Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a ceremony ahead of their talks at the Kremlin on October 5, 2017. Photo: Sputnik via Reuters
David P. Goldman, Asia Times: Russia emerging as new player in Middle East balance of power
Moscow's sale of a better defense system to the Saudis than to its "ally" Iran is consistent with the pattern of its attempts to influence outcomes in the region, writes Spengler
Remarkably little comment attended the strangest outcome of Saudi King Salman’s four-day visit to Moscow in early October, namely Russia’s sale of its top-of-the-line S-400 air defense system to a country whose relations with Russia have been hostile until recently. It was strange because Iran, habitually characterized as Russia’s “ally” in Western media, was permitted to purchase a much older and inferior Russian system, the S-300.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- October 16, 2017
Russia’s S-400 missile system: A new Middle East invasion -- Stephen Bryen, Asia Times
The Trump Administration Just Stabbed the Kurds in the Front -- Michael J. Totten, World Affairs
Trump's Neutrality Only Deepens the Kurdish Crisis -- Eli Lake, Bloomberg
Procrastination Hasn't Solved Dispute Over Kirkuk -- Noah Feldman, Bloomberg
Iran currency run unravels stability -- Gary Kleiman, Asia Times
The Coming Confrontation Between Israel and Iran -- Elliot Abrams, The Atlantic
In Africa, Jihadists See a Chance to Expand -- Allison Fedirka, Geopolitical Futures
Great Power Competition Is Back in Africa. Could the U.S. and Others Collide? -- Steven Metz, WPR
Nigeria’s Next Security Threat -- Ayo Awokoya, Raddington Report
Germany and France push harder line on Brexit talks -- Jacopo Barigazzi and Maïa de La Baume, Politico.eu
Donbas war will be won by force of example, not arms -- Mark Galeotti, European Council on Foreign Relations
A right-wing coalition in Austria threatens the EU -- Bernd Riegert, DW
Where's the EU in the Catalonia Crisis? -- Susi Dennison, New York Times
Haiti, the UN and the unintended effects of a peace mission -- Jan D. Walter, DW
The Demise of Dollar Diplomacy? -- Barry Eichengreen, Project Syndicate
3 comments:
Ole Salman doesn't look he's feeling too good.
James,
I'm sure "Ole Salman" is not feeling so well. After all his country has spent many decades undermining Russian interests. Now he knows as the editor has pointed out numerous times "all roads to the Middle East go through Moscow" (paraphrase). I'm sure he knows Vladimir Putin is going to extract a very heavy price from him and his country for his actions.
Of course had he asked me I could have told him as far back as 1999 how he needed to act. He did not consult me. When we act within the parameters of reality, good outcomes are probable and stress is lowered.
"Ole Salman" acted contrary to reality. Now he must deal with the consequences and his stress level is raised hence he is "not feeling to good."
Unfortunately the US is not in any better of a situation. DJT knew he needed to improve America's relations with Russia. To this end, he and his team spent many long months and very probably years cultivating relations with powerful Russians. This effort very likely would have ended Cold War 2 or at least defused tensions and procured Russian help with Iran and North Korea. This would have been good for EVERYONE!!
Unfortunately certain petty losers undermined all of this. DJT did not help by failing to veto the bill. While Congress would have overridden the veto, POTUS is on the record as doing the right thing. From experience, I know such gestures can and do go a long way.
Poster,
My comment was not really about Salman, but to be fair figureheads have feelings too.
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