Posted on 04/09/2023 2:26:12 PM PDT by FarCenter
...
The recent Chinese-brokered Saudi-Iran deal could mean that China is attempting to transcend this nature of the relationship and compete with the US for regional influence, but surpassing the US’s standing will be quite a challenge.
The US remains the top security partner of the Gulf and maintains multifaceted relations with Gulf states, which encompass not just trade but also close military, diplomatic, cultural, educational and social ties.
The hurried abandonment of the Chinese military base in the UAE after an intervention from Washington in 2021 reflects this reality.
By contrast, Israel has maintained substantial technological cooperation with China since the 1980s. There have even been accusations that Israeli companies sold sensitive high-tech military equipment to Beijing, although the sales have reportedly stopped under US pressure.
Still, Israel has continued to sell spyware to the Chinese authorities and has welcomed large Chinese investments in its tech sector, which reached $325m in 2018. For a long while, the Israeli authorities failed to regulate investments in companies involved in dual-use technology production, which has made Washington nervous.
Trade relations between China and Israel have blossomed, especially under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 2021 bilateral trade reached $22.8bn. Chinese companies also won tenders for large infrastructural projects, such as a strategic port near Haifa, which has worried US defence officials given the potential for Chinese espionage on US navy vessels docking there.
The Chinese and Israeli governments are also negotiating a free trade agreement; if signed, it will be the first in the Middle East.
In other words, Israel is way ahead of the Gulf in the depth of its relations with China and has engaged in practices that may be much more threatening to US interests than the energy deals the Gulf countries have struck with Beijing.
What is more, Israel has played a role as a spoiler of regional stability. It has fuelled tensions with Iran and encouraged conflict. It has also engaged in attacks on Iranian soil and sought to undermine the Iran nuclear deal which the US put much effort into negotiating.
Given Washington’s own efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran, the Saudi-Iranian deal, brokered by China, should not be seen in a negative light.
If the US wants to curb Chinese influence in the region, then it should look to Israel, not the Gulf. Its engagement with the region, on the other hand, would benefit from clear reassurances of its reliability as an ally and respect for the internal dynamics and economic aspirations of the Gulf states.
It would be wise for the Americans to start talking to the Arabs the way they talk to the Israelis – as equal partners.
There is one reason DC is angry about this. It puts us outta business in the middle east. Iraq, Iran, the Saudis, Turkey all getting along. Our fictitious anti-ISIS Syria mission is all we will have left for a footprint.
So basically, we are left with no excuse to continue being in the middle east, and they are all moving away from the dollar.
DC and the neocon idiots have done a fine job managing America’s reputation.
Al Jazeera has spoken.
Al Jazeera probably les less than US outlets, though not by much.
Since the Saudis are now moving away from the petrodollar the US has no interest in protecting them any longer. The US needs to begin withdrawing all of our military bases from the region. We need to develop our own natural resources and tell the middle east to go to hell.
The USA should go back to its roots and become a champion of free trade, not blocs.
In this regard, we need to push China to open their markets, as well as the Europeans through the EU. Trump was wise to make that an issue. If you sell in the USA, you better not block any of our stuff, or we’ll reciprocate. You won’t like it!
Bans on Israeli products should also be vigorously fought. The Abraham Accords was heading there, why did Biden drop them? I believe the climate change fakery Leftists are trying to stop oil as a global commodity, and I can’t blame the Gulf States from seeking new buyers.
We were all waiting for the KGB’s opinion on this.
The US has bases in 3/4 of ME countries for one overriding reason - to keep the lunatics at bay in support of the free flow of commerce. That is commerce free of strong-arm interference by dictators, terrorists and violent thugs thugging in on commerce. No other country is willing or capable of doing that.
Playing diplo games and publishing blogg spamm just doesn’t cut it. Want proof? Look how quickly Russia’s energy market imploded when it permitted KGB thuggo-politics to spread unchecked.
Coming soon a completely fictional reason for the Pedo Joe Administration to double down and attack someone in the Middle East.
Al Jazeera can kiss my unapologetic white ass.
Ok then I won’t.
Let them have the entire mideast. Occupy it like Tibet. Treat the Moozlems like they treat the Uyghurs. The world will be safer.
Fact is the US is falling, US hegemony is dying. Mired in unpayable debt, banking crisis just starting, dwindling revenues, USD falling……ramping up our printing presses ain’t gonna save us….and all the world knows this.
The US under senile Joe is becoming irrelevant.
Thank for your opinion Al Jazeera and be assured it will get all the consideration it deserves.
Now get lost
Biden/US will not stop China if they do try to take Taiwan
————-
Taiwan will not be taken by conflict. China needs only to fully blockade the island for a month or two. Naval blockade, no fly zoned, Taiwan trade ceases, they fold and enter negotiations to sustain trade….and once again, there is nothing the West can do about it.
Are you aware China is performing it’s second blockade maneuvers?
Study Hong Kong’s turn over to China by the British in 1997…..one state, two systems. China would like Taiwan intact, much like gaining Hong Kong as a financial center, Taiwans “wealth” is what they are seeking….and odds are they will succeed.
Oh shut up you DC fellating idiot.
We aren’t there keeping the lunatics at bay. The Saudis and Iran have buried the hatchet. Jordon has reopened diplomatic relations with Syria. The Houthis and Saudis are talking now. Turkey has flipped us the finger. And they are all chummy with the Chinese due to neocon and Biden’s incompetence.
We were there for oil and that’s it.
And now it’s over. We get a little corner of Syria for now, and probably our airbases somewhere in the Emirates.
But nobody wants is there anymore. And Russia’s energy market imploded? The Saudis aren’t playing with the price cap and have started selling oil without requiring Dollars. The Japanese just started buying with complete disregard of the DC/EU pricecap. India is taking all they can too.
You weirdos lost big. Too bad you trashed America’s hard earned good name all over the world in the process.
“That is commerce free of strong-arm interference by dictators, terrorists and violent thugs thugging in on commerce.”
That went out the window the instant we blew up Nordstream and strong armed Germany away from cheap gas and thugged in on their commerce. Now they see US as the people interfering and only bringing war.
It’s sad. America used to bring a hell of a lot to the table for poor countries. Guys like Norman Borlaug used to be what made us famous. Went to backwards countries and with some crossbreeding and techniques had them overflowing with wheat and corn to the point they couldn’t store it all.
Today those countries just associate us with drones and misery. And sickeningly, they associate red China with infrastructure and mediation. It’s crap, but that’s what they see right in front of them thanks to the neocons.
This highlights how bad our state department is. They are taking one L after another for the US.
in the last month saudi arabia basically just flipped away from pro-US posture on almost every major issue in the region. this almost cannot be taken in at once - it is a huge shift.
no wonder the US is pissed off.
at some base the US presence in syria will come under pressure.
remains to be seen if the US can get Edrogan out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.