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How Arab states perceive the US-China standoff

Mohammad Salami
The Cradle
Mon, 29 Aug 2022 20:02 UTC
West Asian countries recognize China's sovereign claims over Taiwan, yet many of them still rely on the US militarily and politically, so where do they stand?
Xi and Brandon
© The Cradle
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's controversial visit to Taiwan earlier this month sent waves of concern across Asia - both east and west - further straining already not-so-conciliatory relations between the US and China.

During Pelosi's provocative trip, most West Asian nations supported China and the "One China" policy, illustrating Beijing's increased clout across the region.

Arab countries in particular are committed to the One China policy, and given their fast-growing economic ties with Beijing, have not shown willingness to sacrifice these for the sake of any country, including the US.

Arab support for China

It is important to stress that Arab support for China has international legitimacy: The UN has supported Beijing's position since 1971, when the UN General Assembly backed a united China in Resolution 2758, recognizing the envoys of the People's Republic of China as the only representatives of China.

"Our position is very clear. We abide by General Assembly resolutions, by the One China policy, and that is the orientation that we have in everything we do," Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN, said in a press conference on 3 August, the day after Pelosi landed in Taiwan.

Similarly, the Arab League weighed in to support China's sovereignty. In a phone call with the Chinese ambassador in Cairo, Secretary General Hossam Zaki said the League's stance "is based on upholding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and firmly adhering to the one-China principle."
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Document

Retired FBI boss disassembles Trump search warrant: Feds 'going to regret this'

John Solomon
Just the News
Sat, 27 Aug 2022 12:28 UTC
Brock
© Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesFormer FBI Intel Chief Kevin Brock
The FBI's former intelligence chief declared Friday the agency should not have criminalized the records dispute between Donald Trump and the National Archives and that the bureau appears to have failed to meet the probable cause standard for the invasive search of the former president's Florida estate.

"I think they're going to regret this," retired Assistant Director Kevin Brock told the Just the News, Not Noise television show after reviewing a heavily redacted affidavit the FBI used to persuade a judge to allow the Aug. 8 search at Mar-a-Lago.

Brock, ordinarily an ardent defender of his former agency, has raised concerns for several days that the bureau did not exhaust other means to resolve the dispute over presidential and alleged classified records Trump kept. He said he did not believe the FBI adequately considered the possibility that Trump had wide latitude to declassify records and declare them personal.

He said Friday his concerns were only heightened by the court-ordered release of the search warrant affidavit, which he noted was still heavily redacted.
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Target

Did the U.S. provoke Russia to sabotage Nord Stream 2?

Noah Carl
The Daily Sceptic
Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:04 UTC
pipe
© unknownNord Stream 2
There's a fair amount of evidence that the U.S. (or let's say 'elements within the U.S. foreign policy establishment') actually wanted Russia to invade Ukraine because they thought it was in America's strategic interests.

Since the Maidan uprising in late 2013, the U.S. has taken an intense interest in Ukraine, and many of the decisions it has made seem almost designed to provoke Russia. This is not to say they definitely were - which is a matter for debate - only that it's hard to explain why else the U.S. would have made them.

American officials publicly backed the 'Revolution of Dignity' in 2014, which saw the replacement of Ukraine's pro-Russian government with one made up of pro-Western nationalists. They even helped the Maidan 'revolutionaries' behind the scenes, though to exactly what extent is not clear.

When you think about it, this is extremely provocative. Imagine if Chinese officials travelled to Canada, and publicly backed a protest movement seeking to replace Canada's government with a pro-Chinese one. Americans would be outraged.

After Ukraine's president was toppled, the U.S. had significant sway over the new regime. As the most powerful Western country, it could have said, 'We will not recognise your government unless you do X, Y and Z.' Despite this, the U.S. allowed almost a quarter of cabinet positions to go to the far-right Svoboda party - a party the EU had previously denounced as "racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic".

Comment: Two objectives: 'Divide and conquer'. Score one USA.

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Attention

Moscow: US afraid inhumane acts committed by Azov terrorists will be made public


Sputnik
Thu, 25 Aug 2022 05:28 UTC
AZOV fighters
© AFP/Petro ZadorozhnyyAzov paramilitary fighters in combat drills near Mariupol
Washington is afraid that crimes committed by Ukraine's Azov* neo-nazi regiment would come to light during the international tribunal for war criminals in Mariupol, the Russian Embassy to the US said.

The Russian embassy noted that the upcoming tribunal against Ukrainian war criminals, which is being prepared by the DPR authorities, would hold Ukrainian Neo-Nazis accountable.

A statement read:
"We have taken note of another groundless accusation against our country related to the Tribunal over Ukrainian war criminals. The upcoming Trial is aimed at bringing justice to war criminals, among which there are Nazis from the Azov Regiment. Washington is clearly afraid of making public the evidence of the inhumane acts committed by the members of this terrorist organization.

"The International Tribunal in Mariupol can shed light on the true essence of the Kiev regime, of which the United States diligently creates a bright and heroic image. American citizens will finally learn that in reality, their government is helping those who purposefully kill and torture the Russian people of Donbass and Ukraine."
The embassy said Russia fully complies with the Geneva Conventions and guarantees Ukrainian captives proper conditions of detention.
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Arrow Up

Germany vows to support Ukraine 'for years'


RT
Sun, 28 Aug 2022 13:07 UTC
Annalena/Volod
© Ukrainian President OfficeGerman FM Annalena Baerbock • Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia could "could go on for years", but Berlin will keep supporting Kiev all the way, Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said.

She told the Bild tabloid on Sunday:
"Unfortunately, we have to assume that Ukraine will still need new heavy weapons from its friends next summer. Ukraine is also defending our freedom, our peace. Berlin will support Kiev "financially and militarily — and for as long as it is necessary, full stop!"
Baerbock's pledge comes despite her admission earlier this week that Germany's military is facing an "absolute deficit" of hardware, due to arms shipments to Ukraine.

Berlin has so far supplied artillery pieces, shoulder-fired rockets and anti-aircraft self-propelled guns to Ukraine. Nevertheless, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has faced criticism throughout the six months of the conflict, for his apparent reluctance to send more sophisticated weaponry to Kiev.
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Attention

EU faces 'major challenges' due to anti-Russia sanctions - Borrell


RT
Sun, 28 Aug 2022 09:54 UTC
Borrell
© AFP/John ThysEuropean Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell
The EU will encounter "major challenges" due to the sanctions it imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has said.

The issue was raised during Borrell's interview with the Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung, with journalists pointing out that many people in their country are "skeptical" about the anti-Russia measures.

The diplomat claimed that the sanctions are working, and that "Russia is in trouble."
"These are restrictive measures. We've limited Russia's economic possibilities. As long as Russia's economy is dependent on oil and gas, they'll be needing our technologies."
However, Borrell acknowledged that "of course, we are facing major challenges in the short term" because of the sanctions, and "there is no denying that the price of gas is rising."

Comment: In the face of proven facts, there are still those who cannot ditch the narrative.

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Stop

Russia and India no longer need US dollar - BRICS president


RT
Thu, 25 Aug 2022 08:32 UTC
money
© Getty Images/PM ImagesPitching the Dollar
Russia and India don't need the US dollar in trade, having turned to national currencies to conduct mutual settlements, BRICS International Forum President Purnima Anand told reporters on Thursday.
"We have implemented the mechanism of mutual settlements in rubles and rupees, and there is no need for our countries to use the dollar in mutual settlements. And today a similar mechanism of mutual settlements in rubles and yuan is being developed by China.

"That means that the BRICS countries are opening up to Russia, offering the opportunity for the country to overcome the consequences of sanctions."
The BRICS president said mutual trade between India and Russia had grown fivefold over the past 40 years. Moscow supplies a rapidly growing volume of oil to India, and in return gets large quantities of agricultural products, textiles, medicines and other products.

Comment: The global pendulum is swinging back. New rules, new means.

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Quenelle

Seven nations ready to revoke recognition of Kosovo, Belgrade claims


RT
Sun, 28 Aug 2022 21:21 UTC
kosovo
US NATO soldiers patrol next to Kosovo police near the border between Kosovo and Serbia on October 2, 2021
Belgrade has convinced seven nations to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic claimed on Saturday. He did not name any of the countries, but hailed this as an achievement of Serbian diplomacy, showing that Belgrade enjoys the support of the majority of the world.

"At this moment, in my drawer and in the drawer of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, there are seven documents confirming Kosovo's derecognition," Vucic said during an address to the nation. He noted that Pristina is seeking recognition from Vietnam and Kenya, and that Belgrade has "also worked" with these nations. It remains unclear, however, if the positions of these two nations on Kosovo has changed in any way.

Comment: Possibly related: less than a week ago Twitter removed 7 Serbian embassy accounts from its platform without explanation.

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Pirates

Symbolic: UK's largest warship HMS Prince of Wales breaks down ONE day after leaving Portsmouth for four month deployment to US

Vivian Ho
The Guardian
Sun, 28 Aug 2022 23:21 UTC
HMS Prince of Wales
© Paul Jacobs/pictureexclusive.comHMS Prince of Wales - Nato's flagship aircraft carrier - leaving Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon.
The £3bn Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has broken down just one day after departing from Portsmouth to begin a four-month deployment to the US.

The 65,000-tonne warship remained in the south coast exercise area near the Isle of Wight as the Royal Navy conducts "investigations into an emerging mechanical issue," a spokesperson said on Sunday. They declined to comment further.

Divers have been inspecting the 930-foot carrier after damage was reported to [be] a propeller shaft, according to the Navy Lookout news site.

Comment: The ongoing fiasco of what should be the best of the UK's output is instead a reflection of the overwhelming corruption and incompetence that festers within the UK's institutions. Still, it seems these incidents also carry with them a symbolic aspect of the West's fall from grace; just a few weeks ago: Three people dead after lightning strike near the White House

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Attention

Marjorie Taylor Greene swatted for a third time in less than a week

Joshua Young
The Post Millennial
Sat, 27 Aug 2022 23:56 UTC
marjorie taylor greene
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) was swatted for a third time in less than a week on Friday night.

She announced the incident on Twitter and linked to a scheduled interview with RSBN where she promised to show home security footage and 911 calls from the events.


Comment: Swatting is a reckless and dangerous practice that is criminal in most states. In March 2019, a California man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for carrying out a fatal 2017 swatting. It's a rather cowardly way to attack one's ideological enemies.

See also:

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