This column was written for the Unz Review
First, a quick who’s who
We will probably never find out what truly was discussed between Trump, the Saudis and the Israelis, but there is little doubt that the recent Saudi move against Qatar is the direct results of these negotiations. How do I know that? Because Trump himself said so! As I mentioned in a recent column, Trump’s catastrophic submission to the Neocons and their policies have left him stuck with the KSA and Israel, two other rogue states whose power and, frankly, mental sanity, are dwindling away by the minute.
While the KSA and Qatar have had their differences and problems in the past, this time around the magnitude of the crisis is much bigger than anything the past. This is a tentative and necessarily rough outline of who is supporting whom:
| Supporting the Saudis (according to Wikipedia) | Supporting Qatar (according to me) |
| United Arab Emirates , Bahrain , Egypt , Maldives , Yemen (they mean the pro-Saudi regime in exile), Mauritania , Comoros , Libya (Tobruk government), Jordan , Chad , Djibouti , Senegal , United States , Gabon. | Turkey, Germany, Iran. |
The numbers are on the Saudi side, but the quality?
Questions, many questions
The situation is very fluid and all this might change soon, but do you notice something weird in the list above? Turkey and Germany are supporting Qatar even though the US is supporting the KSA. That’s to major NATO member states taking a position against the USA.
Next, look at the list supporting the Saudis: except for the USA and Egypt they are all militarily irrelevant (and the Egyptians won’t get militarily involved anyway). Not so for those opposing the Saudis, especially not Iran and Turkey. So if money is on the side of the Saudis, firepower is on the side of Qatar here.
Then, Gabon? Senegal? Since when are those two involved in Persian Gulf politics? Why are they taking sides in this faraway conflict? A quick look at the 10 conditions the Saudis demand that the Qataris fullfil does not help us understand their involvement either:
- Immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Iran,
- Expulsion of all members of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas from Qatar,
- Freezing all bank accounts of Hamas members and refraining from any deal with them,
- Expulsion of all Muslim Brotherhood members from Qatar,
- Expulsion of anti-[P]GCC elements,
- Ending support for ‘terrorist organizations’,
- Stopping interference in Egyptian affairs,
- Ceasing the broadcast of the Al Jazeera news channel,
- Apologizing to all [Persian] Gulf governments for ‘abuses’ by Al Jazeera,
- Pledging that it (Qatar) will not carry out any actions that contradict the policies of the [P]GCC and adhering to its charter.
The Saudis also handed over a list of individuals and organizations they want banned (see here).
Looking at these conditions it becomes pretty clear that Iran and the Palestinians (especially Hamas) are high on the list of demands. But why would Gabon or Senegal care about this?
More interestingly, why is ISRAEL not listed as a country supporting the KSA?
As always, the Israelis themselves are much more honest about their role in all this. Well, maybe they don’t quite say “we done it” but they write articles like “Five reasons why Israel should care about the Qatar crisis” which lists all the reasons why the Israelis are delighted:
- It hurts Hamas
- It brings Israel closer to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Gulf
- It shows US influence is back in the region
- It delegitimizes terrorism
- It bolsters Israel’s hand in general and Israel’s government in particular
That kind of honesty is quite refreshing, even if it is primarily for internal, Israeli, consumption. Quick check with a Palestinian source – yup, the Israelis are backing the KSA. This is hardly surprising, no matter how hard the western corporate media tries to not notice this.
What about the USA? Do they really benefit from this crisis?
The USA has what might possibly the largest USAF base worldwide in Qatar, the Al Udeid Air Base. Furthermore, the forward headquarters of United States CENTCOM are also located in Qatar. To say that these are crucial US infrastructures is an understatement – one could argue that these are the most important US military facilities anywhere in the world outside the United States. Thus one would logically conclude that the very last thing the US would want is any type of crisis or even tensions anywhere near such vital facilities yet it quite clear that the Saudis and the Americans are acting in unison against Qatar. This makes no sense, right? Correct. But now that the US has embarked on a futile policy of military escalation in Syria it should come as no surprise that the two main US allies in the region are doing the same thing.
Besides, was there ever a time with the Trump Administration’s policies in the Middle-East made any logical sense at all? During the election campaign they were, shall we say, 50/50 (excellent on ISIS, plain stupid about Iran). But ever since the January coup against Flynn and Trump’s surrender to the Neocons all we have seen in one form of delusional stupidity after another.
Objectively, the crisis around Qatar is not good at all for the USA. But that does not mean that an Administration which has been taken over by hardcore ideologues is willing to accept this objective reality. What we have here is a very weak Administration running a rapidly weakening country desperately trying to prove that it has still a lot of weight to throw around. And if that is, indeed, the plan, it is a very bad one, one bound to fail and one which will result in a lot of unintended consequences.
Back to the real world
What he have here is a severe case of smoke and mirrors and what is really taking place is, yet again, a clumsy attempt by the Three Rogue States (USA, Saudi Arabia, Israel) to weaken Iran.
Of course, there are other contributing factors here, but the big deal, the core of the problem, is what I would call the rapidly growing “gravitational pull of Iran” and the corresponding “orbital decay” of the entire region closer and closer to Iran. And just to make things worse, the Three Rogue States are visibly and inexorably losing their influence over the region: the USA in Iraq and Syria, Israel in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in Yemen – all three have embarked on military operations which ended up being abject failures and which, far from showing that these countries were powerful, showed how weak they really are. Even worse is the fact that Saudis are facing a severe economic crisis with no end in sight, while Qatar has become the richest country on the planet, mostly thanks to an immense gas field Qatar it shares with Iran.
It could appear that Qatar is not such a big threat to Saudi Arabia after all, being – unlike Iran – another Salafi country, but in reality this is very much part of the problem: over the past couple of decades the Qataris have felt their new wealth give them means completely out of proportion with their physical size: not only did they create the most influential media empire of the Middle-East, al-Jazeera, but they even embarked on a foreign policy of their own which made them key players in the crises in Libya, Egypt and Syria. And yes, Qatar did become a prime supporter of terrorism, but so are the United States, Saudi Arabia or Israel, so that is just a hollow pretext. The real Qatari ‘crime’ was to refuse, on purely pragmatic reasons, to join into the massive anti-Iranian campaign imposed on the region by Saudi Arabia and Israel. Unlike the long list of countries who had to voice their support for the Saudi position, the Qataris could had the means to simply say “no” and chart its own course.
What the Saudis now are hoping for is that Qatar will yield to the threats and that the Saudi-lead coalition will prevail without having a “hot” war against Qatar. How likely they are to achieve this result is anyone’s guess, but I am personally rather dubious (more about this later).
What about Russia in all that?
The Russians and the Qataris have butted heads many times over, especially over Syria and Libya where Qatar played an extremely toxic role being the prime financiers of various takfiri terrorist groups. Furthermore, Qatar is Russia’s number one competitor in many LNG (liquefied natural gas) markets. There were also other crises between the two countries, including what appears to be a Russian assassination of the Chechen terrorist Leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev and the subsequent torture and trial of two Russian Embassy employees accused of being involved in the assassination (they were sentenced to life in prison and eventually sent back to Russia). Still, the Russians and the Qataris are eminently pragmatic peoples and the two countries mostly maintained a cordial, if careful, relationship which even included some joint economic ventures.
It is highly unlikely that Russia will intervene directly in this crisis unless, of course, Iran is directly attacked. The good news is that such a direct attack on Iran is unlikely as none of the Three Rogue States really have any stomach to take on Iran (and Hezbollah). What Russia will do is use her soft power, political and economic, to try slowly reel in Qatar into the Russian orbit according to the semi-official strategy of the Russian Foreign Ministry which is to “turn enemies into neutrals, neutrals into friends, friends into allies”. Just like with Turkey, the Russians will gladly help, especially since they know that this help will buy them some very precious influence in the region.
Iran, the real target of it all
The Iranians are now openly saying that the recent terrorist attack in Tehran was ordered by Saudi Arabia. Technically speaking, that means that Iran is now at war. In reality, of course, Iran being the real local superpower is acting with calm and restraint: the Iranians fully understand that this latest terrorist attack is a sign of weakness, if not desperation, and that the best reaction to it is to act the same way the Russians reacted to the bombings in Saint Petersburg: stay focused, calm and determined. Just like the Russians, the Iranians have now also offered to send food to Qatar but it is unlikely that they will intervene militarily unless the Saudis really go crazy. Besides, with Turkish forces soon deployed in Qatar, the Iranians have no real need for any displays of military might. I would argue that the simple fact that neither the USA nor Israel have dared to directly attack Iran since 1988 (since shooting down by the US Navy of the Iran Air Flight 655 Airbus) is the best proof of the real Iranian military power.
So where are we heading?
That is truly impossible to predict, if only because the actions of the Three Rogue States can hardly be described as “rational”. Still, assuming nobody goes crazy, my personal feeling is that Qatar will prevail and that the latest Saudi attempt to prove how powerful the Kingdom still is will fail, just like all the previous ones (in Bahrain 2011, Syria 2012 or Yemen 2015). Time is also not on the side of the Saudis. As for the Qataris, they have already clearly indicated that they are unwilling to surrender and that they will fight. The Saudis have already taken the outrageous decision to impose a blockade of a fellow Muslim country during the holy month of Ramadan. Will they really now further escalate and commit an act of aggression against a fellow Muslim country during that month? They might, but it is hard to believe that even they could be that ignorant of the Muslim public opinion. But if they don’t, then their operation will lose a lot of momentum while the Qataris will be given time to prepare politically, economically, socially and militarily. Qatar might be small, and the Qataris themselves not very numerous, but their immense pockets allow them to quickly line up any amount of suppliers and contractors willing to help them out. This is case where the famous “market forces” will act to Qatar’s advantage.
The Qatari Foreign Minister is expected in Moscow on Saturday and it is pretty obvious what the talks will be about: while Russia will not put all her political weight to support the Qataris, the Kremlin might accept to become a mediator between the KSA and Qatar. If that happens, that would be the ultimate irony: the main outcome of the Saudi-Israeli-US operation will make Russia an even more influential player in the region. As for Qatar itself, the outcome of this crisis will probably articulate itself along Nietzschean lines: “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.”
Conclusion
I see this latest crisis as yet another desperate attempt by the Three Rogue States to prove that they are still the biggest and baddest guy on the block and, just like the previous ones, I think that it will fail. For example, I just don’t see the Qataris shutting down al-Jazeera, one of their most powerful “weapons”. Nor do I see them breaking all diplomatic relations with Iran as those two states are joined at the hip by the immense South Pars gas condensate field. The immense wealth of the Qataris also means that they have very powerful supporters worldwide who right now, as I write these lines, are probably on the phone making calls to very influential people and indicating to them in no unclear terms that Qatar is not to be messed with.
If anything this crisis will only serve to push Qatar further into the warm embrace of other countries, including Russia and Iran, and it will further weaken the Saudis.
The Three Rogue States have the same problem: their military capability to threaten, bully or punish is rapidly eroding and fewer and fewer countries out there fear them. Their biggest mistake is that instead of trying to adapt their policies to this new reality, they always chose to double-down over and over again even though they fail each time, making them look even weaker and their initial predicament even worse. This is a very dangerous downward spiral and yet the Three Rogue States seem unable to devise any other policy.
I will end this column by comparing what Presidents Putin and Trump are doing these days as I find this comparison highly symbolic of the new era we are living in:
Trump, after bombing a few “technicals” (4×4 trucks with a machine gun) and trucks in Syria, the proceeded to tweet that Comey was a liar and a leaker.
As for Putin, he participated the latest meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which welcomed both Pakistan and India as full members. The SCO now represents over half of all the people living on our planet and one quarter of the world’s GDP. You can think of it as the “other G8”, or the “G8 that matters”.
The Russian version of the G8: the SCO, the “G8 that matters”
I submit that this quick comparison of agenda really says I all.
The Saker
UPDATE1: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is now telling the Saudis to ‘cool it’. The Saudi-Israeli plan is already beginning to collapse.
Trump, bad cop. Threatens Qatar in the big confab two weeks ago.
Rex, good cop. Tells the vultures to let up on Qatar.
Here’s Rex today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RALPRhOeFGk
The swift moves by Iran, Russia and Turkey to assist Qatar panicked the Hegemon.
Would not an alliance of Qatar and Iran with RF give this block a virtual monopoly of the natural gas that Europe needs ? If so, that might be a pivot point around much could swing.
Then again, that could be what’s really behind the US military concentration there (like all the troops in Germany & elsewhere in Europe — not exactly an occupation force but not much different from one).
Or, no ?
http://www.ogj.com/articles/2016/12/qatar-petroleum-to-merge-lng-giants-qatargas-rasgas.html
(Consolidation of all Qatari natural gas production. Cuts somebody out of part-control ?)
This is a very interesting view point Cats.
The OPEC version of the natural gas producers is the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
According to Wiki…..”GECF members together control over 70% of the world’s natural gas reserves, 38% of the pipeline trade and 85% of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production.The three largest reserve-holders in the GECF – Russia, Iran and Qatar – together hold about 57% of global gas reserves.”
A Russian, Iranian, Qatari alliance would absolutely be a force to be reckoned with. Whether it is a realistic possibility is another issue to be seen.
add that ROSNEFT of russia just confirmed the discovery of the largest oil shelf deposit in the eastern arctic region of russia – 30 billion tonnes, reportedly…putin made mention to a question fromm the public in his recent question and answer marathon — on ”why are we increasing our military development in the arctic?” — that apart from the obvious resources that need to be exploited — the defense from and of the north region becomes even more imperative — with a specific example : that ”i have been getting reports from the citizens in the north of foreign tourists mostly from the west — hearing their foreignER tour guides referring to the region this way: ‘ this USED to be part of the USSR”…putin wagging his finger – ”tsk, tsk, tsk — that IS russian territory and they need to be reminded”.
The inflection point for the US came when the Qatari FM chose to go to Moscow yesterday instead of going to Washington, and turned down a talk with The President.
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201706081054433343-qatar-moscow-visit/
When you choose Lavrov over POTUS, the message was sent that the crisis had peaked, as far as the US could discern. Thus, Rex yelled at Saudi Arabia: “end it”.
Qatar entered the Russian sphere. Another ME state that needs Russia.
The new power trio is Russia-Iran-Turkey.
CENTCOM, CIA, Israel and the NeoCons fume.
(Time for a false flag?)
CENTCOM, CIA, Israel and the NeoCons fume
If that fuming leads them back to reality, then this is good.
If not, next they will be sobbing…
Cheers my friend,
The Saker
I’m curious to know what you both think about Tillerson’s authority/credibility/influence as SOS? Do you think he has the ability to rein in the rogue Israelis and Saudis? I guess what I’m wondering is if it even makes a difference if he’s the good cop to Trump’s bad one?
When I watched that video of his speech, I definitely got the impression that some very influential people were backing his words, as The Saker predicted, and telling the Gulf Allies to back off Qatar.
SOS is a voice of the Hegemon-Deep State. He does not make policy. He enunciates policy and facilitates with skills and persuasion and leverage.
Tillerson understands leverage. As CEO of Exxon-Mobil he wielded great leverage.
Think of him as another James Baker. Very intelligent. Very capable. And very much a knowledgeable wielder of power.
US Foreign Policy is constructed on the reality of power and the innate psychology that is imbued in massive military and economic advantage. It effects the Americans and the non-Americans.
Only leadership like Russia’s and China’s is not effected by the Hegemon’s real strengths and psychology.
Every other nation is cowering in the presence of the US. Others that don’t cower, like Iran, don’t really have that direct contact. Obama’s SOSs were not truly opposing Iran, so Iran was able to get its way on the nuclear deal and sanctions lifted.
Tillerson has no game plan for foreign policy. This is a combination of the steady Hegemonic state of things (as Putin recently said, nothing changes from President to President), and Trump’s art of the deal (always creating and using advantage).
So, with little Qatar and needy Saudi Arabia, he and Trump can push and pull and raise their voice, and threaten. Same with all the doltish members of NATO—easy to push around. Though UK and Germany are showing signs of independent actions. It could be they sense weakness around Trump because of the Deep State crippling his administration.
But in dealing with Russia and China, everything is different. The US has no advantages. In fact, Russian and China expose all the Hegemon’s weaknesses.
So, diplomatic conflict is expected in these relationships. The Hegemon, in order to remain the unipolar power of the globe, must contain China and Russia. It cannot be #1 and not be #1.
In fact, the Hegemon is powerless, for instance, in the relationship with North Korea, unless it wants to start a war in Korea, If all you have is a nuclear war as an opening statement, you cannot make a deal. The US needs China and Russia to work to get NK back from the brink. But there is no deal there that the US can make.
And the Hegemon meanwhile can’t solve Ukraine or South China Sea or Taiwan or the Diaoyu Islands. It has no real bargaining position. It threaten to abandon the One China policy, but had to back off. It cannot make Russia do anything about anything anywhere.
So, policy for US is really about all the other lesser nations and regions. But nothing that matters will be decided by the US any more. China and Russia simply refuse Hegemonic insistence on submission.
As for Israel, US can no longer control Israel. Too many Deep State operatives are the same people, many now with dual citizenship. The tail wags the dog.
Saudi is being manipulated for its wealth. Trump just ripped them off for more than half a Trillion in deals over the next 5-10 years. Each side needed something and each side will get something. So it was possible. An easy “deal” for Trump.
I have the POV that everything that will matter for the next five years in the ME will be decided or heavily influenced by Putin. We have seen for two years every leader of all countries (including Bibi three times) go to Moscow. Putin decides. Everyone needs Russia. Libya and Egypt, Syria and Iran, Turkey and even Israel (IDF and Mossad and Bibi). Just check the constant flow of leader, military and diplomats who have gone to Moscow.
Even the recent Moldovan, Czech, Hungarian, Italian, French officials (much less business leaders) who have urged the end of sanctions and recognition of Crimea.
They go to Russia and back Putin and Russia.
Tillerson got several hours (4 with Lavrov and 2 with Putin), a stern day for him.
And what have we seen that just went on in Astana? SCO. Now with 40% of the globe’s population and more importantly, four major nuclear weaponized nations, Russia, China, India and Pakistan. This is a major group that dwarfs NATO. And its economic future is enormous while the West is in trouble.
So, Tillerson is playing a weak hand with his rivals. He is very powerful with Qatar.
It’s all relative. The Hegemon kicks around third world states. It has nothing to deal with real superpowers like Russia and China. And if Iran would stay out of wars for the next ten years, the Persian nation will be a superpower also. It’s rise could be amazing because of its highly educated people and natural resource potential. Added to SCO, the Iranian membership would suck the marrow out of Israel’s arrogant position.
Putin uses patience. All others should learn the value of patient strength.
The US is determined to control all interstate relationships. They act. Then they test.Then they plan. (Assbackwards approach to most everything.)
Look at Qatar. They acted against Qatar, not thinking that Turkey, Iran and Russia would help? Not thinking that an instant famine from a blockade would impact their huge airbase? Not thinking that 10 days was too long. If they gave Qatar 48 hours, it would have to capitulate before help could come.
This is classic US foreign policy. The State Dept. is loaded with dopes who look to how easy it is to kick around small nations. But if they bump into the big guys or the truly resistant (Iran and Turkey) they wind up blustering and then backtracking.
Thanks for the response – lots to ponder here. The one argument that could be made against the ability on the US State Department to kick around smaller states is the Philippines under Duterte. So is this an idiosyncracy, an exception, a temporary anomaly, or the start of a trend?
Random thought on this subject: it will be interesting to see what the Trump administration does about Cuba.
Great analysis. Thanks!!
“Turkey and Germany are supporting Qatar even though the US is supporting the KSA. That’s to major NATO member states taking a position against the USA.”
Add few more questions.
1.What is the meaning of Turkey-Germany scuffle around Incirlik if they are cooperating in regard to Qatar?
2.How likely is it for Turkey to pull a Trojan horse to Qatar?
3.What are the main factions behind Turkey-Germany scuffle and cooperation?
My thoughts …
1. Minor spat, can and probably will eventually be reversed.
2. Zero likelihood.
3. Re Germany, EU integration. If you mean ‘Qatar’ cooperation, economic, geo-strategic and religious.
I agree with Dragan’s incredulity.
Turkey has her own agenda. Qatar enists the hellp of two NATO countries, to fend off the threat of the NATO leader’s regional ally. And of course, the NATO leader herself has that base in Qatar.
That is how I am advised that Byzantium fell; enlisting the Ghazis to defend Constantinople, who subsequently simply took control themselves.
I too see the Trojan horse.
I am no up on the Ghazis, but when a powerful entity intervenes in a smaller one, that looks like a red flag situation to me. Not sure what leverage Qatar has to prevent Turkey from becoming the guest who didn’t leave . . .
But that might be a good thing in the big picture.
That is, maybe not for Qatar, but for the region.
Or is this nuts?
I mean, isn’t this why Erdo insisted he needed the powers he got in the referendum? To give him the absolute flexibilty he needs/desires to make quick unilateral moves in the ME?
Katherine
About the Ghazis, you prompted me to check my history. They became the Ottomans, but their siezure of lands they’d briefly been employed to defend, were not Constantinople itself as I had wrongly implied, but territories that constituted a further advance on it.
I re-read the fall of Constantinople (yes, Wiki, it’ll do) and was struck again what a dramatic, monumental chapter of history that was. Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Armageddon, it’s all there. It is sobering and poignant reading for all Orthodox Christians.
What is also so relevant to today, is the total political chaos, in which allies fought each other out of rivalry, or due to vassalage or tribute. Today, Europe’s best interests rest with Russia, and its own cultural roots, but the fall of Byzantium is turning out to be the template for the fall of Europe, Not that the muslim states are faring better, Everywhere, the empire of chaos. If Russia, Ira and China remain tight, they will prevail.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople
http://lostislamichistory.com/the-birth-of-the-ottoman-empire/
Thank you Saker for your insights. As the saying goes – what goes around comes around…..
The three rouge states will have their come-uppance due to their utter inability to adapt or accept they are not invincible and the world is changing. Iran wil also join the SCO and the multi-polar world continues to grow and expand.
The next step is to clean out the corrupt failing UN or set up a new body.
Thanks Saker, for this excellent analysis of a complex and even somewhat mysterious crisis (You can give it all kinds of names, but blocking a country is close to a war declaration). I don’t think either that Qatar will bow.
“The Three Rogue States have the same problem: their military capability to threaten, bully or punish is rapidly eroding and fewer and fewer countries out there fear them. Their biggest mistake is that instead of trying to adapt their policies to this new reality, they always chose to double-down over and over again even though they fail each time, making them look even weaker and their initial predicament even worse. This is a very dangerous downward spiral and yet the Three Rogue States seem unable to devise any other policy.”
Imho this is exactly the heart of the matter, very good formulated. North Korea just restarted ballistic and nuclear tests, thereby giving the USA simply the finger. Iran just shrugs it shoulders after terrorist attacks where the attackers talked in Arabic. South Korea just refused to further deploy the THAAD system. They are simply not impressed anymore. And I agree that this can be dangerous. What does a wounded animal do when it has to defend itself again?
Maybe this druid that you have written about, has a more long time view than many imagine now.
So, um, erm, if Qatar is a sovereign nation, and not at war with the US, can they politely ask the US to close its military base?
Or is the Pentagon planning to annex the rest of Qatar?
How difficult would it be to literally shut off the water supply to that large military base baking out there in the desert? ? ?
Behold how all these Muslims love one another! and here I’ve been told that the Ummah is united.
Who tells you that. Muslims are no more united than Christians are.The Shia-Sunni divide is a lot like the 16-17th Century Catholic-Protestant conflicts.
We don’t mention about people but the governments . Ummah can be united but never be the governments. They don’t represent people since there all governments came to power with West support if you have read the story
This “rogue” and “irrational” state of the US-Zionist alliance and its close allies/vassals is extremely dangerous beyond anything ever witnessed before in recent history.
How this irrational and delusional behavior will be stopped or not increase and snowball out of control is really the question.
How will all this madness not end in some kind of World War will remain to be seen.
If the SCO can accept India and Pakistan as new members with the immense antagonism that persists between them, including the festering Kashmir issue, then they surely can find a way to admit Iran.
Iran becoming a member would send a very powerful Geo-political message to the likes of Israel and the US.
The US just jammed Montenegro into NATO and the Ukrainians with US encouragement, are now actively pursuing membership in same, and all this is aimed at Russia.
China not only has to accept THAADs in South Korea, but it also has to watch a defiant Japan with US backing, tear up the country’s pacifist constitution and opt for rapid militarization aimed at containing China.
Iran’s enemies are being encouraged by Israel and the US to form a Arab NATO to deploy against Iran, and regional countries like Qatar be pragmatic about their relations with Iran, find themselves under siege -literally.
Russia, China and Iran are facing the same forces, and as such, they must either -to quote Benjamin Franklin: “hang together or, most assuredly, all hang separately..”
Iran’s membership to the SCO must therefore be fast tracked.
“Iran’s membership to the SCO must therefore be fast tracked.”
China agrees with you: https://financialtribune.com/articles/national/66082/china-reaffirms-backing-for-irans-sco-membership .
As does the Kremlin: http://tass.com/politics/950339
@defiant Japan with US backing, tear up the country’s pacifist constitution and opt for rapid militarization aimed at containing China.
A different view at http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/
“India should expect a China-Japan reset”:
‘… Japan, which was regarded by PM Modi as India’s ideal partner in the Asian Century, is seeking a collaborative partnership with China. This is the indication available from a major international conference hosted in Tokyo on June 5-6 under the rubric ‘Future of Asia’.
The theme of the conference was “Globalism at a crossroads: Asia’s next move” and the sub-plot that inevitably took the centre-stage of the demi-official event was all about Japan and China setting aside their historical distrust and current rivalry to lead Asia in tandem towards greater integration. In his keynote speech at the conference, Singapore’s powerful Emeritus Senior Minister, Goh Chok Tong urged: “If Japan-China relations can move towards greater trust and cooperation, there will be a mutually-reinforcing effect on the other key bilateral relationships in the region….
However, it was the inaugural address at the Tokyo meet on Monday by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that should make Delhi sit up.
Abe announced that Japan is ready to cooperate with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which he lauded for its “potential to connect East and West as well as the diverse regions found in between.” Abe spelt out certain conditions – OBOR should be in harmony with “a free and fair Trans-Pacific economic zone”; infrastructure development should be based on procurement that is transparent and fair; projects should be economically viable and should not harm the debtor nations’ finances. But he made it clear that Tokyo is “ready to extend cooperation.”
The “gravitational pull” of the SCO seems to great to resist.
Saker:
The petro$ is the primary issue here. Russia-China-Iran and now Qatar ? are selling/buying oil in other than US$ denominated trades. This weakens the US’s ability to tax the global community via its global reserve currency, the US$. Absent this taxing ability, the US would be unable to pay for its overseas bases and troops and they would need to return home. Russia-China-Iran are saying, “No taxation without representation.” They want the US to minimally agree to be bound by UN Security Council resolutions and for the US to limit its US$ debasement taxes.
Absent that, they do not trade hydrocarbons using US$ and the continue to buy physical gold. As they are nuclear powers, their gold stores cannot be taken by military force as happened in Libya and Germany.
“, their gold stores cannot be taken by military force as happened in Libya and Germany.”
And also Ukraine?
I think I heard.
Not to mention all of that gold that the Japanese High Command buried in Indonesia . . .
The agenda: 7 countries in 5 years
In an interview with Amy Goodman on March 2, 2007, U.S. General Wesley Clark (Ret.), explains that the Bush Administration planned to take out 7 countries in 5 years: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iran.
Done:
Iraq
Somalia
Sudan
Libya
Almost:
Syria
Next:
Lebanon?
Iran?
Qatar is just a consolation prize cause Syria has taken too long.
Qatar has a sovereign wealth fund of $338.4 billion
Pop: 2.235m
GDP: $164.6 billion
It’s a juicy little morsel _ an even easier steal than Libya.
Oh, by the way, Libya’s Central bank gold of 100+ tonnes was stolen _ while Qaddafi was being sodomised with a bayonet…. (Literally simultaneously).
Also, A priceless collection of 7,700 gold, silver and bronze coins from ancient times — known as the Treasure of Benghazi — was stolen when a gang drilled through the concrete ceiling of an underground vault amid the “regime change”.
An expert described it as “one of the greatest thefts in archaeological history,” with many of the items dating from the time of Alexander the Great.
It is impossible to give a value for the hoard but a single ancient Greek coin from Carthage was sold this month for the record price of $431,000 at auction in Paris, The (London) Sunday Times reported.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/30/treasure-benghazi-stolen-in-one-biggest-heists-in-archaeological-history.html
And if that seems too “conspiratorial” _ consider Ukraine’s Central bank gold was stolen the night of the Maiden coup.
“Tonight, around at 2:00 am, an unregistered transport plane took off took off from Boryspil airport. According to Boryspil staff, prior to the plane’s appearance, four trucks and two cargo minibuses arrived at the airport all with their license plates missing.
Fifteen people in black uniforms, masks and body armor stepped out, some armed with machine guns.
These people loaded the plane with more than forty heavy boxes.
After this, several mysterious men arrived and also entered the plane.
The loading was carried out in a hurry. After unloading, the plateless cars immediately left the runway, and the plane took off on an emergency basis.
Airport officials who saw this mysterious “special operation” immediately notified the administration of the airport, which however strongly advised them “not to meddle in other people’s business.”
Later, the editors were called by one of the senior officials of the former Ministry of Income and Fees, who reported that, according to him, tonight on the orders of one of the “new leaders” of Ukraine, all the gold reserves of the Ukraine were taken to the United States.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-18/ukraine-admits-its-gold-gone
Qatar is a (rich) dead man walking…
*well, Qatar it was just about to get mugged, when gangsta US realised its “mark” had some friends lurking ……. US would have figured with its huge base already installed, a quick regime change and a heist would have been an easy smash and grab…
How does stolen gold get accounted for/laundered?
It seems like part of the importance of holding gold is the Proof that one is holding gold.
From what I have read of the big post-WW2 Indonesian (or was that Philippines?) gold heist, it of course never came “overgrouind” but was used to finance all kinds of CIA black ops from the fifties to the present day.
What would be the destination of Libya’s and Germany’s gold? I have read that there is virutally nothing in Fort Knox.
And, why can’t Germany get its gold back. I have read the answer but can’t recall it.
Like, Germany is still a vassal/occupioed country. If they start to pursue an independent militarly policy mightn’t they demand their gold back to pay for it?
Katherine
That Doha AFB in Qatar is really “something”…
https://militarybases.com/al-udeid-air-base-air-force-base-in-doha-qatar/
If you want to see how to burn up as many fiat $ as humanly possible (with the purpose of nothing more than making elites electronic money, and sowing chaos and destruction over the whole globe), mil base info is a fine way to get seriously depressed. How the CENTCOM geniuses are going to handle Saudi missles raining down on their tents in Qatar is a) a question, b) a certified billion dollar embarrassment for the forward-thinkers in the world’s only “indispensable country” (according to Obama).
Looking at these “strategic” facilities, one wonders how morale will fare between the KSA bases and al-Udeid AFB. I think the above very useful site uses the AF’s own descriptions. Some people have no sense of irony:
“Riyadh Air Base, Saudi Arabia is one of the most important American bases due to the strategic location. It is right in the Middle East, giving the American troops the chance to easily support their potential invasions in the area.”
Potential invasions in the area. How quaint. Right in the Middle East!
(thx for end comparison & photo, Saker)
Since when is Qatar even a country? More like a holding company for the local sand muppets. The fact the KSA and the USA lead by the nose thanks to the zionist entity casino owners – even bothers to mention Qatar creates a stench of overwhelming desperation.
You might as well say Luxembourg is to blame for brexit. Who is next? Macao?
This is the level of stupidity that is coming out of Tel Aviv by way of Las Vegas. Did these occultist oligarchs really think that Iran would let Syria go?…That Hezbollah would just walk away?…Both of these groups went through the onslaught of anglo/zionist aggression – the Iran/Iraq war and the multitude of zionist invasions of Lebanon.
The entire anglo/zionist project – certainly cannot call diplomacy or for that matter strategy is now buried in the sands of the eastern Syria/Iraq border crossing.
Hi Saker, thanks for the article – I don’t know what (P)GCC stands for –
Persian Gulf Cooperation Council – the Saudis dont like to acknowledge the idea of the Gulf being “Persian”. So they opt for just saying Gulf.
They have been trying -albeit unsuccessfully- from time to time to get others to refer to it as the “Arabian Gulf”, but no one takes them seriously.
oh and that picture at the top is horrifying – is that a real child’s face ?
” is that a real child’s face ?”
Yes, and so are the others. From Yemen.
Here are the full version: http://telemarksporten.no/SakerPhotos/Mohammed_Bin_Salman_Faces_of_Evil.jpg
Take Care
Kent
The 2 biggest issues with the list of “demands” of the Saudis (to me) are numbers 1 and 8. Qatar shares one of the biggest gas fields in the World with Iran. And they must cooperate over that .To break relations with Iran because the “Saudis order it” would be crazy of them. And there is no Arab broadcasting network of any World importance except Al Jazeera. While we might consider it biased against our side (and I do). That doesn’t change the fact that they are in the league of major World broadcasters. Shutting them down because the “Saudis said so” would be an immense humiliation for Qatar.
But the other worry as I see it are the US bases in Qatar. I see them as a Trojan Horse there. They could be used as the source of troops inside Qatar for a revolt against the regime.Trump is already calling Qatar a huge source of terrorist funding (they are,but that’s like a “pot calling the kettle black situation”).So it wouldn’t be a big step for the US to seize control of Qatar in the name of “stopping terrorism”. And with those bases full of armed troops.It wouldn’t be hard to do that.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing.
I wonder what form Turkey’s military assistance to Q will take.
That woud be interesting:
A face-off in Qatar between the USA and the Turkish military.
Maybe the Turks will be there to prevent this preemptive “annexation” by the USA of Qatar.
Trump might be thinking an eye for an eye, a Qatar for a Crimea.
The UN would stand around looking down intensely at its feet.
Katherine
A few points need to be made: In no way is Qatar even close to being a match for the forces arrayed against it. There is no possibility of a Qatari victory here. Qatar will do as it is told. Russia, Turkey, Iran and Germany can only give token assistance and cannot prevent Qatar’s fate, whatever that would be, should the US give the green light to Qatar’s enemies.
Lets not forget that Qatar is smaller than Connecticut and has a population of just 2.2 million. It is a mere 120mi long by 65mi wide. It’s sole land neighbor is Saudi Arabia, Iran is far away across the Persian gulf (with the US navy in between). All its other neighbors have joined with KSA against it. There is a massive US air base on its territory and a major US naval base a little way across the water in Bahrain (which is allied with KSA).
Lets face it, Iran will not fight for Qatar, Turkey and Germany cannot even if they wanted to. Russia will not fight for Qatar, certainly not in the immediate vicinity of a massive US air and a naval base. Qatar is absolutely on its own. There is no firepower on its side and it has little of its own. As a result of this crisis Qatar took 16 leopard tanks out of storage, thats sixteen, as in less than twenty!
But then I doubt that is crisis is really about war. It is probably meant to scare Qatar into submission to the KSA axis. To demonstrate to Qatar that it is utterly vulnerable and can be crushed at any moment. Maybe a small invasion may be necessary to drive the point home. But I doubt that the US wants a war raging around its airbase and close to the headquarters of its fifth fleet in Bahrain.
Anyway Qatar was trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds as they say. Its getting what its got coming to it. Its a falling out of thieves and really who cares? I get the feeling that Russia is just enjoying the show.
Excellent reality check.
Qatar, like almost every other nation on earth, will discover that it is not sovereign and independent, but a vassal, which may come as a shock to them if they were too naive to see it.
The Empire does not take on the world at once, but summons them to be knee-capped one by one. It’s Qatar’s turn.
The best that Qatar can do, is some clever diplomacy. As example, by complying with the demand to stop funding / getting involved in conflicts around the world, it objectively shows itself to be a good global citizen, while ceasing to be the proxy financier of so many of the Empire’s footsoldiers.
Oops, when Norway tried to limit its NATO role in Libya, they had Anders Brevik inflicted upon them. But when Syria allowed itself to be pressganged as a security council member at the time, to endorse Desert Storm in 2003, it had little idea that it would be next. Compliance is not rewarded.
So tough luck Qatar. You financed misery in so many other countries, and it has come home to you. Your allies were nothing of the sort, and all that your compliance will do, is to buy you a little time.
why do I feel like this is somehow a bait for Iran, the americans and their allies are trying to reincarnate the same stress that made Saddam go with the mistake of invading Kuwait. If Qatar responds to the Saudi-American demands, even partially, that will affect Iran in the shared gas fields and force a reaction from the Iranians. either that, or the Iranians will watch some of their greatest assets in the persian gulf fading away.
The Trump-Saudi spirit cooking in Riyadh didn’t follow proper protocols, I get the impression. Looks like the wrong Jinns were summoned up and that the unsavory blow-back from this faux-pas has already started.
Now that Zbig is gone, who is there to warn the junior architects of the ‘Let’s-Bully-Qatar’ plan that even under most favorable circumstances exactly zero could be gained from such an idiotic scheme, but that losses could stack up quickly to hellish proportions?
Lindsey Graham? Al-Baghdadi? Bibi Netanyahu? Theresa May? George Clooney? Micron? Rex Tillerson? Jeff Bezo? James Comey? Angela Merkel? The Podesta brothers?
Rank amateurs, wherever you look. Which may explain to a large degree the very disturbing streak of unforced errors by Zion in recent times. But still…
Just imagine Zion’s power wouldn’t rely on owning the money supply, all media, all intellectual property, and the whole global legal system, but actually on old-fashioned values like hard work or solid performance – what a non-show that would have been…
“1. Immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Iran,
2. Expulsion of all members of Hamas from Qatar,
3. Freezing all bank accounts of Hamas members and refraining from any deal with them,
4. Expulsion of all Muslim Brotherhood members from Qatar,
5. Expulsion of anti-[P]GCC elements,
6. Ending support for ‘terrorist organizations’,
7. Stopping interference in Egyptian affairs,
8. Ceasing the broadcast of the Al Jazeera news channel,
9. Apologizing to all [Persian] Gulf governments for ‘abuses’ by Al Jazeera,
10. Pledging that it (Qatar) will not carry out any actions that contradict the policies of the [P]GCC and adhering to its charter.”
Sorry to be reckless here when I say: this must be the most ridiculous ‘list of ten’ since Moses jotted down the 10 commandments.
The energetic imprint these Saudi ‘conditions’ leave behind in the reader is deeply disturbing. There is a difficult to describe, almost insentient, autistic idiocy about them. Unbelievable!
Some quick points:
“How do I know that? Because Trump himself said so!”
Warning, hardly an evidence, especially from someone who tends to get credits for everything he can. The timing though suggests strongly that he’s a part of the chain reaction that occurs, but from there to “he drove this” it’s a long shot.
About US base in Qatar, not sure it’s a big concern. No one want’s it out, no one can move it, no one plan to antagonize the USA. At worst they’ll have to accept or refuse refugee in front of cameras. Not great, but hardly a big factor in a decision.
Main angle of the column still looks solid to me.
Here’s my take on everything:
“Experts all across the world are trying to figure out what’s really fueling the Qatari-Saudi Cold War, but the answer is simple – the US.
As it’s always prone to do, Washington is masterfully playing a game of divide and conquer in the Mideast, doing the same thing to its Gulf allies as it did to its North African ones during the theater-wide “Arab Spring” Color Revolutions, except this time pitting them against one another on a state-to-state level as opposed to an intra-state one between the government and some of its citizenry.
The long-term purpose behind all of this is to usher in Ralph Peters’ 2006 “Blood Borders” blueprint for the “New Middle East”, wherein the Gulf eventually undergoes a geopolitical reengineering just like “Syraq”, Turkey, and the Balkans are slated to do as well.
All in all, the fracturing of the region into a myriad of internationally recognized and de-facto statelets is expected to facilitate the prolongation of American hegemony in the broad interconnected space that the late Brzezinski described as the “Eurasian Balkans,” while simultaneously creating major complications for its Russian and especially Chinese rivals’ access to this geostrategic pivot space at the heart of Afro-Eurasia.
That’s a lot to digest all at once, so let’s break everything down piece by piece so that it’s easier to understand…”
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/06/07/the-machiavellian-plot-to-provoke-saudi-arabia-and-qatar-into-a-blood-border-war/
Very interesting analysis–certainly more illuminating that much of what passes for journalism in the Anglo-American “free” press.
The Anglo-Americans are doing what they almost instinctively do: Divide and Ruin.
Divide and Ruin: The West’s Imperial Strategy in an Age of Crisis
http://www.google.com/url?url=http://www.answercoalition.org/new_book_divide_and_ruin&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwij3vXKybPUAhXhx4MKHfQVAE4QFggUMAA&usg=AFQjCNEwenmDMgBfRRlYFHaT_aqXgdWtMw
In its bid to maintaining is unipolar yoke on the world, the American Empire of Chaos is sowing chaos around the world–not only against its geopolitical opponents but even against its “allies” and vassal states no less!
The Americans increasingly resemble the British, who specialize in fomenting conflict, sectarianism, and divide-and-colonize.
Who says that the British Empire ended?
It only mutated into a more disguised form with the Anglo American Empire today.
I read this article over at Global Research.ca and highly recommend it. Many nuances brought out, put into sharper focus. And the analysis is very comprehensive.
Actually , I thought of posting a link to this article somewhere in the Vineyard, but it’s much better for the author to do so himself!!
Thanks Andrew for the link to your excellent article.
Always you pack in the most relevant facts.
Beyond Syria, Russia cannot avoid “managing” the liberation of Libya and assisting Egypt in its battle against the Wahhabis/MB menace.
What it has learned in Syria, it will apply in those two wars. Each nation has armies that can be used like the Syrian Army. Russia will also benefit from gas and oil riches of both nations.
One of the burdens of success and reliability is that the weak will call on you for help.
With China in Djibouti and Piraeus, Greece, and Russia in Tartus and Alexandria, Egypt, and Tobruk, Libya, the two superpowers of Eurasia will have a Mediterranean presence to help solidify OBOR in MENA.
Great map at Andrew’s link.
Actually, the KSA is kind of land-locked itself.
Not completely, but its periphery is basically ringed with other states.
Maybe Qatar should have installed a desalinization plant—maybe they have one, but if they don’t, perhaps Iran or China can supply one quickly . . .
Katherine
Rex Tillerson knows how much money Exxon-Mobil has invested in Qatar and Exxon has a lot of influence.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what KSA stands for?
KSA = Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, also known as Key Salafist Aggressors.
Do you have a search engine?
You know, just a tip.
Search engines – amazing resource in this modern era.
Mobil Oil Co. of Qatar was registered.
1980s to present:
Qatargas Liquefied Gas Company Limited QG 1 was established to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) and related products from three trains with a total capacity of 10 million tons of LNG per annum (MTA). ExxonMobil’s interest is 10 percent.
Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited RL II was established in 2001 to produce LNG and related products. RL II owns Trains 3, 4 and 5. ExxonMobil’s interest in RL II is 30 percent.
Qatargas Liquefied Gas Company Limited QG2 was established in 2004. QG 2 owns Trains 4 & 5, which were constructed with a capacity to produce 7.8 MTA of LNG each. ExxonMobil’s interest is 30 percent and 18.3 percent respectively.
Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited RL 3 was formed in 2005 to produce LNG and related products. ExxonMobil’s interest in the RL 3 project is 30 percent.
ExxonMobil helped develop the newest classes of LNG carriers with the 210,000 cubic meter capacity Q-Flex ships and the 265,000 cubic meter Q-Max vessels, which carry LNG to receiving terminals jointly developed by Qatar and ExxonMobil in the United Kingdom, Italy and the United States, and to markets around the globe.
ExxonMobil Research Qatar opened at Qatar Science and Technology Park in 2009 to conduct research in areas of common interest to the State of Qatar and ExxonMobil.
As the world’s largest producer of LNG, Qatar celebrated a significant production capacity milestone of 77 million tonnes of LNG MTA in 2010.
The Barzan Gas project, a domestic gas partnership between Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, is expected to supply 1.4 billion cubic feet per day of gas.
The price of oil is not going to rise much beyond 50us$/barrel in the immediate future, Saudi Barbaria’s economy is shrinking as a result and hence poorer revenues, its war in Yemen is draining resources, political support and lifestyle for the royal family at home has to be well maintained, new us$400b weapons contract must be paid for, so where would the money come from? Easy, seize the fat sheep called Qatar and its us$100b/year natural gas revenues and…voila!..problem solved.
It was nothing but a harebrained resource grab via the idiot 30 year old Mohammed Salman, ‘clown’ prince, defence Minister and son of the ailing current monarch. Like everything he and his neocon masters touch, it all turns to dust, and as can be seen, Qatar is using its financial clout to rapidly assemble a galaxy of important and powerful allies like Russia, Turkey, Iran and probably China, a major Qatari client.
Once again, Saudi Barbaria and its anglozionist masters in the US and Israel have bit off more than they can chew, and they are going to regret it. There will be major geopolitical consequences to this overreach in coming days and weeks.
Qatar has always been a renegade as far as KSA and the other gulf states are concerned. It has had problems with KSA, UAE and Bahrain. Back in the day when the British decided to grant the Trucial States on the western edge of the Persian Gulf independence, Qatar was supposed to join a confederation of states called the United Arab Emirates but pulled out of the deal and decided to go solo.
Its size notwithstanding, throughout its existence Qatar tried to chart its own foreign policy and look after its own interest, ie not be subservient to big brother and fellow Wahhabi state KSA. Gas exports have of course given it fabulous wealth and with it some political clout in the region, something not seen through kind eyes by the wannabe regional hegemon, KSA — a ranking Saudi prince, I forget who, once dismissed Qatar as a state with 300 people and a TV station. KSA is just taking this opportunity to vent its bile and teach Qatar a lesson.
In terms of Wahhabism, Qatar seems to be a bigger Wahhabi state than KSA. The ruling house, al-Thani come from the same tribe as Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the Banu Tamim, and indeed its national mosque is named after (a measure of reverence in a Muslim state) Wahhabism’s founder — the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque. But unlike KSA, Qatar is relatively tolerant of non-Muslims and non-Wahhabi Muslims, and does not try to export its perverted version of Islam elsewhere.
Some commentators have characterised this present tiff as a contest between two young princelings — Qatar’s 37-year old emir, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and KSA’s 31-year old deputy crown prince, Mohamed bin Salman al-Saud. If that’s the case, then Qatar will probably win, or at least not be defeated, in this contest. The al-Saud’s MBS has already proven his incompetence with the war on Yemen and is facing competition from his cousin, the Crown Prince, Nayef bin Muhammad al-Saud. MBS is only getting his way now because his father is king but once the king who is 80+ years old is no longer around, things may be different and perhaps dramatically so for MBS. The other princes are just giving him enough rope to hang himself. If this all looks pretty much like tribal politics, it is because it is. Although very rich, the gulf potentates are nothing more than tribal leaders, each jostling with rivals within the tribe in trying to maintain his leadership position in the tribe (or state), with no vision for the country or region.
Illuminating analysis to which, purely out of speculation, I connect a somewhat unrelated but in my view meaningful sequence of events and a subsequent question.
The recent developments in Syria clearly show the intent to partition the country according to the scheme of a “Greater Israel.” Russia has met the gross criminality of attacking the Syrian army with a US aerial-invasion force, with incredible restraint.
From perhaps a political-unsavvy point of view, an appropriate reaction would be for the Syrian forces to shoot down one or two of the marauding jets. We all know that the bully keeps on bullying until checked.
It’s almost embarrassing to repeat that US-Israel is ISIS, though in the confusion of puzzling events, cause and effects tend to be forgotten.
We equally know that “neo-con” is a euphemism for Neo-Judaica and that the recent events should dispel any lingering doubt that 9/11 was the product of Mossad with the Saudi Arabian goons as patsies.
The US has provoked Syria and Russia for at least one year without any retaliation. Is this extraordinary patience the result of calculation, or the result of pressure inside Russia by the Judaica-backed “deep state”?
The weight of Talmudic Judaica and Israel on the world since at least 1948, reminds me of the position of Rome towards Cartagena and the Phoenicians. When in the 2nd century BC, Cato the Censor kept repeating to the Roman senate, “Cartago delenda est” (Cartagena must be destroyed). Though, at the time, the Phoenicians had not infiltrated the Roman senate.
PS. Russian Congressman Fjodorov used to post interesting video-interviews that seemed to confirm the pressure by the “deep state” on Russian politics. I have not seen him recently. Any news?
I think there is another factor in this – China.
This article from two years ago goes into increasing Chinese – Quatari bilateral ties, not least, in relation to gas supplies and the use of the remnibi for payment:
https://globalconnections.hsbc.com/uae/en/articles/qatar-courts-economy
Couple this with Qatar’s pivot to Iran, and the SCO adding two new members, and you begin to get a sense of consolidation of resources (especially energy) that threatens to really upset the petrodollar/oil status quo between the US and Israel/GCC.
Israel is not getting many takers for the Leviathan gasfield, and its pipeline deal with the EU is a long way from realisation.
Thierry Meyssan wrote recently that the UK was shifting towards an Iranian-led ‘political Islam’ – a Muslim Brotherhood rather than Wahaabi flavored variant..
Perhaps the Israelis have got wind of it, and have stirred the Saudis up in panic.
It’s complicated for sure, in terms of how things will play out.
Will we see an ‘asymmetric response’, perhaps in a key node of OBOR?
Or the UK again??
Or even Korea?
This article is great. May I have your permission to translate it into Spanish?
Senegal and Gabon are US client states. Their support is purely window dressing-to give the appearance of wider support for the move against Qatar than actually exists.
I disagree that they are not planning an attack on Iran. This development indicates that they are. Yes, the US has a big base there and in the event of a war against Iran is vulberable to iranian attack and so the US wants to make sure that at least the Qatari government is not going to stab them in the back in the event of a war-and allow their base to be threatened. So the attempt to oust the present government and replace ti with people they can be sure of controlling and committed to a US war on Iran and protecting that base.
Yes. It’s the equivalent of the “17 intelligence agencies agree….. Russia hacked”…… Except no one can name the 17….. And IF you can find a list of the 17 _ you gotta ask – WHF would the US coast guard know about,Russian hacking if elections…..
But “17 agencies….. ” ….. sounds so authoritative,
When Megan Kelly kept grilling Putin about this at SPIEF2017, and she trotted out the same “17 agencies…..” I really really wanted Putin to ask her to name them……. Or name 10? 7?? 5???
Yeah…
So here we see a couple of total vassals “supporting” the US as it tries to mug Qatar…. “40 countries agree Qatar supports terrorism…..” Blerrgh.
It’s really a stroke of genius.
If Saudi Arabia attacks Iran, or vice versa, over an incident involving Iranian humanitarian aid to Qatar this could easily lead to an escalation of tensions. Israel may soon have to choose sides in a real shooting war between nations.
Do any of you doubt which side Israel would ally itself with?
SAGE
Do we know which side Israel will ally with?
Yes.
Neither.
You have to understand Israel. It will do what it has been doing “forever”. _ surreptitiously – fund and support both.
You need to read and comprehend the Yinon Plan for Greater Israel.
Everything makes perfect sense when you understand the objective is Israel controlling from the Nile to the Euphrates.
And Ukraine makes perfect sense as an extension of the Intermarium Plan _ Israel needs a fertile breadbasket and the rich soil of Ukraine is destined to be theirs.
There was an early pre Balfour plan to have Israel established in the Crimea…… But the British settled on Palestine instead. The lust for Ukraine remains. Hence some of the screeching and outrage the the “annexing” of Crimea by the Russians.
Here’s a link to a fascinating article revealing the idea for an autonomous Jewish state in Crimea.
Prior to the Palestine project.
https://freeukrainenow.org/2015/03/15/jewish-homeland-proposal-for-crimea-stalin-and-the-crimea-california-project/
Iran is but on target in the Qatar situation- Turkey is another
Iran has named Iranian Kurds as the ISIS terrorists that attacked Tehran
Not a surprise to me- given the US has been arming and training the PKK affiliates in Iran for sometime now.
http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.ca/2017/06/iranian-kurds-responsible-for-isis.html
You know, there’s another whole dimension to this Qatar thing…..
Clintons……
The Clinton Global Fund and the Podesta team have been meddling around in Qatar for a decade. (Or more)
Qatar gave WJC a million as a birthday gift. A mere trinket.
There was a “conspiracy site/debunked” claim the Clintons transferred 1.8 billion to Qatar in Sept 2016. Nonsense, right? Maybe, maybe not. (I’m still researching all this, and it is a very dark, convoluted rabbit hole…. But like all conspiracies …… There’s just enough meat on the bones to make me wonder) (to mix a metaphor) …
And Obama has been up to his eyeballs in Qatar cash also…..
Qatar has been splashing its cash liberally for a decade-plus…. it’s spent a billion collecting western art and building a mammoth art gallery….
It funds 5 major US universities that have opened campuses so degrees can be awarded in Qatar….. Lots of generous donations, philanthropy and convoluted relationships.
What if Trump though cutting off Qatar and its billions was a way to cut off the funding of the #resistance he’s doing battle with domestically…..
?
Of course, Trump, being a new skin to geopolitics, is now rapidly becoming acquainted with the law of unintended consequences.
People assume its Soros funding the #notmypresident…
But what if Qatar has been splashing cash also…… Trumps team thought they were cutting the funding, and figured the US base would be OK….. I mean it’s occupied territory, so what realistically can Qatar do to rid itself _ the US in your country is like a parasite in your bowels, it’s very hard to get it to dislodged….. And trying gets very messy.
If you want links to all this…. Start with
https://idraintheswamp.com/maga/libya-qatars-help-wmds/
OR – you can all help me hunt…… There’s definitely another “Clinton” dimension to this …… I just haven’t worked it all out yet..
Clinton-Libya-ISIS-Qatar-Clinton ……. It’s a rabbit warren.
Hmmm, I’m going to have to disagree with this article. I think the major point around this rapid escalation of tensions has been to station more troops and weapons across the gulf from Iran. Essentially, it’s the same trick that was used in Korea to get approval for the the deployment of THAAD in South Korea. I think Turkey is still in league with the US while feigning a pivot towards Russia. The “failed” coup was never intended to remove Erdogan from power. I think it was intended to help consolidate his power, establish false pretense for closer relations with Russia, and perhaps signal to Erdogan that he could be replaced at anytime. The US would never allow a regime friendly to Russia to control the Bosphorus Straight.
A continued partnership between Turkey, the US, and KSA is necessary for my theory. Which is, this has all been a stunt to position Turkish troops and weapons in Quatar and across the Gulf from Iran. Why is this important? Well if one wanted to neutralize Iranian influence in the region, they have simply to prevent Iranian export of LNG. This has proven problematic by way of embargo, so now, they are planning to do it by force. True, a full invasion of Iran would be very costly, both in lives and dollars; however, an invasion of southern Iran in order to cut off its access to the great LNG fields under the gulf would be much less costly.
There has to be a pretext for such an attack, but I’m sure one can be manufactured easily enough. Perhaps one will come out of this little show. I cannot say. Although, one cannot doubt that the recent weapons deal was for the purpose of forward positioning of weapons in KSA. I would think this would follow the same theme, being so closely related in time. Perhaps an invasion of Quatar will be a springboard into southern Iran. It would be a nice guise, and perhaps catch the Iranians slightly off-guard. it is certainly a good excuse for a build-up of anti-Iranian forces across the Gulf from Iran. Whether Quatar is in on it or not, I do not know. Perhaps they have been left in the dark to make the whole scenario seem for authentic. Either way, I do not think this is the huge event that it is being made out to be. It is merely a distraction and pretense for further forward positioning of weapons and personnel.
The key point to this is that Trump is going after the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the British destabilizing force in the Middle East. (See voltairenet.org) If he can co-opt the next generation of Saudi’s and eliminate the Muslim Brotherhood, there will be hope of ending terrorism in the Middle East. This is a big goal, consistent with his policies.
Well done, nice article, thank you!