Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Abu Obeida: War criminal Netanyahu and his Nazi ministers have deliberately set their minds on reducing the number of living enemy captives by half
Abu Obeidah: Our freedom fighters are in a state of alert, readiness, and high morale; ready to demonstrate unique exemplars of heroism and bravery, and they will teach the invaders harsh lessons
Abu Obeida: The enemy’s army will pay the price with the blood of its soldiers, and the chances of capturing more soldiers will increase, God willing
Military spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida: The enemy’s criminal plans to occupy Gaza will be a disaster for its political and military leadership
US to refuse visas to Palestinian officials at UN summit focused on state: State Dept
Lebanese Army Commander: We are carrying out the necessary coordination with the Syrian authorities regarding control of the northern and eastern borders, as it serves a common interest
Lebanese Army Commander: Nothing will deter us from continuing to shoulder our responsibilities in various regions [in Lebanon] and along the Lebanese border
Lebanese Army Commander: The army will take the necessary steps to ensure the success of its mission, while taking into account maintaining civil peace and internal stability
Lebanese Army Commander: The Army bears major responsibilities at various levels and is entering a critical phase in which it will undertake sensitive missions
Sources in the Ministry of Defense in Sanaa to Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The enemy aims to prepare the Israeli interior for the Yemeni operations that will strike deep into "Israel"

Two architectural rivals slug it out

  • Alastair Crooke Alastair Crooke
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 17 Jul 2022 14:24
  • 4 Shares
5 Min Read

The post-24 February world truly is different. The inexorable geopolitical logic today is that of America’s attention turning elsewhere, and the world sees a weaker US. 

  • x
  • Two architectural rivals slug it out
    Two architectural rivals slug it out

No one seems sure quite why Biden is making this trip to the Middle East. It is a mystery. For sure, it's not for plaudits at home: Jamal Khashoggi and Shireen Abu Akleh’s shrouds swirl mistily around the US delegation, giving it the jitters. Biden is being roasted even in the most supportive US journals for the risk to the safety of journalists implicit in any reconciliation with MbS. 

Biden comes not for the Palestinians. Rather, he comes bearing a small gift for "Israel" – which is that he will ignore the Palestinians, as best he can. Nor is it to inaugurate an Arab NATO (Gulf states want to retain ties to Iran). And it's not even for the oil: The UAE will not give him even a single extra barrel, and the Saudis, maybe just an additional 100,000 or 150,000 barrel per day (and even that will be set against OPEC+ states that have undersupplied to quota).

A neurologist once told me that our brains are like a virgin wood. Initially, grass and flowers are everywhere beneath the trees. And then a deer wanders through and passes on. Another follows on, and another, and all follow the track laid by the first deer. It becomes a deeply trodden path. Diplomacy is like that. 

Two decades ago, a Clean Break strategy was produced that said the US must be friends with – and support - the region’s monarchs against the secular socialist Arab States to make "Israel" safe. And US Presidents all have hued to that same track through the wood. Nothing changes -- just a new name is found for a ‘new’ Arab alliance against Iran. 

And so Biden is doing the walk in the wood. But this time it’s more about ‘occupying space’ in the region: Jollying along the monarchs to make sure that this ‘American space’ is denied to Russia. 

There is today in Washington this worry that the Russian sphere looks too enticing. And there is cause to worry (even Josep Borrell admits it): The West, at the G20 Foreign Ministers summit in Bali, utterly failed to force the BRICS plus major Global South players to isolate and sanction Russia over Ukraine. They are still trying: India and Saudi are in their sights now. However, the Chinese G20 readout highlighted that Jaishankar had conveyed to Wang Yi that “India will continue upholding strategic autonomy and an independent position on international affairs”. India also has told the US that it will not participate in any project to try to cap the price of Russian oil.

The Americans are peddling their regional security architecture (based on polarisation around Iran). But Russia has an alternative. 

Related News

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

Why the US is cozying up to Pakistan once more

The SCO-BRICS architecture is different from that of the Americans. It envisages an architecture that is not directed by outside powers, but one in which its participants have ownership. Russia and China are insistent on this point. And it is intended to be inclusive.

The post-24 February world truly is different. The inexorable geopolitical logic today is that of America’s attention turning elsewhere (to China). And the world sees a weakening America. 

This month's Harpers title is astonishing: Harpers Declares 'It's Over' - The 'American Century' Is Gone. What’s more, it says it, absent the de rigueur question mark. It stood out a mile even before Harpers came out with this title: Compare the childish antics of the G7 to the workmanlike conduct evidenced at the BRICS Summit.

Against this background, everyone is weighing the course of history. If war is to be avoided, some security architecture is necessary. And the Russian initiative is appealing precisely because it includes Iran. Iran is a member of the SCO and an applicant to BRICS. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar are applicants to the SCO too, and Saudi Arabia has been invited to join the BRICS. Egypt and Syria have applied for SCO observer status and Turkey is a dialogue partner. So it already enjoys the basis of architecture.

And, if we add that the SCO already possesses a security dimension and a powerful economic dimension in the Eurasian Economic Community that links to the Belt and Road Initiative, the northern architecture becomes compelling.

This week Iran announced the completion of the first shipment of cargo departing from St Petersburg via the North-South Transport Corridor. It passed through the Caspian Sea port of Anzali and the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas to Bombay. 

This new route, which is planned to be upgraded to High Speed within one year, both cuts transport times – and costs - dramatically. India has just made the rupee a trade currency, and Iran has signed an interbank clearing agreement with Russia. We predict that it will be the Gulf that pivots -- pivots in trade to India and Asia.

Events are moving with dispatch. Is it then any wonder that Team Biden is back to try to shore up relations? Will Team Biden’s outcome in the region be so different from the outcome at the G20 that so dis-spirited Josep Borrell?

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • United States
  • Nato
  • BRICS
  • G7
  • Russia
  • Shanghai Cooperation Organization
  • China
  • G20
  • Middle East
  • Joe Biden
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Iran
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Alastair Crooke

Alastair Crooke

Director of Conflicts Forum; Former Senior British Diplomat; Author.

Most Read

All
Declassified: CIA’s covert Ukraine invasion plan

Declassified: CIA’s covert Ukraine invasion plan

  • Opinion
  • 16 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Although it does seem likely they will launch some kind of operation in northern Gaza, one which will accelerate its mass murder of civilians, but will fail to achieve its stated objectives. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Here is why the Israeli occupation of Gaza won’t work

  • Opinion
  • 26 Aug 2025
Palestine will not be liberated by UN reports, but by pursuing a different strategic horizon: one that does not beg for recognition. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Economy of Genocide: Albanese's report accuses, but doesn't dismantle system

  • Opinion
  • 18 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
War on Iran

More from this writer

All
The Nakedness of EU ‘Geo-political’ Ambitions Will Be Revealed - As the Ukraine War Melts Away

The Nakedness of EU ‘Geo-political’ Ambitions Will Be Revealed - As the Ukraine War Melts Away

The Slow-Motion Advance to the Edge of the Abyss

The Slow-Motion Advance to the Edge of the Abyss

Already, "Israel" has the White House committed to support an Israeli military operation against Hezbollah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Does 'Israel' want war?

The European Mutiny: The Consequences are Just Beginning

The European Mutiny: The Consequences are Just Beginning

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS