Artificial NordStream Sabotage
Accused of sabotaging the NordStream gas pipelines, the CIA has denied and released its own narrative to the international press: it would be a group of unidentified pro-Ukrainians... We asked the artificial intelligence to propose arguments for/against each hypothesis and to generate images to visualize both.
This series is part of a collection of Artificial Clichés / Artificial Torture
AI explores the two hypotheses
Bing AI: Here is a list of arguments for and against each hypothesis, based on the web search results.
Hypothesis 1: The sabotage team was a covert operation of the U.S. Navy’s Diving and Salvage Center, a specialized unit that conducts underwater missions and has access to advanced technology and equipment.
Sources: Seymour Hersh, February 8, 2023: “How America Took Out The Nord Stream Pipeline”
Arguments for:
- The U.S. had a strategic and economic interest in stopping Nord Stream 2 from being completed, as it would undermine Russia’s influence and revenue in Europe, while boosting America’s own gas exports and allies.
- The U.S. had a history of conducting covert operations against its adversaries, such as the Stuxnet cyberattack that damaged Iran’s nuclear program.
- The U.S. had access to stealthy submarines, drones, robots, explosives, and divers that matched those used in the attacks on Nord Stream 2, as well as insider information and technical expertise on the pipeline project.Arguments against:
- The U.S. denied any involvement in the attacks on Nord Stream 2 and expressed support for its completion as part of a deal with Germany.
- The U.S. lacked the authorization and legitimacy to carry out such a blatant violation of international law and sovereignty, especially in the face of European opposition and scrutiny.
- The U.S. risked damaging its relations with its European allies, who were invested in Nord Stream 2.
Hypothesis 2: The sabotage team was recruited and trained by a Ukrainian state-owned company(*) that exports weapons and military equipment, and has connections to the Ukrainian secret service and some nationalist groups.
Sources:
The New-York Time, March 7, 2023: “Intelligence Suggests Pro-Ukrainian Group Sabotaged Pipelines, U.S. Officials Say”
Die Zeit, 7. März 2023: “Nord-Stream-Ermittlungen: Spuren führen in die Ukraine”
(*) Note that BingAI infered that this Ukrainian state-owned company would be Ukrspetsexport “which is the only Ukrainian state-owned company that exports weapons and military equipment”.
Arguments for:
- Ukraine had a strong political and economic incentive to prevent Nord Stream 2 from being completed, as it would lose its role as a transit country for Russian gas and a buffer zone against Russian aggression.
- Ukraine had a history of sabotaging Russian energy projects, such as the 2014 explosions that damaged power lines supplying electricity to Crimea.
- Ukraine had access to explosives and devices that matched those used in the attacks on Nord Stream 2, as well as insider information and technical expertise on the pipeline project.Arguments against:
- Ukraine denied any involvement in the attacks on Nord Stream 2 and condemned them as acts of terrorism.
- Ukraine lacked the resources and capabilities to carry out such a sophisticated and covert operation, especially in the face of Russian surveillance and countermeasures.
- Ukraine risked escalating the conflict with Russia and losing the support of its European allies, who were invested in Nord Stream 2.
Some images generated by Stable Diffusion AI
According to the articles quoted, the pro-Ukrainian group consisted of five men and one woman using false Bulgarian passports. AI found their ID photos:
According to the quoted articles, the pro-Ukrainian group rented a 15-meter sailboat in the port of Rostock. The AI found the boat in question :
According to the quoted articles, the pro-Ukrainian group used the sailboat to transport tons of exponents and their diving equipment. AI shows the shipload :
There is no evidence that a boat was seen in the vicinity of the explosions, before, during or after the events. But it doesn’t matter, the AI is able to produce this image.
