Analyses on recent geo-political development

‘Russia alone can already confront the entire West…’

President Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of talks in restricted format, Kremlin, Moscow, March 21, 2023

The Russian media reported that President Vladimir Putin made an extraordinary gesture as President Xi Jinping left the Kremlin following the state dinner last week on Tuesday evening by escorting him to the limousine and seeing him off. 

And Xi during the goodbye handshake reportedly responded, “Together, we should push forward these changes that have not happened for 100 years. Take care.” 

Read Full Article: https://www.indianpunchline.com/russia-alone-can-already-confront-the-entire-west/

Erdogan weighs up Russia, dares Biden

Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s (R) friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) annoys the US (File photo) 

Turkish President Recep Erdogan has disclosed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend the nuclear fuel loading ceremony on April 27 at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. 

Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov deftly handled the political bombshell, choosing not to refute Erdogan’s statement. According to Erdogan, Putin’s participation in the ceremony may form part of an official visit. 

Read Full Article: https://www.indianpunchline.com/erdogan-weighs-up-russia-dares-biden/

OPEC: Saudis aren’t afraid of US anymore

The shock oil production cuts from May outlined by the OPEC+ on Sunday essentially means that eight key OPEC countries decided to join hands with Russia to reduce oil production, messaging that OPEC and OPEC+ are now back in control of the oil market.

No single oil producing country is acting as the Pied Piper here. The great beauty about it is that Saudi Arabia and seven other major OPEC countries have unexpectedly decided to support Russia’s efforts and unilaterally reduce production. 

Read Full Text: https://www.indianpunchline.com/opec-saudis-arent-afraid-of-us-anymore/

Regional isolation of Syria may end soon

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad. (Photo: Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Saudi Arabia may invite Syria to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Riyadh in May, Reuters reported on Sunday, April 2, quoting three unnamed sources close to the process. The report confirms the trend of Syria’s reintegration in regional politics after over a decade of isolation.  

While not officially confirmed yet, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is likely to visit Syrian capital Damascus in the coming weeks to formally invite Syria for the summit, the report claims.

The Arab League summit is scheduled to be held from May 19.  

Saudi Arabia and Syria have agreed to reopen their respective embassies in Damascus and Riyadh after Ramadan this year. 

Read Full Article: https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/04/03/regional-isolation-of-syria-may-end-soon/

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Iran-Saudi Rapprochement: Signs of Waning Influence of USA in the Region

Countercurrents | March 12, 2023

The Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement has wide reactions.

An NBC report — What does the Iran-Saudi Arabia truce mean for Washington’s standing on the global stage? (March 11, 2023, NBCNews.com) — said:

As some world leaders hailed the restoration of ties between long-standing enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, there were growing fears in Washington that the deal could help spell the end of the United States’ pre-eminence in the region and beyond.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated the announcement, expressing his appreciation to China for brokering the deal.

Xi Jinping’s Visit to Saudi Arabia and the overthrow of Atlanticism

Matthew Ehret

As Atlanticists continue their commitment to a future shaped by energy scarcity, food scarcity, and war with their nuclear-capable neighbors, most states in the Persian Gulf that have long been trusted allies of the west have quickly come to realize that their interests are best assured by cooperating with Eurasian states like China and Russia who don’t think in those zero-sum terms.

With Chinese President Xi Jinping’s long-awaited three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, a powerful shift by the Persian Gulf’s most strategic Arab state toward the multipolar alliance is being consolidated. Depending on which side of the ideological fence you sit on, this consolidation is being viewed closely with great hope or rage.

Xi’s visit stands in stark contrast to US President Joe Biden’s underwhelming ‘fist bump’ meeting this summer, which saw the self-professed leader of the free world falling asleep at a conference table and demanding more Saudi oil production while offering nothing durable in return.

‘Oil war’: How US and Saudi crashed crude prices to hurt Russia, Iran, Venezuela in 2014

In a 2014 “oil war,” the US pressured Saudi Arabia to overproduce crude and intentionally crash prices on the global market, in order to hurt the export-reliant economies of Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

Ben Norton

Multipolarista | November 18, 2022

The United States and Saudi Arabia waged a very important yet little-known “oil war” in 2014, which had huge geopolitical and economic consequences for the world.

Washington pressured Riyadh to significantly overproduce crude and intentionally crash prices on the global market, in order to hurt the export-reliant economies of Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

Trump & Biden White House: Break up Big Techs AND do not Sanction Saudi Prince

POLITICS

A Journal of People report

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for breaking up giant technology companies and taking away their Section 230 liability protections.

Trump argued that the Big Tech mutes conservative voices like his own.

Trump said Sunday at the CPAC conference in Orlando: “The time has come to break up Big Tech monopolies and restore fair competition. Republicans, conservatives must open our platforms and repeal section 230 liability protections.”

Trump argued: While in the past the public had a chance to hear both sides of the argument before making an informed decision, the big tech censorship disproportionately targeted conservatives, depriving them of the right to be heard. “You would win, you would lose. But now there is no debate, because they refuse allow our side to even speak or to be heard,” said Trump.

Revealed: Saudi Arabia Tripled its Theft of Yemen’s Oil amid Price War with Russia

by Ahmed Abdulkareem

MintPress News | July 07, 2020

MARIB, YEMEN — Saudi Arabia possesses around 18 percent of the world’s petroleum reserves. That fact though has done little to stifle the Kingdom’s apparent appetite for new sources of crude. Now, following over five years of all-out war against its southern neighbor, Saudi Arabia is scrambling to secure rights over Yemen’s potentially bountiful reserves of oil.

Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, is seeking decades-long strategic agreements with the internationally recognized government in exile of Abdul Mansour al-Hadi, which is backed by the Saudi-led coalition and the United States, to gain control of Yemen substantial oil and gas reserves, particularly in the oil-rich provinces of al-Jawf, Marib, Shabwa, and Hadramout, according to officials. The move could inflame enough anger among Yemen’s many warring and fractious parties to band together against what is increasingly viewed as an existential threat to Yemen’s sovereignty.

Crisis bites Saudi Arabia: VAT tripled and state allowances cut

 Countercurrents Collective | May 11, 2020

Saudi Arabia announced a slew of austerity measures to cope with the fiscal impact of the coronavirus pandemic and oil price rout, tripling its value-added tax (VAT) and cutting allowances for government workers.

The steps taken to shore up revenue and rationalize spending are valued at about 100 billion riyals ($26.6 billion) in total, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

“While the measures that were taken today may be painful, they are necessary and beneficial to protect fiscal and economic stability in the short and long term,” Finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said in a statement on Saudi Press Agency.

Why Did CIA Turn Against Saudi Crown Prince MBS? It’s More than Khashoggi

The Real News | November 20, 2018

CIA officials are signaling Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must be replaced. Is this all about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi? Professor Asad AbuKhalil says there are other political reasons

Coalition Ignores Famine Warnings and Continues Assault on Yemen as Critics Question US Complicity

by Jessica Corbett, staff writer

Women and girls line up to receive food aid on June 10, 2018 in Sana’a, the rebel-held captial of Yemen. About 70 percent of humanitarian assistance reaches Yemenis through Hodeida, a port city currently under seige by Saudi-led coalition forces. (Photo: Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images)

Ignoring international aid groups’ warnings that an attack on the Yemeni city of Hodeida, which is held by Houthi rebels, could exacerbate hunger in an impoverished and war-torn nation already on the brink of famine, Saudi-led U.S.-backed coalition forces continued a sweeping assault on the Red Sea port city Saturday, reportedlyseizing control of an airport.

Sporty Saudi Women Give Traditional Clothing a Makeover

teleSUR  | April 20, 2018

Eman Joharjy has received enormous support from shoppers who previously chose conservative black floor-length gowns. | Photo: Imnstagram @emanjoharjy Follow

The floor-length outfits resemble jumpsuits and allow for plenty of mobility while offering women a modest alternative to the traditional black gown.

As healthy lifestyles continue their upward trend, one Saudi seamstress is cashing in on the fad by designing abaya-styled sportswear for Muslim women.