June 19, 2015 (
Ulson Gunnar - NEO)
- It is reported that Saudi Arabia will be sending a delegation to
Moscow for the purpose of once again attempting to lure Russia away from
its current interests in the Middle East, and into line behind Riyadh
and its underwriters in Washington.
However,
vacillating in the past between toothless threats and absurd promises
of lavish economic deals, the Saudis have accomplished only one thing in
their recent string of diplomatic maneuvering, that is to telegraph
immense weakness and desperation ahead of their next visit.
Indeed,
if on Earth there is one nation that needs Russia the most, it might be
Saudi Arabia. Conversely, however, if ever there was a nation Russia
would be wise enough never to do business with, it would also be Saudi
Arabia. A client-state of the British and then American empire, it has
of late allowed itself to be used as an intermediary in an increasingly
dangerous proxy war involving Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and to a certain
extent, Lebanon, Egypt, and even Libya.
While
undoubtedly US State Department staff explained at length how
Washington would never allow anything to happen to their favorite
regional autocracy, the war Riyadh started on Washington's behalf in
Yemen is now slowly creeping over the borders into Saudi territory, and
the weapons and fighters emerging on that battlefield may yet link up
with long-simmering tensions in eastern Saudi Arabia.
To the
north, Saudi Arabia has actively contributed to the destruction of Iraq
and Syria, and on the African continent, Saudi Arabia has played a role
in destabilizing both Egypt and to a far greater extent Libya. Should
the tides turn in any of these theaters of war, the temptation for those
victimized by Saudi Arabia's meddling to in turn help fuel chaos upon
the Arabian Peninsula, will be overwhelming.
To
say that Saudi Arabia is a nation in need of friends is an
understatement, and Riyadh might finally have realized that Washington
sees its "favorite" autocracy as it does all other client-states,
expendable. However, so sociopolitically, economically and
geopolitically disfigured from its role as chief regional facilitator
for Washington and London's agenda, it may have left itself with no
alternatives.
The "Deal" Saudi Arabia has done
much to destroy its neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA), but it also has played a role in applying pressure on states
well beyond, but states that hold significant influence throughout the
region. This includes Russia. In fact, Saudi Arabia's role in
destabilizing and destroying the MENA region is part of a larger
geopolitical gambit aimed at Moscow, among others.
In
the past, the Saudis have both lavished with promises of wealth and
threatened Moscow with outright terrorism, in order to pressure Russia
to abandon its allies in Damascus, Baghdad, and Tehran.
It was reported by the London Telegraph in its article, "
Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria," that:
Saudi
Arabia has secretly offered Russia a sweeping deal to control the
global oil market and safeguard Russia’s gas contracts, if the Kremlin
backs away from the Assad regime in Syria.
It also stated, in addition to the offer, there was also an implicit threat:
As-Safir
said Prince Bandar pledged to safeguard Russia’s naval base in Syria if
the Assad regime is toppled, but he also hinted at Chechen terrorist
attacks on Russia’s Winter Olympics in Sochi if there is no accord. “I
can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics next year. The
Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by
us,” he allegedly said.
Prince
Bandar went on to say that Chechens operating in Syria were a pressure
tool that could be switched on an off. “These groups do not scare us. We
use them in the face of the Syrian regime but they will have no role in
Syria’s political future.”
Clearly, Saudi Arabia's
lack of reliable allies stands for good reason. Bandar's gloating about
Riyadh's role in creating and controlling some of the most vicious
terrorist organizations on Earth confirms what has been reported
elsewhere across both the alternative and even mainstream press. It also
confirms that while Washington, London and Brussels disingenuously
wring their hands about the threat of "Islamists," they are allied
closest with the very nation responsible for this very threat.
Why Putin Can Refuse Russia's
resurgence as a global power is underpinned not on Saudi oil or the
lack of terrorism in the Caucasus region, but instead underpinned by
its growing relationship with other members of the BRICS association as well as other nations throughout the developing world who are quickly gaining ground versus traditional global power brokers.
Brazil,
India, China, and South Africa have all found themselves on the
receiving end of similar pressure from Washington and London, though
arguably to a lesser extent. Their combined economies and populations
provide a market Russia has been incrementally transitioning to serve,
outside of the confines and extortion imposed upon it dealing with the
West. Likewise, other nations across the developing world are
increasingly aware of this shifting balance of power and are seeking
ways out of compromises they previously made to placate foreign
interests that would otherwise eviscerate their nations much as has been
done to Libya, Syria and Iraq.
Additionally,
despite the pressure of sanctions and Saudi Arabia's oil price-fixing,
Russia has attempted to continue reaching out to European nations in the
hopes of working around derailed pipeline deals and other disruptions
intentionally created and aimed at Moscow. Russia has done this with
varying degrees of success, all while cultivating a policy of national
self-reliance.
The
European Union itself is also suffering under the sanctions imposed on
Russia, ironically, and many nations have attempted to undermine or
circumvent these sanctions in order to secure for themselves the
benefits Brussels and others would gladly forfeit on their behalf to
pursue their own agenda.
In reality, Russian President Vladimir Putin can say "no" to Saudi Arabia's wheeling and dealing specifically because it is not Russia that needs Saudi Arabia, it is Saudi Arabia that in fact needs Russia.
Riyadh's role as Washington's proxy in the Middle East and even as a
means of leverage on the greater global stage has led it to the edge of a
cliff. This is a cliff Washington itself will inevitably fall over, but
it will not do so until its proxies have pushed over first. Considering
these realities, it may be time for Riyadh's delegation to Moscow to
put aside the empty threats and equally empty promises, and talk about a
real path forward. Riyadh's, not Moscow's future may depend on it.
Ulson Gunnar, a New York-based geopolitical analyst and writer especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!
Uprooted Palestinian 
Seven
takfiri operatives were killed at dawn Friday and several others were
wounded as Hezbollah fighters foiled their infiltration attempt into
east Lebanon.
