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Saturday, October 17, 2009

Pepe Escobar's Pipelineistan -Putin lays down law for Clinton

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's appeal in Moscow for Russia to embrace "diversity" and her belief that the Kremlin will approve more sanctions on Iran got short shrift from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as he busied himself elsewhere, stitching together crucial energy deals in China. Iran hawk Hillary did not cross paths with chess master Vladimir. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had better things to do - he was away in Beijing for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In Beijing, Putin bluntly told the US not to intimidate Iran, stressing that more sanctions were "premature"; what was needed was an "agreement". Hillary was thrown by judo expert Putin - and she did not even see it coming. Yet Hillary still had time to spin on American TV that if the "international community" approved more sanctions on Iran, Russia would follow.

What's the bottom line - for the moment? No further US-led sanctions against Iran is a key consensus of the SCO, which interlocks Russian, Chinese and Iranian interests - Iran is an observer of the SCO. For the SCO, the importance of an Asian Energy Security Grid is paramount. (See New Great Game revisited, Asia Times Online, July 25-26, 2009). This goes directly against the Pentagon-driven, full spectrum dominance-style, US hegemonic designs on Central Asia and Iran. It was Putin who floated the idea of Iran enriching uranium in Russia in the first place - now a palpable way out for the Iranian nuclear impasse. As for Hillary, she could do worse than drown her own carping in vodka. Iran, Russia would follow. Putin lays down law for Clinton - Pepe Escobar


The Dragon spews fire at the Elephant
Indian lobbyists - with an eye on profiting from arms sales with the United States worth billions of dollars - are whipping up war hysteria and xenophobia over China, and Delhi is playing along. Against this electrified diplomatic backdrop, the state-run People's Daily tore into India this week. The relationship could nosedive further if the Dalai Lama's visit to India's disputed areas with China goes ahead.- M K Bhadrakumar

Going 'deep', not 'big', in Afghanistan
An analysis making waves in Washington by a veteran United States officer calls for the withdrawal of the bulk of United States combat forces from Afghanistan over 18 months, warning against General Stanley McChrystal's counter-insurgency strategy. Lieutenant Colonel Daniel L Davis says that it is already too late for US forces to defeat the insurgency. - Gareth Porter

2 Comments:

Blogger Tao Dao Man said...

I am a very big fan of [asia times] and especially Pepe Escobar. The SCO is preparing for the future. It has been making financial, energy, and security deals in the region. All the while America is bogged down in Iraq, Afghanistan, and i believe preparing to attack Pakistan. Hillary is way out of her league, as usual. Geithner goes to China with his hat in hand for financial issues. As Hillary goes to Russia with her hat in hand for "security" issues. Dead end on both counts. If America will not leave the region on their own. Then Russia, and China will be advising them on how to depart gracefully. IMO; Pakistan is the center square of the chess board.

October 17, 2009 11:09 AM  
Blogger temporal said...

if pakistan had a stable (and sincere) government it could have played a pivotal role...

the global issues can not be seen through oil/gas prisms...other variables include population and cosumproduction

US economy is the monkey around the neck for the rest

if the ROW can get around this dying monkey (the dolar) and stabilise the monetary situation around a 'basket' of currencies...then there is hope

October 17, 2009 11:23 AM  

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