Topic: Turkey Stream

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is reportedly active in the Balkans, with the hosts speculating she is organizing a "color revolution" in Macedonia. Macedonia is a critical link for the proposed Turkish Stream pipeline, which would transport Russian gas through Turkey and Greece into Central Europe. The hosts suggest U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region are aimed at disrupting Russian energy infrastructure projects.

Gazprom and Turkey have finalized plans for the "Turkey Stream" natural gas pipeline, which is intended to bypass Ukraine and deliver gas to Europe via Greece by December 2016. In a separate investigation, Honeywell is identified as a manufacturer of cluster munitions, such as the MK 20, which are at the center of international law controversies.

Russia announced the cancellation of the South Stream pipeline through Bulgaria, opting instead to build a gas hub in Turkey. This strategic shift by Gazprom and President Putin positions Turkey as a primary energy transit point for the European Union, potentially bypassing EU regulatory hurdles.

Speculation arises regarding Jen Psaki being "benched" in favor of Marie Harf following diplomatic friction with Turkey. The conversation shifts to the Nord Stream pipeline, which delivers Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing Poland and Ukraine, and the strategic importance of the trans-Adriatic pipeline.

Secretary of State John Kerry is advocating for European energy independence to reduce reliance on Russian gas imports. The strategy involves building new energy infrastructure and storage capacity across the continent while exploring alternative routes through Turkey. However, Turkey's energy minister is currently in negotiations with Russia regarding the South Stream pipeline, complicating U.S. efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin.

Vladimir Putin marks the start of the South Stream gas pipeline construction, which will deliver Russian gas to Europe via the Black Sea and the Balkans. Adam Curry argues that Russia is backing away from Syria because the South Stream project makes the Syrian transit route less vital. They discuss Hillary Clinton's efforts to block Russian energy influence in favor of the Nabucco pipeline through Turkey.

The hosts link the recent Israeli raid on a Turkish flotilla to a larger geopolitical struggle over natural gas. They suggest the incident is related to the Blue Stream 2 pipeline and Russia's attempt to control gas supplies to Israel. This energy conflict is framed as a precursor to a potential war involving Iran and Saudi Arabia.