical energy monopoly. The potential Qatar-Syria pipeline could fundamentally reshape Middle Eastern energy exports and European energy dependencies.
