Mithu G. Parmar

It was the month of August 1945 that marked a pivotal moment in global history when the United States solidified its emergence as a hegemonic power by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, shocking the world. Prior to this, though possessing significant influence, America had largely remained detached from major global conflicts. The end of World War II ushered in an era of U.S. dominance, shaping a new world order under its leadership.

This American-led world order has been defined by democratic values, free-market economies, international institutions, and liberal ideology. The U.S. has maintained its supremacy through a combination of cooperation, economic strategies, and at times, coercive measures. Unlike previous empires, America’s hegemony has endured for an unprecedented duration—a feat attributed by scholar John Mearsheimer to its unique position as a regional hegemon, free from immediate threats in its own backyard while projecting power globally.

Yet this American-led system, for all its achievements, contained contradictions. Washington promoted democracy while overthrowing governments in Iran, Guatemala, and Chile. It championed free trade while imposing embargoes on Cuba and Vietnam. It condemned human rights abuses while supporting dictators in Saudi Arabia and Zaire. For much of the Cold War, these inconsistencies were overlooked—the Soviet threat made U.S. leadership indispensable. But after communism’s collapse, the system’s flaws became harder to ignore.

Despite these actions, America’s global dominance remained largely unchallenged—until 2016, when a seismic shift occurred in international politics.

Read: Trump’s ‘America First’ Will Hurt US Interests

The 2016 U.S. presidential election sent shockwaves across the world with the victory of Donald Trump, a populist leader whose rhetoric and policies upended traditional norms. Trump’s brand of authoritarian populism centered on hyper-nationalism, encapsulated in his slogan “Make America Great Again.” He positioned himself as the sole true representative of the American people, appealing to those disillusioned with globalization and seeking a return to U.S. supremacy.

Trump’s presidency posed a direct threat to the liberal international order. He dismissed multilateral institutions, undermined alliances, and embraced transactional diplomacy, prioritizing personal relationships over formal agreements. Trump’s “America First” doctrine represented a clean break from seven decades of bipartisan foreign policy consensus. Where his predecessors saw alliances as assets, Trump viewed them as burdens. He threatened to withdraw from NATO, demanded allies pay more for their defense, and praised authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un. His administration abandoned the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership—key pillars of the liberal order. Economically, Trump waged trade wars on friend and foe alike. His tariffs on Chinese goods disrupted global supply chains, while his attacks on the World Trade Organization crippled its dispute settlement system. The moves delighted his nationalist base but alienated traditional allies and accelerated the fragmentation of the global economy. His second term in the office is again inviting new threats to the existing order.

His policies—steep tariffs, anti-immigration measures, climate change denial, and erosion of democratic norms—are fostering the domestic polarization and global instability.

One of Trump’s most damaging legacies is the U.S.-China trade war. His aggressive tariffs, described by The Economist as “ruination day,” disrupted global supply chains, are raising consumer prices, and fueling protectionism. Economists widely condemned these measures as self-defeating, yet Trump persisted, aiming to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and force manufacturing back to America. However, these policies have already to halt China’s rise—instead, they are accelerating the fragmentation of the global economic system.

Trump’s actions inadvertently are aiding China’s geopolitical ambitions. By alienating traditional allies and weakening international cooperation, he is creating space for Beijing to expand its influence. China, like Russia, operates on a sphere-of-influence model—and under Trump, the U.S. appeared less willing to counter its aggression, particularly regarding Taiwan or regional disputes with Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Meanwhile, America’s internal decline became increasingly evident. Stagnant wages, crumbling infrastructure, soaring deficits, and widening inequality fueled a pervasive sense of national pessimism. Once a beacon of optimism, the U.S. now grapples with self-doubt, even as it clings to its superpower status.

Trump’s last tenure was not an anomaly but a symptom of deeper structural shifts in global power dynamics. His policies exacerbated America’s decline, hastening the transition toward a multipolar world. Whether through deliberate strategy or reckless disruption, his legacy may well be remembered as the catalyst that accelerated the end of the American-led order—leaving the world more fractured, unstable, and contested than ever before.

The American era of global leadership now stands at a precipice. For nearly eight decades, the U.S.-led international system—despite its flaws—provided relative stability, open markets, and a framework for cooperation that lifted billions from poverty. But the twin shocks of reckless foreign interventions and Trumpian nationalism have eroded this foundation, leaving the world adrift between competing visions of order.

Read: Observations of an Expat: MAGA V. Liberal Elite

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Mithu G. Parmar is a student of international Relations, University of Sindh Jamshoro.

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Washington

The US National Intelligence Agency has excluded Afghanistan from its latest annual report on terrorist threats to national security, released Tuesday, despite documented evidence of Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda presence in the Taliban-controlled nation, Afintl.af reports.

This marks a stark shift from last year’s assessment, which referenced Afghanistan six times and the Taliban eight times.

The 2025 US Intelligence Community’s global threat report highlights Al-Qaeda leadership in Iran and its operatives in Somalia, Syria, and West Africa, but omits any mention of their activities in Afghanistan. This comes despite United Nations Security Council reports confirming Al-Qaeda and ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) fighters remain active there. A UN report recently noted senior Al-Qaeda figures in rural Sar-e Pul, Kunar, Ghazni, Logar, and Wardak provinces, with lower-ranking members residing in Kabul under Taliban protection.

The omission follows the US decision to lift a bounty on Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, and two other Haqqani Network members. The move coincided with a US delegation visit to Kabul, led by Adam Boehler, Donald Trump’s hostage affairs envoy, and Zalmay Khalilzad, former US envoy to Afghanistan. The Taliban subsequently released an American hostage.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Al Arabiya on Tuesday that discussions with Trump’s team included requests to control Afghanistan’s embassy in Washington and reopen the US embassy in Kabul. “We are awaiting their response,” he said.

The report identifies ISIS-K as a rising threat, describing it as the most capable South Asian affiliate for launching attacks abroad. It warns of the group’s efforts to expand into Central Asia, Iran, Russia, and the West, using online platforms to recruit and inspire attacks. Last year’s attacks in Russia and Iran, alongside arrests of ISIS supporters in Europe and the US, highlight its growing operational reach.

Al-Qaeda, meanwhile, retains its intent to target the US and its citizens, the report states. Leaders, some based in Iran, have sought to exploit anti-Israeli sentiment over the Gaza conflict to galvanize attacks against Israel and the US.

The report acknowledges the capabilities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its historical ties to Al-Qaeda but stops short of addressing Pakistan’s repeated assertions that TTP uses Afghanistan as a safe haven. The UN has warned of TTP’s cross-border activities, yet the US assessment remains silent on the issue.

The Taliban insists it has suppressed ISIS-K in Afghanistan, yet the group’s Khorasan branch continues to stage attacks within the country. Last year, US intelligence flagged ISIS-K’s plans to target foreign entities in Afghanistan, alongside the Taliban’s restrictive policies on women and girls and its failure to address the nation’s humanitarian crisis.

The exclusion of Afghanistan from this year’s report raises questions about evolving US priorities as the Taliban seeks diplomatic engagement with Washington.

Read: What should neighbors expect from Taliban?

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on March 27, 2025)

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By Tom arms

A Kamala Harris win this week is not good news for the UK and Europe. A Trump win is much, much worse.

Trump’s “America First” campaigns has fed a latent US isolationism which has forced the Democrats to adopt some of his policies, because, like it or not, America is a democracy and the president elected to represent all Americans.

According to one poll, only 22 percent of young Americans support involvement in the Middle East. Half of Republicans think that the US is supplying too much aid to Ukraine and only 44 percent of Republicans think that the US should play a leading role in the world. Democrats are more internationally minded with 65 percent in favour of an active foreign policy. The good news is that NATO has popular support with a bipartisan 70 percent approval rating. The fact is, however, that America is moving into its shell at one of the most dangerous periods for the world since the end of World War Two.

America’s diplomatic corps would be hard put to meet expectations even if there was a swell of opinion in favour of increased global involvement. It is still reeling from the Trump years when budgets were cut by 30 percent, ambassadorial posts were left empty and 60% of the diplomatic corps left either in protest or cutbacks. Biden has increased budgets but the damage done by Donald Trump will take years to repair.

Trump, of course, regularly threatens to withdraw from NATO. Biden and Kamala Harris have recommitted to the alliance but it was a Democratic president—Barack Obama—who first attacked NATO allies for failing to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense. He also unveiled the “Asia Pivot” which shifts the military focus from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia. Trump, Biden and Harris have embraced the Asia Pivot.

Read- US elections: Immigration takes center stage

Defense costs money and the policies of Trump, Biden and Harris are undermining the economies of UK and Europe. Trump, again is the worst. His tariffs on all imports—possibly as much as 20 percent on British and EU exports will hit exports. It will, of course, also lead to a tit for tat tariff war in which everybody loses—especially the consumer.

Kamala Harris will continue Biden’s $738 billion Inflation Reduction Act” which is peppered with isolationist policies. The IRA includes such things as a $7,500 handout for the purchase of US-made-only electric vehicles, and tax credits only for products made in America. The EU has protested and threatened to take America to the World Trade Organization. But the WTO has been rendered useless by America’s 7-year refusal to agree to new judges for its appellate body.

Ten percent of America’s GDP is produced by the tech billionaires in Silicon Valley. Artificial Intelligence is acknowledged to be both a massive opportunity and threat to society. The EU has introduced the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) to regulate big tech. The US is allowing big tech to operate a Wild West economy which soaks up $1 trillion in foreign investment which could otherwise go towards British and European technology start-ups.

Read – Observations of an Expat: Kamala’s Foreign Policy

The fact is that the UK and EU need to start thinking of how to exist alongside an isolationist and protective America. For a start, it needs work to out how to fill the vacuum created by the withdrawal of the US. This means increased defense spending and cooperation, more foreign aid and more money spent on diplomacy.

A recent report by the London-based Coalition for Global Prosperity (CGP) called for 3.5 percent of Britain’s GDP to be spent on international affairs. This was needed, said the CGP, to combat threats to world peace and democratic countries. The expenditure would break down to 2.5 percent on defense and 0.5 percent on diplomacy. The report, “The Rising Price of Freedom,” also calls the restoration of the 0.7 percent spend on foreign aid.

The CGP says Britain is well-placed to play a bigger role with its permanent seat on the UN Security Council, major involvement in the World Bank and IMF, a key member of the Five Eyes, NATO and the Commonwealth.

Britain, however, does not have the resources to fill the yawning gap being left by Americans. Its logical partner is fellow democracies in the EU, but the UK left them with Brexit. When Theresa May negotiated the withdrawal terms she proposed that post-Brexit Britain participate in such projects as the European Defense Agency which encourages defense cooperation resource-sharing among members. The proposal was known as the Chequers Plan and it was rejected both by the European Commission and the UK parliament.

Read: Foreign Policy’s Impact on the November Presidential Election

The bones of May’s Chequers Plan were revived recently when Britain and Germany signed a “landmark defense agreement”. Under this agreement German defense company Rheinmetall will open a UK factory producing artillery shell (Britain stopped effectively stopped producing artillery shells in 2012). The two countries also agree to joint work on the development of drones and long range missiles, and the German air force will augment RAF patrols in the North Sea.

Britain and France also have the 2010 Lancaster House Treaty which set up cooperation in nuclear technology and testing and a structure for join army expeditionary forces.

Both those agreements—along with the agreed British attendance at EU foreign ministers meetings-are part of what the Labour government is calling an “EU reset”. The idea appears to be that Britain will participate in agreed areas of mutual concern but remain outside the official structure.

The fact is Britain and the EU’s joint concerns in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and on issues such as immigration and climate change make it essential that they work together. An EU reset is essential in the wake of increasing American isolationism.

Word Review

If you have a fortune of $5 billion-plus in a country with a GDP of £$24.6 billion you will be a whale in a puddle. Such is the fate of Georgia Dream Party founder and chief backer Bidzina Ivanishvili.

And, if you are willing to part with some of your fortune, you can bend the political structure and electoral systems to your will. Ivanishvili is accused of doing just that in the recent Georgian parliamentary elections which the Dream Party won with 53 percent of the vote,

Bidshina Ivanishvili was born into humble beginnings in 1958 but when the Soviet Union collapsed he moved to Russia to grab what he could in the Great Russian carve-up. He ended up with a multinational conglomerate encompassing banking, real estate and heavy industry. He returned to Georgia and in 2011 decided to try his hand at politics by forming the centrist, pro-EU Georgia Dream Party.

Backed with Ivanishvili’s fortune, the Georgia Dream Party won a landslide victory in 2012 elections and Ivanishvili became prime minister. He stepped down a year later saying that he had achieved all his goals and wanted to private life.

But Ivanishvili’s money insured that he remained the power behind the throne. And from that position he subtly tilted the Dream Party towards Russia. At the same time he sought membership with the EU. His behind the scenes influence led critics to brand Ivanishvili the “shadow leader.”

As the years passed it became increasingly difficult to walk the political tightrope between the goal of EU membership and the looming shadow of the bear. To keep Russia happy Georgia Dream introduced anti LGBTQ laws and a Foreign Agents Act. Both laws closely mirrored Russia’s laws on both issues. They also breached EU human rights provisions. As a result the EU broke off negotiations with Georgia.

Georgia Dream’s tilt to Russia was unpopular. Polls showed that 80 percent of Georgians wanted to move closer to the EU as protection from Moscow. All the indications. All the opinion polls, were that after three terms in office, Georgia Dream Party, would lose last week’s election, especially when they campaigned on a promise to ban opposition parties.

They won with 54 percent of the vote. The Opposition, EU election observers, President Biden, and even Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, called foul. They claimed that Ivanishvili’s Dream Party was guilty of “bribery, intimidation and ballot-stuffing.”

The allegations were rejected by Ivanishvili and Dream Party Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. They were welcomed by Hungary’s Vilktor Orban who hopes that eventually Georgia will become another “illiberal democratic” member of the EU. And the Russian bear? It stopped being silent and cheered.

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Japan is a different democratic country. That is the reason for the lack of excitement in the wake of the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s failure to win a majority in the recent election.

The Japanese political system did not evolve over centuries like its Western counterparts. It was imposed on a socially conservative society with a strong respect for traditions, authority and seniority.

The result is a deeply Japanese political foundation with a democratic veneer, but a veneer which Japanese have come to treasure as much as their traditions.

The big word in Japanese politics is “wan” which is defined as being focused on consensus building and group harmony. It contrasts with the adversarial nature of Western politics

The electoral system reflects this consensus building nature. It is a mixed first past the post constituency-based system and proportional representation. The result is that quite often elections lead to a disparity between percentage of votes received and the percentage of seats in the Diet (the Japanese parliament).

Finally, there is little public involvement in Japanese politics. There exists a sort of social compact whereby the political elite is allowed to rule as they see fit as long they keep their peccadilloes discreet and their rule benefits—or at least does not damage—the lives of the general population.

The system has insured political stability and helped produce the world’s third largest economy from the ashes of war. But it also meant effective one party rule—the Liberal Democratic Party. The LDP has been out of office only three years in the post-war period.

But there are signs that the LDP edifice is cracking. Its Diet members have been in a number of scandals recently, especially involving the Christian-based Unification Church which has been accused of financing campaigns and bribing LDP politicians. On top of that, Japanese economic growth has been stagnant for the past 30 years with annual growth of only 1.4 percent.

The result is that the implied social contract is wearing thin, especially with younger voters. In the most recent election voter turnout was only 29.4 percent— a sure sign of political apathy which could lead to political passions which would undermine the consensus politics that keep the Liberal Democratic Party in power.

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The Western Sahara was big news when I was a young diplomatic correspondent 50 years ago. You would think that the Algerian-backed Polisario Front would have by now reached an agreement with the Moroccan government. No such luck, and now the Western Sahara has become a bargaining chip for the major powers.

Problems started in 1973 with a colonial war between the independence-minded Polisario Front and Spain—the colonial power. The Polisario Front won and Spain recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the political creation of Polisario.

Enter Morocco, who also claimed the territory. Mauritania also demanded a slice and France sent troops to back the Moroccan claim. The result was a second war which lasted until 1991. It ended with a ceasefire that left the Polisario in control of roughly 20 percent of the Western Sahara. The rest, including the only major city Layyone, was controlled by Morocco.

The uneasy peace continued until 2005 when pro-independence riots broke out in the only city–Layyone. These lasted until 2011 when the riots died down and the two sides returned to their uneasy peace with roughly the same division of territory.

Then came the Abraham Accords. The US and Israel wanted to secure diplomatic recognition for Israel. King Mohammed VI wanted American and Israeli recognition of the Moroccan claim to the Western Sahara. The deal was made.

The reasons for French recognition—which came this week—are more complicated. Yes, they want to curry favour with a super power, but they also have major investments in Morocco. More importantly they are worried about stability in Western Africa. They have been forced to withdraw from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso where they were helping to fight Islamic insurgents. They have been replaced in all three countries by the Russian Wagner Group.

Why does Morocco want 105,000 square miles of desert? There are potash reserves and phosphate reserves among the sand dunes, but of greater importance is the 685-mile long coastline. This gives Morocco a fish-rich 200-mile exclusive economic zone into the Atlantic. It also transforms Morocco from a North African power to a country straddling North and West Africa.

Read – Observations of an Expat: Trump Told You So

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Tom Arms is foreign editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and the author of “The Encyclopaedia of the Cold War” and “America Made in Britain.”

Read – Observations of an Expat: Middle East Consequences

The post Observations of an Expat: Foreign Policy Impact of US elections first appeared on Sindh Courier.

China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan hold meeting as part of the World Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing

• Turkmenistan and American Education Testing Service discuss prospects for cooperation in field of education

Istanbul  

Central Asia is becoming a key region in the geopolitical struggle between the United States and China, writes the Turkish publication Daily Sabah.

The U.S. is reassessing its foreign policy, focusing on economic pragmatism and realism. Meanwhile, China is strengthening its influence in the region by investing in infrastructure and energy.

By encouraging investments and reforms in Central Asia, the U.S. aims to reduce the region’s dependence on Russia and China.

In the geopolitical game, U.S. strategy encourages China to concentrate resources on maritime operations, potentially weakening its influence in Central Asia. At the same time, China is investing heavily in Central Asia’s infrastructure and energy, contributing to the growth of trade.

China is the largest buyer of energy resources from Central Asia, increasing its dependence on the region, which plays a key role in ensuring China’s energy security and serves as a transit route for trade and investment.

For the U.S., the region is becoming important in the context of curbing China’s influence and strengthening its own positions.

Read: Six trends of the “Great Game” around Central Asia

A recent Central Asia Barometer study showed growing concern about Chinese investments in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In the latter, negative perceptions of Chinese economic activities have led to protests against the development of the Kumtor mine.

The Belt and Road Initiative is losing popularity among the population of Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have significant debts to China, which is causing discontent.

Against this backdrop, the U.S. is urging the region to use its strategic position to counter Chinese policies.

As events in the great geopolitical game unfold, Central Asia’s role is becoming increasingly significant, making it critically important for both American strategy and global dynamics, the article concludes.

Tajikistan, China and Pakistan discuss transport and communications

Meanwhile, another report says, “As part of the World Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing, a meeting took place between the ministers of transport and communications of three countries: China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.”

The talks were attended by Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim, China’s Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng, Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, and the Director of the ESCAP Transport Department Weimin Ren, Avesta reports.

Key topics of the meeting included developing cooperation in transport and communications, the work of joint commissions, simplifying permit procedures for international transport, and creating infrastructure to service electric vehicles in Tajikistan.

One of the main outcomes of the forum was the signing of a Memorandum to establish a mechanism for regular meetings of the “China-Central Asia” transport ministers. This format will contribute to strengthening logistics, developing transport infrastructure, and improving conditions for the movement of people and goods in the region.

The forum also highlighted the importance of the recent UN General Assembly resolution, which declared September 26 as World Sustainable Transport Day and announced the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport starting in 2026.

During the trilateral discussions, Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim discussed with his colleagues issues related to:

– The activities of working commissions

– Cooperation projects

– Obtaining permits for international transport

– Building service stations for electric vehicles in Tajikistan.

The ministers also agreed on joint development of transport infrastructure, logistics, and ensuring efficient movement of goods and people in the regions.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Memorandum on the creation of a meeting mechanism for the “China-Central Asia” transport ministers.

Earlier, Tajikistan and Pakistan discussed the development of bilateral economic relations to increase exports, use transit routes, and improve sugar imports.

Turkmenistan and American ETS discussed prospects for cooperation in field of education

An official delegation from the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan met with Shannon Ashpole Litto, Director of Government and External Relations at Educational Testing Service (ETS), in the United States, reports Turkmenportal.com.

ETS, a recognized global leader in educational test development, presented an overview of its activities and proposed areas for expanding bilateral cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the meeting discussed prospects for collaboration in several key areas. Turkmenistan was offered cooperation in preparing for participation in international assessments, such as PISA, with the development of methodologies for successful participation in these programs.

The possibility of collaboration in creating test questions using advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, based on well-known tests such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL was also considered.

Particular attention was paid to the possibility of studying the methodology for administering PRAXIS tests to assess knowledge and certify teachers. Both sides noted that the introduction of international testing standards could significantly improve the quality of education in Turkmenistan, facilitating the selection of the most qualified students and raising the overall level of educational services.

The implementation of the discussed areas of cooperation with ETS is aimed at modernizing the country’s education system and aligning it with international standards.

Read: USA’s Latest Great Game East

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on October 1, 2024)

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• 18 pieces of aviation equipment stolen from Afghanistan are awaiting their fate in Tajikistan, where Afghan pilots also fled after the Taliban took power.

Tashkent

Uzbekistan and the United States have agreed on the official transfer to Tashkent of planes and helicopters used by Afghan pilots to flee to neighboring countries after the Taliban came to power. This was recently announced by U.S. Ambassador to Tashkent Jonathan Henick, according to Uzbek media reports.

Meanwhile, 18 pieces of aviation equipment stolen from Afghanistan are awaiting their fate in Tajikistan, where Afghan pilots also fled after the Taliban took power. This equipment is still stationed at airfields in the country, reports Asiaplus.tj. At least, there has been no information about their transfer to third countries.

The Taliban government has repeatedly demanded that Tajikistan return these helicopters and planes, claiming they belong to the Afghan people. However, U.S. officials and former U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Mark Pomersheim have stated that the U.S. does not plan to hand over this equipment to the Taliban because it does not belong to them.

After Afghanistan’s acting Defense Minister Muhammad Yaqoob demanded that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan hand over the helicopters and planes to the Taliban government, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby urged both countries not to return the equipment.

At the same time, a U.S. Department of Defense representative noted that discussions are still ongoing about what will ultimately be done with this fleet and where the planes and helicopters will go. U.S. Central Command General Michael Kurilla mentioned the same to Tajik journalists.

Later, Politico reported that the U.S. is considering the possibility of transferring military planes and helicopters to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in exchange for assistance in combating terrorists in Afghanistan.

In turn, the leader of the “National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan,” Abdul Rashid Dostum, urged Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to transfer the planes and helicopters of the former Afghan army to the National Resistance Front (NRF) forces opposing the Taliban.

To date, it is unknown what decision the U.S. has made regarding the planes and helicopters that arrived in Tajikistan.

Tajik authorities have confirmed the arrival of Afghan military personnel and pilots, but they have never provided official information about the helicopters and planes.

In November 2021, more than 140 Afghan pilots who fled their homeland were sent from Dushanbe to Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

Read: Taliban eye weapons at military exhibition in Moscow

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on August 29, 2024)

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Anthony Moretti

The latest attempt by the United States to undermine China’s economic success story is to scream “overcapacity.”

Before we discuss this flawed idea in more depth, keep in mind that earlier this year the buzzword was “decoupling.” The ridiculous thought process then went like this: Unless China played by Western economic rules, the U.S. was prepared to reduce or eliminate its reliance on certain Chinese goods. Suffice to say, while that term was designed to suggest the Americans were ready, willing and able to go it alone (or only with its political allies), the reality was decoupling made as much sense as agreeing to undergo major surgery without anesthesia.

In other words, you might think you are being tough, but you are only being dangerously short-sighted.

Decoupling was never a sound strategy. In fact, it was not possible. But once it was tossed into the trash can, a new buzzword needed to be created so that the never-ending China bashing could continue.

Enter “overcapacity.”

Summarized briefly, U.S. political leaders want global audiences to slam China for creating cutting-edge products at home that they also want to sell at the lowest possible price around the world. Before she traveled to China earlier this month, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that China was undermining U.S. and European industries with such actions. In her words, “I understand these policies may be driven by domestic development objectives. But overcapacity can lead to large volumes of exports at depressed prices.”

However, once “overcapacity” is scrutinized, uncomfortable questions for the West need to be asked.

Electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels are two examples used when the overcapacity drum is banged. In its review of EVs, the Atlantic magazine offered this conundrum faced by the White House: “Chinese electric vehicles – cheap, stylish, and high quality – should be a godsend to the Biden administration, whose two biggest priorities are reducing carbon emissions quickly enough to avert a climate catastrophe and reducing consumer prices quickly enough to avert an electoral catastrophe. Instead, the White House is going out of its way to keep Chinese EVs out of the U.S. What gives?”

The article adds that the president – in a dogfight in this re-election year – is promoting gas-guzzling, climate-damaging and more expensive cars rather than endorsing policies critical to the administration’s domestic and global agenda. Nevertheless, Americans would not rally around the president if they understood he was denying them a chance to save money and promote the environment. However, they might back him for criticizing China for “overcapacity.”

Therefore, blocking Chinese-made EVs from the U.S. market while keeping tariffs in place on other Chinese-made goods remains critical to the president’s hopes for four more years in the White House.

What exactly does that have to do with “overcapacity?” Nothing.

In fact, overcapacity becomes a smoke screen in this case to allow the White House to protect the perhaps out-of-date American automobile industry and to think about re-election.

The themes surrounding solar panels are the same. China is believed to be a global leader in investing in solar and in creating jobs in that sector. In 2023 alone, China added more solar panels than the U.S. did in the nation’s history. According to the International Energy Agency, “China has been instrumental in bringing down costs worldwide for solar (photovoltaic technology), with multiple benefits for clean energy transitions.”

That should be applauded, right? Yes, but not in the U.S. because businesses are examining their bottom line as they evaluate solar and reaching a conclusion the White House does not want. The Financial Times recently reported that U.S.-based power companies are buying Chinese-made solar panels rather than expanding domestic production. The reason? Cost.

The White House has responded to this issue by again suggesting China has an “overcapacity” of something and wants to sell it cheap. To no one’s surprise, Washington is ready to add tariffs to such technologies. According to Reuters, the tariff request was made by a South Korean company that wants to increase its presence in the United States.

In other words, “overcapacity” is a smoke screen to alleviate the preferences of an international partner not located in China.

What Washington does not want to admit is that it is losing the EV and solar panel race. Beijing is far ahead because of its aforementioned commitment to looking not at short-term gains but at long-term objectives. The world will be a healthier place as more and more people buy EVs and incorporate green technologies, like solar, into their lives. But Washington will support those goals only if the U.S. is in the leading position in creating and selling them.

Selfish thinking is not a wise plan. It leads to ineffective decisions at home (“decoupling” is but one example) and makes global audiences see the inconsistency between saying one thing and doing another. The U.S. can do better. But the Biden administration is not prepared to do it. You might say the White House has an “undercapacity” of ideas.

Also read: Cold War or Conflict: Understanding the US-China Relations

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Courtesy: CGTN (Poste on April 23, 2024)

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Gulsen Topcu and Zehra Hilal Karyagdi and Safiye Karabacak 

ISTANBUL

Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh said on Saturday that tens of thousands of people in Gaza have been killed by Israel using US weapons, adding that Washington’s veto against the establishment of a Palestinian state in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) effectively provides political protection to Tel Aviv’s actions.

“The US position is deceptive, even though it says it does not want civilians to be harmed, this is an attempt at manipulation. All the civilians killed in Gaza, thousands, tens of thousands of martyrs, were killed with US weapons, with US rockets, under US political protection. What does the US veto of the cease-fire resolution at the UNSC mean? It means that the US is giving full protection and umbrella to the continuation of the massacres and murders in Gaza,” Haniyeh said in an exclusive interview with Anadolu.

He added that the US veto of the full membership of the state of Palestine at the UN shows that Washington has embraced the Israeli position, and opposes the rights of the Palestinian people.

Rafah operation could lead to massacre

Haniyeh warned against a possible military operation by the Israeli army in Rafah, saying that this could lead to a massacre of the Palestinian people.

“I call on all brotherly countries, our brothers in Egypt, our brothers in Türkiye, our brothers in Qatar as mediators, and the European countries to take action to restrain (Israeli) aggression and prevent the operation in Rafah, as well as ensure the complete withdrawal (of the Israeli army) from the Gaza Strip and end to attacks on Gaza.”

Speaking about the resistance of the Palestinian people, Haniyeh said: “If the Zionist enemy enters Rafah, Palestinian people will not raise the white flag. The resistance fighters in Rafah are ready to defend themselves and resist attacks.”

Negotiations with Israel

“We agreed to negotiations, but on the condition that attacks on the Palestinian people be stopped,” Haniyeh said, explaining the reason why they agreed to negotiate with Israel.

“But the condition is that these negotiations must result in a ‘permanent cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of troops and the return of the displaced people and a prisoner exchange agreement.”

Emphasizing that Israel has not accepted a cease-fire in Gaza despite all the negotiations held so far with dozens of proposals submitted through mediators, Haniyeh said: “All it (Israel) wants is to take back the prisoners and then restart the war in Gaza, and this is not possible. The Israeli army must completely withdraw from Gaza. Israel also does not want the displaced people to return to northern Gaza. It accepts a limited and gradual return. It is unacceptable.”

He emphasized that Israel proposes a small number of people for prisoner exchange, though it has arrested nearly 14,000 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza since Oct. 7.

“It is the US, which does not exert any pressure (on Israel), and, that is preventing an agreement from being reached. As soon as Israel accepts these demands, we will be ready to reach the agreement,” he added.

Governance of Gaza after war

Declaring that Gaza will be governed by Palestinians, Haniyeh said: “Hamas is not insisting on being the sole authority governing Gaza, but we are part of the Palestinian people and can establish a national unity government on a partnership basis and agree on the administration of Gaza.”

Haniyeh said that some alternatives regarding the administration of Gaza have been proposed, but success in these alternatives is not possible.

“Gaza is governed by Palestinians. These are national issues. We will not allow the situation of Palestine in Gaza, the West Bank, or both to be regulated by occupiers or anyone else,” he stated.

Regarding the prisoner exchange, Hamas chief Haniyeh said, "All it wants is to take back the prisoners and then restart the war in Gaza, and this is not possible. The Israeli army must completely withdraw from Gaza" https://t.co/43YzWplF1P

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) April 21, 2024

“We made a two-stage call for the regulation of Palestinian domestic politics. The first stage consists of the reorganization of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to include all Palestinian groups. The second stage involves the establishment of a national government that will undertake the reconstruction of Gaza and unify the institutions in the West Bank and Gaza under one roof, and ensure the holding of presidential, legislative, and national council elections,” he said.

Haniyeh underlined that Gaza is a national part of Palestine, indicating that they expect the national consensus government covering Gaza and the West Bank to govern Gaza after the war.

Erdogan’s support for Palestinian cause

Haniyeh noted that the visit to Türkiye took place in the context of the historical and distinguished relations between Türkiye and Palestine, stating that they held an important meeting lasting about 2 hours with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

During the meeting, he said that they made a comprehensive statement regarding Israel’s attacks on Gaza and what the Palestinian people have been experiencing for the past seven months.

He stated that they conveyed their concerns and sentiments to Erdogan on genocide against the Palestinian people, the ongoing negotiations for a cease-fire, and Hamas and resistance groups’ demands for “a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, the complete withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced persons to their homes, reconstruction, lifting of the blockade, and reaching a prisoner exchange agreement.”

The Hamas leader praised Erdogan’s support for the Palestinian cause.

“President Erdogan’s statement during the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) group meeting where he described Hamas as the national liberation movement and likened it to the Kuva-i Milliye (National Forces) is undoubtedly a source of pride for us and the Palestinian people,” Haniyeh said.

Erdogan had said in the party’s group meeting: “Hamas is what Kuva-i Milliye (National Forces active during the Turkish War of Independence between 1918 – 1921) was in Türkiye during the National Struggle. We definitely know that saying this will come with a price.”

Haniyeh said: “Hamas is a movement that resists to liberate our lands, sacred values, and people from historical occupation.”

Highlighting Türkiye’s historical ties to the Palestinian cause due to its regional and Islamic position, Haniyeh said Erdogan’s remarks reflect the conscience of the Turkish people, who consider the Palestinian cause as their own, empathize with Gaza from a humanitarian perspective and stand against oppression.

He underlined the need to unite efforts to stop the attacks of the Zionists, who remain standing with US support.

Haniyeh also praised the Turkish people’s intellectual, historical and political stance on the Palestinian cause.

“We still remember President Erdogan lifting the map of Palestine during his speech at the UN and explaining how Palestine was gradually occupied, in response to Shimon Peres,” he said. “We closely monitor Türkiye’s position in the region, its regional and international policies, and its stance on the Palestinian cause and Gaza with great importance.”

“We still remember how the Turkish people sacrificed martyrs on the Mavi Marmara for the lifting of the blockade in Gaza,” Haniyeh said, adding that Türkiye maintains a consistent stance on the Palestinian cause and the Gaza blockade.

“During our meeting with Erdogan, we discussed the decisions taken regarding commercial restrictions on Israel and their effects on commercial activity,” he said.

“This is an important step against the Zionist enemies who shed the blood of women, children, and elderly Palestinians in attacks on Gaza, threaten Rafah with land attacks, and disrespect Muslim holy sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem,” he added.

Israel’s uncompromising attitude

Haniyeh noted that while Hamas showed flexibility in negotiations, Israel took an uncompromising stance, attributing the failure and interruption of negotiations to this uncompromising attitude.

He also stated that they were informed during the meeting about Ankara’s political and diplomatic efforts at the regional and international levels to stop the attacks on Gaza, the aid sent to Gaza through the Rafah Border Crossing, and Türkiye’s decisions regarding trade with Israel in recent times.

The Hamas chief also said that they discussed the danger awaiting al-Aqsa Mosque due to the approaching Passover in Israel, and evaluated the developments in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Crimes committed by Israel in Gaza

Haniyeh said that Israel, which first heavily bombed Gaza from the air and then entered by land, adopted a strategy based on killing, and destroying hospitals, schools, infrastructure, bakeries, pharmacies, and factories as well as imposing a military and humanitarian blockade.

“For over 5 months, nothing entered Gaza. Hunger was used as a weapon to break the people’s will and to pressure them to migrate from north to south. It is a very difficult situation in terms of both the number of martyrs and wounded, as well as those trapped under the rubble. There are thousands of martyrs buried under the rubble. Every day, we discover new mass graves,” he said.

“Tortures, executions, crimes committed in prisons… Israel does not even allow the UN and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to operate, they want to shut down UNRWA,” Haniyeh noted.

He highlighted that to reach an agreement, at least 500 trucks need to enter Gaza daily for the reconstruction of hospitals, bakeries, infrastructure, and shelters.

Haniyeh said that he discussed these issues also with Erdogan during their meeting.

Reflection of Gaza war on other fronts

“The ability of Palestinian resistance to cope with the field conditions and security developments is high. This resistance has proven to be the strong and unyielding will of our people,” Haniyeh underlined.

“The enemy will not be able to break this weapon, this flag, this will, the spirit of resistance, and this determination,” he said.

Underlining that this is also true for the Palestinian people in the West Bank, he said: “We constantly witness renewed resistance in different areas of the West Bank, and likewise, there are resistance fronts in Lebanon.”

“The Zionist enemy wanted to focus on the Gaza Strip in the war. However, due to the integration between the resistance forces in Lebanon, which became part of this struggle, and resistance groups in Palestine, it failed to achieve this. Indeed, there is almost a similar war in southern Lebanon between the occupying state Israel and the Islamic resistance (Hezbollah) in Lebanon and Palestinian resistance groups,” according to Haniyeh.

Haniyeh noted that Yemen is also exerting serious pressure on ships heading to Israel through the Red Sea, saying: “This has clear effects on the Israeli economy and the economy of companies and ships doing business with it.”

Referring to the attacks between Iran and Israel, Haniyeh stated that the conflict spread to Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria, and then to Iran, and is gradually spreading in the region, all of which are related to Israel’s continued attacks and genocide in Gaza.

He underlined that once the attacks on Gaza cease, tranquility is expected to prevail in the region also.

Haniyeh held Israel responsible for the developments following the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria.

“Everyone expected that Iran would not remain silent in the face of this attack, which directly affects its sovereignty. This situation may indicate that the occupying Israel may have understood or misunderstood Iran’s previously mentioned policy of ‘strategic patience.’

“Everyone was expecting a response from Iran. However, it is up to Iran to decide what the response will be as well as its volume, dimension, and scope,” Haniyeh explained.

‘Netanyahu does not want to end war in Gaza’

Regarding the Iran-Israel tension, Haniyeh said: “All of this indicates two things. Netanyahu does not want to end the war in Gaza; on the contrary, he wants to expand its framework for a regional war. Similarly, they want Americans to be part of the military front against Iran, and a part of the military wing that serves Israel.”

The Zionist enemy (Israel) is responsible for this tension and regional escalation, denying the rights of our people, continuing to attack our people, our sanctities, especially Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, and continuing the genocidal war in Gaza,” he added.

‘Zionists’ ambitions over Al-Aqsa’

Haniyeh underlined that Zionists and radical Jews have had ambitions over Al-Aqsa, saying: “We witnessed the burning of Al-Aqsa in 1969. Then came the attacks, massacres, raids, and efforts to change the status of Al-Aqsa, followed by efforts to divide Al-Aqsa temporally and spatially, and plans to offer sacrifices at Al-Aqsa.”

He said that the Israeli government, under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, prioritizes changing the historical, cultural, and intellectual Islamic landmarks in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

“In recent days, we hear calls from Israeli ministers and religious authorities to offer sacrifices at Al-Aqsa during the Jewish holiday. They have set rewards for those who will sacrifice at Al-Aqsa. This is disrespect to the sanctity of Al-Aqsa,” he said.

The Hamas leader called on all Palestinians and the Islamic Ummah to take action to protect Al-Aqsa, the first Qibla of Muslims.

Touching on the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation launched by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades –the military wing of Hamas– against Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa, Haniyeh said: “The operation was launched for Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem, and especially for the sanctities of the Ummah.”

“The Ummah should not allow these efforts to go in vain. These are the inheritances left to Muslims from their prophets. Jews have no right whatsoever over Al-Aqsa,” he said.

‘Israel should not go unpunished this time’

Speaking about South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Haniyeh said: “I want to send greetings to South Africa, which filed a lawsuit against Israel and brought the occupying state and its occupier leaders to the ICJ for the first time since the Nakba.”

“We see this as a very important step. The ICJ should continue its steps to stop the massacre in Gaza, ensure the entry of necessary humanitarian aid into Gaza, and bring Israeli officials to justice as war criminals, Holocaust criminals, and perpetrators of massacres against the Palestinian people,” he noted.

“Israel has been committing massacres for years, and these massacres go unpunished. This time, Israel should not go unpunished for these brutal massacres, crimes, and assassinations,” he added.

Media blackout

Assessing the media’s stance on Gaza, Haniyeh stated that there is good attention and support for what is happening in Gaza in Turkish, Arab, and global media.

He stressed that Israel is imposing a significant media blackout and barring foreign press members from entering the region to prevent its crimes and atrocities committed in Gaza from being brought to the attention of the world.

The Hamas leader called on the Turkish media and other media outlets to continue exposing Israel’s crimes, highlighting the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, and breaking Israel’s media blackout.

Following his meeting with President Erdogan in Istanbul, Haniyeh spoke exclusively to Anadolu, stating that this is the first time he has spoken to an international press organization since Oct. 7.

Killing of Haniyeh’s children

Haniyeh also mentioned the attack in which his sons and grandchildren lost their lives, stating that it reflected three points: “Firstly, the enemy’s failure to achieve military targets for seven months, except for killing civilians, thousands of children, women, and the elderly. Therefore, the massacre carried out during the (Eid) holiday in which three of my sons and five of my grandchildren were killed is also included in this context and highlights the failure of the enemy.

“The second aspect is the misconception that such a massacre reaching my home, my children, and grandchildren will exert pressure on the leader and the leadership of the movement to make concessions in the ongoing negotiations, which is misleading. Thirdly, my sons are part of the Palestinian people, and their situation is the same as that of the Palestinian people. From the very beginning, I said that the blood of my sons is not more valuable than the children of the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, or anywhere else,” he said.

Haniyeh further added that all martyrs in Gaza, the West Bank, or abroad are his children.

“Therefore, we are equal in rights, duties, and sacrifices. We accept these with steadfastness, determination, and unwavering will. Regardless of the cost and the sacrifices required, we will continue on this path,” he said.

Haniyeh expressed his gratitude to the Turkish people for holding funeral prayers in absentia in more than 30 cities for his killed children and grandchildren.

He stated that this situation in other countries like Pakistan is evidence of the unity of the Ummah.

Read: World Poets call for immediate ceasefire and humanitarian assistance in Gaza

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Courtesy: Anadulo Agency (Posted on 21.04.2024)  

The post US provides political protection to Israeli massacres, says Hamas chief first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Oscar Grenfell

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has revealed that the American military has advanced plans to establish a command center in the northern Australian city of Darwin. The information, though scanty, indicates that the facility will function as a hub for aggressive military operations throughout the region, directed against China, with a central focus on the deployment of the most potent strike assets of the US Air Force.

The development of the “Squadron Operations Facility” was not announced by the Australian Labor government, or even discussed in the parliament. Instead, the ABC discovered the plans in US budget filings and procurement documents. That is, without even the semblance of a democratic mandate or of the public being informed, the US administration is proceeding to establish the facility.

The ABC reported that according to tender documents, the facility “will be used for maintenance, mission planning, intelligence and crew briefings—it is budgeted to cost $US26 million ($40 million).” Those extremely broad descriptions cover almost the entire gamut of potential military activity, up to and including the launching of armed operations against other states.

The establishment of the center is taking place in the context of a massive militarization of northern Australia. That itself is part of a broader US strategy of diversifying the stationing of its military infrastructure throughout the Indo-Pacific. Assets that had previously been based at the US military facility on Guam, for instance, are being moved elsewhere, including to Australia. The rationale, spelt out by think-tanks close to the US government, is that they will be further from the Chinese mainland and thus out of the range of some of its missile systems.

The establishment of the center is taking place in the context of a massive militarization of northern Australia.

In 2011, the Gillard Labor government signed up to the “pivot to Asia,” including a vast military build-up in preparation for war against China, which is viewed as the chief threat to US imperialist hegemony. At that stage, the centrepiece was the establishment of a US Marine base in Darwin, through which up to 2,500 US Marines now “rotate” each year.

Darwin, thus already with a substantial US military presence, is being transformed into something of a garrison city, to serve as a launching pad for American operations across the Indo-Pacific. According to the ABC, the US has earmarked $630 million in military spending in northern Australia for the next two to three years.

That will include $258 million to build a “parking apron” at the RAAF Darwin airbase to facilitate the takeoff and landing of US warplanes. Similar upgrades are already underway at the RAAF Tindal base, south of Darwin, which will also host a maintenance facility for B-52s. Previous tender documents have disclosed $270 million to build 11 huge jet fuel storage tanks around Darwin.

The context is the decision by the Labor government to allow the US to “rotate”—that is, base—six of its nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in the Northern Territory. Because the US policy is never to confirm or deny whether its nuclear-capable assets are carrying such weapons, Labor’s decision effectively overturns Australia’s nuclear-weapons free status.

As with the revelations about the command center, the information about the B-52s was discovered through US budgetary and tender documents last year. No government minister has spoken substantively on the momentous decision to station the nuclear-capable bombers in Australia.

According to the ABC, the latest US tender documents declared: “The [squadron operations] facility is required to support strategic operations and to run multiple 15-day training exercises during the NT dry season for deployed B-52 squadrons.”

For the past decade, Pentagon documents have sketched out an “AirSea Battle” strategy for war with China. In the physical terrain of the Indo-Pacific, maritime warfare would be central to such a conflict, as would the operations of warplanes and missiles. In such planning scenarios, Australia has been nominated as the “southern anchor.” It would serve as a hub for US and allied military infrastructure and weapons, and as a base from which operations could be launched.

The Labor government is fully committed to this policy. Its Defense Strategic Review earlier this year outlined the largest build-up of the Australian military in 80 years, centered on the acquisition of strike capabilities, especially missiles, across all branches of the armed forces to enable “impactful projection” throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Labor has also undertaken to dramatically expand basing for the US military. At an Australia-US Ministerial Consultation (AUSMIN) meeting in Washington last October, Labor ministers gave open-ended undertakings for US basing in the country across air, land and sea.

Those commitments were reiterated at the latest AUSMIN meeting in Brisbane at the end of last month. The AUSMIN statement “recalled the Force Posture Agreement, which recognizes the mutual benefits to Australia and the United States from access to facilities and areas in Australia by the United States Armed Forces and that such access and use is on a rotational basis…”

Such rotations would be expanded through US Maritime Navy Patrols operating out of Australia, as well as maritime spy planes and through frequent visits by nuclear-powered submarines to Australian ports. The AUSMIN talks unveiled a US commitment to invest in Australian missile manufacturing. Australia will serve as a hub and stockpile of missiles for the US military. It also revealed the existence of a secret agreement for collaboration on space warfare.

The submarine project, the centerpiece of AUKUS, the militarist pact between the three countries, has several phases

Just a week after the AUSMIN talks, the USS North Carolina, one of America’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, docked at the HMAS Stirling naval base in Perth, Western Australia. It is the first visit by one of the vessels since the Labor government announced a $368 billion deal in March for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US and Britain.

The submarine project, the centerpiece of AUKUS, the militarist pact between the three countries, has several phases. Long before Australia receives any nuclear-powered submarines, it is to become a de facto base for existing US and British submarines.

A Nine Media report on the docking was particularly blunt as to the purpose. It was “part of plans to bolster the Indo Pacific against any Chinese naval threat.” HMAS Stirling is to be upgraded, “as thousands more submariners file through Perth” in Western Australia. Under AUKUS the Labor government is also planning to develop an east coast submarine base.

The Nine Media report included an extraordinary declaration: “The public is not allowed to know how long the North Carolina will be docked in Perth—that information is classified even from Australia’s defense minister.”

More and more, the US and Australian militaries are being integrated all down the line. AUSMIN also unveiled the establishment of a Combined Intelligence Centre in Australia. Under it, US intelligence operatives from the Defense Intelligence Agency will be integrated into the Australian intelligence apparatus, particularly the Australian Defense Intelligence Organization.

That underscores the extent to which Australia will be automatically involved in all US military operations, including wars, in the Indo-Pacific. The US spying and war planning facility of Pine Gap in Central Australia already plays a central role in American surveillance and military operations throughout the region. The most advanced US strike assets are being deployed to Australia and the military and intelligence operations of the two countries are being completely interwoven through the development of joint command centers.

The transformation of Australia into a frontline state in the preparations for war with China demonstrates the urgency of workers and young people joining the fight to build an international anti-war movement of the working class, directed against the source of war, the capitalist system itself. Such a struggle involves a political fight against the Labor government and all of its defenders.

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Courtesy: World Socialist Web Site (Posted on Aug 6, 2023)  

The post US to establish military command center in northern Australia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

African-American George Floyd’s murder trial has started however the identities of the 12 jurors and two alternates in the case are secret. They are hidden from public view and sequestered every night at an undisclosed location.

By Tom Arms

Derek Chauvin, three other police officers, the rest of American policemen, law enforcement generally, the legal system, racism and racial justice are on trial in a Minneapolis courtroom.

First – the sketchy facts of the case. African-American George Floyd was arrested after allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill. Officer George Chauvin held him to the ground by pressing his knee against his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds. By the time the ambulance arrived, George Floyd was dead.

Chauvin is charged with manslaughter, second degree murder and third degree murder. He faces the possibility of 40 years in prison.

George Floyd’s last words—“I can’t breathe”—sparked the worst race riots in American history and spilled over into 69 countries around the world. “Black Lives Matter” became the chant of an estimated 26 million protesters across the US. Ninety-three percent were classified as peaceful – But the ones that weren’t caused an estimated $2 billion in damage.

The Black Lives Matter riots were seen by African-Americans as the culmination of centuries of brutal, legalized racism by American law enforcement. It started with slavery and extended through the Jim Crow era of indiscriminate lynching and continued past the civil rights era.

African-Americans have fought back. The 4 April 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr by Earl Ray sparked off what was dubbed the “Holy Week Riots” in 110 American cities. In 1992 four Los Angeles policemen were acquitted over using “excessive force” in the beating of African-American Rodney King. The riots that followed left 2,383 arrested; 12,000 injured and 63 dead as well as causing $1billion worth of damage.

The fatal shooting of 18-year Michael Brown by policeman Darren Wilson in October 2014 led to years of simmering and at times explosive violence in Ferguson, Missouri, mainly because Wilson never stood trial. The Ferguson Riots saw the emergence of the right-wing militia group the Oath Keepers who maintained rooftop patrols during the disturbances. A Department of Justice investigation determined that the local police force had engaged in systematic misconduct against the local African-American community.

The motto of American police is “To Serve and Protect.” African-Americans ask: to serve and protect whom? They don’t believe it is them. George Floyd was one of 765 Americans killed as a result of police action 2020. Twenty-eight percent of them were Black. African-Americans comprised 14 percent of the total US population.

Being killed by a policeman is the sixth most likely cause of death for African-American men. One third of American jailbirds are Black. By the way, America makes up five percent of the world population and 21 percent of the world prison population.

Another disturbing trend is growing links between White supremacist militias and the police and military. There are estimated to be over 70 active militia groups in the US. The FBI has reported that the greatest threat to American security and democratic values is from the far right. Of the more than 400 people arrested as a result of the Capitol Hill Riots 50 were connected to the military and law enforcement and the most serious charges are being leveled at that group.

One of the reasons for Black anger is that the police are largely protected from prosecution by something called “Qualified Immunity”. Under this 1871 law the prosecution has to prove a link between the crime on trial and a clear precedent. As each case is different, it is almost impossible to draw a connection that satisfies the courts. As a result, between 2005 and 2020, only five policemen were convicted of murder.

The identities of the 12 jurors and two alternates in the Chauvin/Floyd case are secret. They are hidden from public view and sequestered every night at an undisclosed location. Judge Peter Cahill has a police guard. They are targets of both White Supremacists and Black activists, and rest assured the trial’s outcome will leave one of these two groups dissatisfied, with predictable results.

World Review

• Georgia’s Republicans may have shot themselves in the foot. The White-dominated local party dominates the state legislature and was shocked by Trump’s loss of Georgia and the Senate victory of two Black Democrats. Something had to be done. So they passed legislation to make it more difficult to vote by post; gave the legislation greater control over the conduct of elections; banned the provision of food and water to those standing in long queues to cast their ballots; reduced the number of drop-off ballot boxes and demanded strict ID requirements for all voters. All of these are aimed at making it harder for African-American voters who voted overwhelmingly for liberal-minded Democrats. But have they gone too far? The measures are clearly designed to reduce the Black vote. Could it instead galvanize it? The 2020 elections were a record turnout—67.7 percent of registered voters cast their ballots, the highest figure in more than 100 years. The reason was – still is—that America is divided and politicized like never before. The Democrats hated Trump and the conservative Republicans responded in equal measure in their feelings for Joe Biden and co. Attempts to restrict the Democratic vote could very well have the effect of encouraging Democratic activists to try harder at the mid-term elections in 2022 and the presidential vote in 2024. We proved in 2020 that we could break the Republican lock, the activists can argue. We have them on the run. Sort out your id cards and bring thermos flasks and sandwiches to the voting queues. We can do it again.
• The US State Department regularly produces country reports for Congress. This is because Congress decides whether a state should be given Most Favored Nation trading status, have sanctions slapped on them, or something in between. The country report makes recommendations and Congress usually follows them. This week—in response to Beijing’s Hong Kong crackdown– the State Department advised Congress finish the job started by Donald Trump and end Hong Kong’s preferential trading status. Not good news for Hong Kong and China. For a start the Hong Kong dollar is tied to the US dollar. That is likely to end. Hong Kong also has its own visa arrangements with the US (and other countries), which makes it easier for Chinese to travel to and from America for study and business. That is expected to cease. Tariffs on Hong Kong goods will go up, especially those re-exported from Mainland China. Controls on technology exports to China will be extended to Hong Kong. University contacts will be reduced. However, there will be a beneficiary. Singapore has for decades offered itself as an alternative Far Eastern base. It is looking even more attractive.
• France will go into its third national coronavirus lockdown this Sunday. Schools and non-essential shops will shut. Travel will be restricted and the number of ICU beds will increase from 7,665 to 10,000. Meanwhile Europe’s on-off relations with the Astra Zeneca vaccine continues. This week it was suspended in 15 EU countries and Canada. The vaccine is suspected to be responsible for a series of blood clots in patients under 50. The WHO and the European Medical Agency continue to claim it is safe. In the meantime more than 20 heads or government and international organizations have called for an international treaty on pandemic preparedness. But they have failed to answer the key question of “How?” This deficiency may be one of the reasons why the US refused to sign the final communique. Another could be fear that their powerful pharmaceutical companies may have to relinquish lucrative patent control and that they may have to internationalize their Centre for Disease Control. Russia and China were also conspicuously absent from the list of communique signatories. The Chinese nonappearance may be related to their horror of transparency. This was pointed out as a problem by a WHO team investigating the causes of the current pandemic. The good news for the Chinese was that the investigators dismissed Trump’s conspiracy theory that the virus originated in a Wuhan laboratory.
• One of the diplomatic tactics for dealing with China is to compartmentalize issues. Taiwan, South China Sea, human rights, Hong Kong, etcetera are in the “we gotta be tough” category. Dealing with the pandemic and climate change is in the “let’s do a deal” category. The hope is that by doing a deal in one area, diplomats can create a climate of trust which can have a positive impact on the “gotta be tough” category. Well, this week Beijing toughened its stance on the pandemic. It has done the same on climate change. It was scheduled to attend this week’s key preparatory meeting for the November COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow. It pulled out at the last minute. The fact is that Chinese President Xi Jinping reckons he has the West on the ropes and is in no mood for compromise anywhere.
• The Myanmar military government offered a unilateral ceasefire this week. But not to the street protesters. In fact the number of deaths is now hovering around the 600 mark. No, the unilateral ceasefire is being offered to tribal secessionist rebels who have been fighting central government for decades. The military has offered them a ceasefire because it is does not want to fight on multiple fronts. And there are a lot of alternative fronts. Myanmar is plagued with 135 ethnic groups who have spawned ten currently active rebel armies. Aung San Suu Kyi’s semi-democratic government had limited success in negotiating ceasefires. But the rebels have taken advantage of the turmoil in the streets of Yangon to step up their activities. In the past two weeks the Kachin Independence Army attacked a police station and their Karen counterparts seized an army outpost. The rebel groups have also offered their support to the street protesters, including the provision of arms. In the meantime, Myanmar refugees are flooding across the borders into India, Bangladesh and Thailand. At the UN, efforts to secure Security Council-backed sanctions are blocked by a Sino-Russian veto, and Russia is emerging as the generals’ chief ally and arms supplier. The US and UK are leading efforts to organize a non-UN sanctions regime.
• This week saw the British press report on Downing Street’s new media center. The focus was on the $3 million dollar price tag, Tory blue décor and oak paneling. They missed a story. The media center is an unwelcome constitutional development as it provides a tool for the prime minister to bypass parliament. Under the British political system (and the many countries who use its political template) parliament is supreme. Executive power is held by a constitutional monarch (or president in most countries) who vests those powers in the leader of the political party which commands a majority in parliament. That leader—or prime minister— makes decision and proposes legislation which is then put to parliament who have the responsibility of scrutinizing the government’s actions and approving or rejecting them. A key part of the process is that it is parliament who is first officially informed of government actions—not the general public via a televised media center. This way parliament acts as a check on the government. It is no surprise that the media center is the brainchild of eminence grise Dominic Cummings who made no secret of his disdain for the principles of parliamentary scrutiny and sovereignty. It is a disdain which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly demonstrated that he shares.
• Swiss women this week had only one thing to say to Swiss men—“knickers”. After years of campaigning the female members of the Swiss citizen army won the right to exchange the men’s underwear they have been forced to wear for undergarments that take account of their curvier figures. Swiss men have never been known for their embrace of feminism. The land of bankers and cuckoo clocks was almost the last Western country to give women the vote—in 1971. “Their brains are too small,” explained one politician. One European country remains the last bastion of male electoral dominance—the Vatican.

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About the Author

Tom Arms is the London-based American foreign affairs journalist. He has nearly half a century’s experience of world affairs, and has written and broadcast for American, British and Commonwealth outlets. Positions he held included foreign correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, foreign editor, editor and founding CEO of an international diary news service. He is the author of “The Encyclopedia of the Cold War,” “The Falklands Crisis” and “World Elections on File.” His new book “America: Made in Britain” is expected this year.

{The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sindh Courier}

The post Observations of an Expat: The Trial first appeared on Sindh Courier.

The sad case of Dubai’s Princess Latifa threatens widespread repercussions which could impact on Dubai’s economy and relations with the West.

 By Tom Arms

The sad case of Dubai’s Princess Latifa threatens widespread repercussions which could impact on Dubai’s economy and relations with the West.

Dubai and the tri-emirate United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a key member, play an outsized role in Middle East politics. It maintains close relations with the UK and US and took the lead recently in recognizing Israel to block annexation of the West Bank. Its small but effective military has earned the UAE the sobriquet “Little Sparta.”

Arab countries—in common with other authoritarian states– hate having the human rights finger pointed at them. Domestic political considerations mean that the developed world is uncomfortable dealing with countries with questionable human rights records. The Biden Administration has been sending out vibes that the Arab world needs to improve its human rights or face consequences.

Western dependence on oil tends to protect many Arab states from Western criticism. Dubai is not an oil-rich Arab state. Its growing wealth (per capita income $32,000) is based on its position as the Arab center for tourism, financial services, information technology and trade.

The tiny emirate is recognized as a leading travel and trade gateway to Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Tourism and aviation are the economic engines, contributing 38 percent of the country’s $110 billion GDP.15.8 million tourists were drawn to Dubai City in 2019. Many of them travelled to attend specific events such as the Dubai Desert Golf Classic, the tennis championship, the international film festival or the literary or jazz festivals.

The emirate was banking heavily on big visitor numbers for its 2020 World Expo. But the pandemic meant postponement of the event until October 2021 to March 2022. Of course, Dubai’s heavy reliance on tourism and travel has meant that its economy is a major covid victim and it has been forced to deplete its sovereign wealth fund. However, with $301.5 billion in assets it can withstand the current health siege.

But handling the bad PR related to Princess Latifa could be more damaging and long-lasting. The daughter of Dubai’s absolute ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attempted to escape from her gilded cage three years ago. She was captured crossing the Indian Ocean and returned to a heavily-guarded villa in Dubai City.

For a while Latifa was able to communicate with friends via a smuggled mobile phone. A few months ago that stopped and concerns for her well-being grew exponentially. After a BBC Panorama highlighted the princess’s plight, the UN demanded proof that Latifa was still alive. So far no word from the Dubai government!

Latifa is not the only unhappy female member of the Dubai royal family. Her sister Shamsa also tried to escape. Her step-mother and the Sheikh’s second official wife, Princess Haya bint Hussein, fled first to the UK with her two children. Sheikh Al Maktoum, applied to the London courts for the return of his children. He failed, and the court ruled that the sheikh had ordered the abduction of Latifa and Shamsa “contrary to international law, international maritime law and accepted human rights norms.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the absolute ruler of a patriarchal Arab state with many of the trappings that feminists loathe. Having said that, Dubai is ranked second in women’s rights within the Arab world however, it is 120th out of 150 in the world at large. Dubai women can drive, work and own property. But these rights are largely subject to the approval of a male guardian.

Custody battles are usually decided in favor of the men and a single woman who falls pregnant is likely to be sent to prison for a year. Up until 2016, Dubai men were free to beat their wives without facing legal repercussions.

The Arab world’s treatment of its women has long been a target of Western feminists who have considerable political and economic influence. The plight of Princess Latifa has re-highlighted that treatment. Activists are quite capable of calling for a boycott of Dubai’s high-life and placing pressure on politicians. Conversely, Arab rulers would regard such pressure as interference in long-standing cultural norms and domestic affairs.

World Review

• The Republican Party is splitting. On one side you have the populists of ex-president Donald Trump and on the other you have the Grand Old Party (GOP) of Senator Mitch McConnell. Trump, of course, lost the election which he claims he won by a landslide. However, he has kept his base intact by continuing to feed them a diet of lies and conspiracy theories. Mitch McConnell is the leader of the Senate Republicans who has proved himself a master of hunting with the hounds and running with the hare by voting to acquit Trump while at the same time branding him as “morally and practically responsible” for the 6 January attack on Capitol Hill. In true Trump fashion, the ex-president has reviled the senior senator from Kentucky as a “dour, unsmiling, hack politician”. McConnell hopes that Trump’s political capital will be swept away by a tsunami of criminal and civil charges. Democratic congressmen have already petitioned to open an investigation into Trump’s activities. The state of Georgia is considering prosecuting the ex-president for pressuring state officials to fabricating votes. The government of the District of Government said it plans to prosecute Trump for his role in the riot. The above is in addition to the long list of ongoing cases involving financial fraud, tax evasion, sexual offences and electoral fraud—all of which have been awaiting Trump’s departure from the protective presidential shield. But the ex-president has over the years shown himself adept at avoiding legal consequences and portraying himself as victim rather than perpetrator. Opinion polls indicate that the vast majority of Republicans—80 percent at last count—agree with his self-assessment. But the real test will come with the 2022 US mid-term elections. If the Democrats increase representation in the Senate and the House of Representatives then it will likely spell the end of Trumpism—for the time being.
• The death of American broadcaster Rush Limbaugh has revived the debate over fairness in broadcasting. In 1949, when talk radio stations were a rarity and television was still finding its way into American homes, the Federal Communication Commission announced its Fairness in Broadcasting Doctrine which decreed that if broadcasters wanted to keep their licenses they had to report in an “honest, equitable and balanced” manner. In 1987 the Reagan Administration repealed the enabling act on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment’s free speech provisions. This opened the flood gates to what the Wall Street Journal described as “hyper-articulate conservative hosts opening their microphones to hyper-conservative conservative voters.” Rush Limbaugh led the charge with explosive programs laced with far-right racism, homophobia and sexism. The formula proved popular, attracting 15 million regular listeners. It also sowed the seeds for the rise of right-wing conservative populism within the Republican Party; a fact which was acknowledged by President Trump when he awarded the Medal of Freedom—America’s highest honor—to Limbaugh. In fairness, the repeal of the act, also led to the growth of partisanship on the left side of the broadcasting spectrum. CNN and MSNBC are totally biased against Trumpism. In fact, it can be reasonably argued that repeal of the Fairness in Broadcasting Act has played a major role in encouraging divisiveness in US politics. Over the past 15 years there have been several attempts to re-instate it. They have been blocked by Republicans who regard them as the main beneficiary of unfettered broadcasting rules. A Biden Administration may lead to a change.
• The virtual G7 meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was—not surprisingly— dominated by coronavirus. The vaccines are being distributed. They are starting to take effect. But only in the developing world. Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK, US and EU have between them have secured more than 3 billion doses—1.2 billion doses more than they need. But 130 other countries have yet to jab a single arm. French President Emmanuel Macron wants the G7 to commit to donating 4-5 percent of its stored vaccines to the WHO Covax program for developing world vaccinations. Johnson says that is inadequate and has pledged the “vast majority” of the British surplus to Covax along with $600 million. But there are problems with the British generosity: The surplus vaccines will not be distributed until everyone in the UK is vaccinated, which may well be not until the end of the year. And, combined with the surplus from other industrialized countries still falls far short of the developing world’s requirement. Finally, delaying delivery to the developing world runs the risk of new strains mutating into variants that the current vaccines cannot treat.
• Another discussion item at the G7 will be Iran. Tehran and Washington are currently in a Mexican stand-off. President Joe Biden wants to reverse Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran Nuclear Accord (aka Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA). As signs of good faith he has lifted travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats in the US and reversed Trump’s efforts to restore UN sanctions. Not enough, says the Iranians. They want US sanctions lifted before they will agree to re-enter the agreement to restrict their nuclear program. It seems a surmountable problem, except that because of the rhetoric of the Trump era, whichever side caves in first loses substantial face with their domestic audience.
• The UK Supreme Court’s decision that Uber has to provide paid holidays, guaranteed minimum wage and pay National Insurance will have far-reaching repercussions beyond Uber, the British gig economy and British shores. Uber epitomizes the much-maligned gig economy whereby workers are freelance contractors and the company is no more than an intermediary agent between customer and worker. The Supreme Court ruling can be applied to the entire gig economy which at the moment employs 5 million British workers. It means that the expenses of gig-based businesses will soar at a time when they are struggling to survive through a pandemic. Many will go to the wall. Almost all of them will have to reduce their “gig” force. Governments, businesses and investors carefully watch legal judgements in other countries as harbingers of future actions in their own domain. British legal rulings are especially scrutinized. Uber operates in more than 80 countries. When it was floated on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019 it had to list any potential dangers to their business with the Security Exchange Commission. High on the list was the threat of being forced to directly employ their drivers. The UK is not the only country with a large gig economy. It applies to roughly 57 million Americans and 100 million citizens of the EU. In short, the Supreme Court ruling is good news for some workers, bad news for others and bad news for employers.
• According to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the recent problems in Tigray Province are now in the past. The dissident Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has been defeated and aid agencies are now free to distribute food and other items to the locals. Not quite. The agencies are only allowed to operate in areas approved of by Abiy Ahmed’s military commanders. This implies that the TPLF is still active in other areas. In addition, the military incursion has failed to deal with the underlying problem: Abiy Ahmed’s desire to move Ethiopia from a federal state to a more modern unitary political format. Ethiopia has over the centuries grown as a contiguous empire. This is reflected in its complex ethnic mix of 80 different groups speaking 86 languages. In an attempt to hold these competing factions together the 1995 constitution established a loose federation of nine ethnically-based states; each with the right of self-determination up to the right of secession. The constitution was a creation of the TPLF but it also had the support of other major ethnic groups.

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About the Author

Tom Arms is the London-based American foreign affairs journalist. He has nearly half a century’s experience of world affairs, and has written and broadcast for American, British and Commonwealth outlets. Positions he held included foreign correspondent, diplomatic correspondent, foreign editor, editor and founding CEO of an international diary news service. He is the author of “The Encyclopedia of the Cold War,” “The Falklands Crisis” and “World Elections on File.” His new book “America: Made in Britain” is expected this year.

{The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sindh Courier}

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