But he said any further comments could be damaging for NATO.

"One of the reasons why NATO is successful is that we have always stayed out of domestic political issues," he said.

"If I start to say anything that makes it possible to connect me to ongoing political debates in any allied country, I will actually weaken the alliance."

He wouldn't, and he knows it. He was asked about Biden's health and did his job by not really answering.

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

They together planned the biggest act of sabotage in history, so maybe journos thought he's so close confidante in other issues too.

Also, Biden is commander of the biggest military in NATO, so it's natural to assume this question is of the interest to the chief of NATO.

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

what sabotage?

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Nordstream bombing. Seymour Hersh investigated it and claims both Biden and Stoltenberg played deciding role in it.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Seymour Hersh may not always get things right. He seems to have been mistaken about the Syrian gas attack, for example:

https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/06/25/will-get-fooled-seymour-hersh-welt-khan-sheikhoun-chemical-attack/

And his Nord Stream story is hard to corroborate given its dependence on an anonymous source:

https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/10/hersh-nord-stream-sabotage/

This isn't to say he's wrong, but since there is just one anonymous source we don't really know he's right either.

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I would say he's correct, reaction of Germany and the farcical official investigations precisely point on perpetrator being USA.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I certainly wouldn't rule it out. I doubt we'll ever know for sure.

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

US crimes have a habit of coming in the light sooner or later, and this thing is big. We will know as soon as US grip on EU political groups will weaken.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 months ago

The sheer panic at the top levels of EU and NATO must be incredible right now. Their whole political strategy hinged on Biden staying in power, and now it's becoming increasingly clear that Biden is a walking corpse.

[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I can't immediately find a reference for this, but I would assume that all US forces deployed to support NATO in Europe can be commanded by the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR) who is always an American general. If the Russkies decide to invade, I'm sure that SACEUR has the authority to dictate response if he can't immediately reach the President.

The only reason that NATO would need to urgently and immediately speak to POTUS is for nuclear weapons release, and fortunately that scenario has been wargamed to hell and back.

[–] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 2 points 3 months ago

Even more. That is why the vice president and a whole protocol of succession exists.

An old president is hardly like a feudal nation where a king dies without children.