by Ghassan Kadi for the Saker blog I started following The Saker about ten years ago. I cannot be sure how and when it started, but I was formally ‘introduced’ to him in 2015 after which he began to publish my work and Intibah’s (my wife). ‘The Saker’, Andrei, became an instant friend and confidant. He gave me a voice when all former ‘friends’ tried to muffle me, attacked me,
By Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog The Russian special operation in Ukraine has created the potential for an avalanche of geopolitical and geo-economic changes. Some of them were bound to happen; just waiting for a trigger factor. Is the end of the Petrodollar one of them? To understand the importance of the Petrodollar, we need to go back to its origin and definition. Many articles and definitions have been
by Ghassan Kadi, for the Saker Blog Do Western sanctions have any chance of achieving their objectives? Perhaps we need to look back at history and see how the earliest recorded sanctions were implemented. Before the age of electronic transfers and massive international trading and complex technology came into existence, warring factions enforced sanctions on each other by way of imposing sieges, and therefore cutting off food and water supplies
By Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog As the European colonialist empires were being dismantled, many nations that gained independence inherited enormous problems that remain unresolved to-date. If anything, countries like India and Pakistan are currently in a bigger state of discord than the one that led to partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947; and this is an understatement. They are adversaries, both nuclear capable and armed to
by Ghassan Kadi for the Saker blog I am not here to write about historic, strategic and military details pertaining to the issues surrounding the Ukraine crisis. Apart from those fabricating Hollywood material, there are many excellent analysts covering these areas competently. But as a Syrian/Lebanese, within my limited capacity, I have a duty to show support and reciprocate Russia’s support to Syria where it is due and, in this
by Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog The alleged stray ground-to-air Syrian missile that landed near the nuclear reactor in Dimona Israel carried many messages; both overt and covert. And, as if the fact that this missile managed to penetrate Israel’s formidable ‘Iron Dome’ was not embarrassing enough for Israel, the official Israeli report alleged that the missile was actually Iranian-made; not Russian as initially perceived by the world. In
By Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog In the past few weeks much has happened in the area of diplomacy on the part of Russia. Russia is forging ahead after stepping up its presence in the Middle East in the past decade, taking a strong pro-active political role. Moscow during this period has been intent on consolidating its efforts in re-establishing itself as the key player in any political settlements
by Ghassan and Intibah Kadi for the Saker Blog The revolving results and aspirations of having a clear outcome of the American Presidential elections are bringing many related issues to the surface. Perhaps none bigger than the heightened call by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for a ‘Great Reset’. The mission of the WEF, stated beneath its logo reads that it is: ‘Committed to improving the state of the world
by Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog Nearly three weeks after the American elections, Americans and the world in general, are still none-the-wiser; not knowing who really won and if the votes have all been legitimate or otherwise. And the man who is supposedly trying to make America respectable again, yes, Joe Biden, started his ‘tenure’ ironically by presenting his own disrespect by breaking the law and declaring himself as
By Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog The intriguing twists and turns following the catastrophic explosion at Beirut’s Sea Port have thus far had international repercussions, beginning with the visit of French President Marcon to Beirut just three days after the disaster; a visit that could hardly be classified as a visit of a foreign head of state to another country. Marcon did not go to Lebanon just to meet
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog Most of the current instability in the Levant and the whole Middle East is inadvertently and inadvertently a result of the obsession about Israel’s security; both from the Israeli as well as the American sides. That said, many of the region’s problems are deep-rooted and go back to times before Israel was created and before America had any influence. In the middle part
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog I have mourned Beirut time and time again, but with all the cities I have lived in, Beirut will always be my favourite. After all, how can I ever forget its hustle and bustle before the infamous fifteen year long civil war that started on Sunday the 13th of April 1975? I was a student back then, with very limited financial resources, but
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog When our friend The Saker asked if either Intibah or I would like to write a necrologue for Jon Hellevig, we both felt we couldn’t give the request enough justice, because we didn’t know Jon enough. But as I decided to take the lead here and write it in my name, with Intibah’s help, I realized that I knew Jon enough to honour
By Ghassan Kadi for the Saker Blog The world does not need a new cold war, or does it? The Cold War started before the hot war was over. It was put into motion when America dropped the ‘bomb’ and Stalin declared that the USSR should ramp up its efforts to have this technology as soon as possible. And even though the Soviet Atomic Bomb Project was initiated in 1942,
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker blog I have deliberated for some time before deciding to write a Saker article about the COVID-19 outbreak. Firstly, because this is not a forum to write about such issues, and secondly because I am not a medic. But given that this is all that people want to talk and hear about right now, given that COVID-19 articles have already been published on The
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog The root of the military conflict in Idlib is not something that arose from contemporary times. And with all due respect to Sputnik, the cause did not start 80 years ago https://sputniknews.com/amp/middleeast/202002291078432455-the-stolen-province-why-turkey-was-given-a-corner-of-syria-by-france-80-years-ago/ Actually, the seed of the conflict was sown five centuries ago and, its germination could have been prevented a century ago. However, the colonialists had other plans; and they implemented them
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog The new Lebanese Government has been pre-destined to fail; and for no wrong doing on its part. Actually, PM Diab formed the cabinet on the 22nd of January 2020, and as I sit down to write this on the 26th of February, I would have to say that, irrespective of the conditions upon which Diab was chosen to be the new PM, he
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog It is hard to say if Erdogan is running out of choices, friends, time, or all of the above; and his stands on various issues and the contradictions he ploughs through are making his situation increasingly untenable. For the benefit of readers who haven’t heard this before; Erdogan is juggling being a Turkish Muslim reformer who parades under the photos of Turkish secular
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog Even though the Syrian Army, with the aid of its international friends and allies, especially Russia, has been able to score many victories and liberate most of Syria’s major cities from the control of terrorist groups, the fight is far from over. Before the situation in the American-controlled North-East is addressed, the Western regions, including Idlib and its surrounds must be put back
by Ghassan Kadi for The Saker Blog It was totally fortuitous that I dedicated a fair chunk of my previous article to the Lebanese journalist Sami Koleib https://10.16.86.131/hezbollah-and-the-basket-of-liberators/ . A cornerstone of the pro Axis of Resistance journalism and a pillar of Al-Mayadin media network is no longer; after he announced his sudden and somehow controversial resignation announcing that “in line with my thoughts, convictions and conscience, I have resigned
