Contents
- WFTU condemnation statement on the unacceptable attacks against militant trade unionists in Italy
- Government Spokesperson exposing weakness of Mswati’s State Intelligence Unit on Magawugawu’s trip to London
- SECURITY OFFICERS UNION: Sergeant Cebile Shongwe to ‘take over’ from Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirm police reports
- Government Spokesperson exposing weakness of Mswati’s State Intelligence Unit on Magawugawu’s trip to London
- Far-right Israel settler movement invades Palestinian territories to set up illegal outposts
- UN: Al-Qaeda set to surpass Daesh as leader of global jihad
- Russia Moves to Permanently Shuts Down Russian Branch of Jewish Agency
- Venezuela Reaffirms Its Support and Solidarity With Nicaragua
- New Terrorist Attack Against Venezuelan Gas System
- Biden Is Trying to Revitalize U.S. Imperialism in the Middle East
WFTU condemnation statement on the unacceptable attacks against militant trade unionists in Italy
20 July 2022
The World Federation of Trade Unions unequivocally condemns the new unacceptable attack against militant trade unionists in Italy. A few months after the provocative police raid on the USB office, a new attack against militant trade unionists is escalating since yesterday, with trade unionists to be placed under house arrest and searched, based on a 350-page indictment of the Piagenza Public Prosecutor’s Office against USB and Si Cobas unions.
It is obvious that the militant struggles of the class-oriented trade unions bother the bourgeois class, its state, and its pollical representatives who blatantly violate any notion and concept of trade union and democratic rights and freedoms. The trade unions and trade unionists are being persecuted for organizing strikes, protests, and demonstrations in the logistics sector. They are openly and unashamedly being persecuted because they are defending their own class interests and fighting for dignified working and living conditions.
This new attack must not remain unanswered by the class-oriented trade union movement and all those who are opposing the authoritarian practices that are increasingly imposing all over the world.
The World Federation of Trade Unions calls upon its affiliates to stand beside the trade unionists in Italy and condemn the new attacks with a protest to the embassies and consulars of Italy in their countries, sending the clear message that the workers in Italy are not alone and the attempts to subordinate the militant unions are in vain. They cannot stop the class struggle, they never could!
The WFTU Headquarters
Government Spokesperson exposing weakness of Mswati’s State Intelligence Unit on Magawugawu’s trip to London.
Friday, 22nd July, 2022
By Zweli Martin Dlamini
During one of our meetings with Lin Songtian, the then Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China(PRC), he disclosed that Taiwan would be presenting helicopters to King Mswati that following week and indeed, the helicopters arrived.
The Ambassador demonstrated how State Intelligence operated, Eswatini Government Spokesperson is exposing the weakeness of Mswati’s intelligence by reacting to media reports suggesting that former Siphofaneni Member of Parliament(MP) was in London.
It is eSwatini Government State Intelligence Department that was supposed to know that the President of the Swaziland Liberation Movement(SWALIMO)was about to fly to London and if indeed, he remains a wanted man, Interpol could have arrested him.
The truth is, the SWALIMO President is wanted within eSwatini where citizens with a different political view are arrested tortured and killed, within the global community Magawugawu remains a highly respected politician.
Alpheous Nxumalo must know that some of us speak to Ambassadors and other high profile people within the governing bodies of the world, a very few countries take Mswati seriously now.
Magawugawu never ‘conned’ Swazis thousands of Rands, promising them jobs in the army like Alpheous, he was elected into Parliament by the people of Siphofaneni and was subsequently removed by a dictator who was never elected by the people.
It is therefore absurd and or cowardice of the highest order for a criminal with borrowed robs like Alpheous Nxumalo to label Magawugawu a fugitive.
What about the criminal cases opened against Nxumalo by aspiring soldiers who are demanding their monies?
We know the high profile people in London contacted by Government agents trying to gather information on how Magawugawu reached London and who facilitated his meeting with British MPs.
As an internationally recognized journalist, I can pick a phone and call journalists from the BBC, SABC, eNCA, NewsRoom or any media organization, these are my colleagues and we engage on that level.
International journalists know that dictators fight independent journalists and a journalist who is hated by an illegitimate Government is normally respected by the international community.
The same applies to Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu' Simelane who is still regarded as an MP by Swazis and the world, he engaged the British MPs on that level and Nxumalo will never understand global politics because such is far above the thinking capacity of Sibaya.
It’s very disturbing to note that Nxumalo went on to attack TimesLive in a public statement saying Government was supposed to be contacted to balance a story after SADC through the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) confirmed that a Summit has been cancelled or postponed.
So Nxumalo, who uses the State owned radio where those opposed to this regime are attacked without being given any opportunity to respond knows that in terms of journalism principles, a story must be balanced?.
But then, let me give Nxumalo a brief lecture on how issues of the Southern African Development Community(SADC) are handled or communicated to the media.
Firstly, Nxumalo must understand that SADC is not an independent State but a collective regional organization for countries in Southern Africa, there’s a difference between ‘South Africa’ and ‘Southern Africa’.
Now, when the communication department of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) released a confirmation suggesting that the Summit has been cancelled, that confirmation was released on behalf of SADC member States including eSwatini and therefore, the TimesLive journalist was not obligated to contact eSwatini.
Even if the journalist could have decided to contact eSwatini Government, she could have done that to enhance the plurality of views in her story, otherwise, the story was already balanced because the confirmation came from the DIRCO on behalf of SADC Troika not South Africa.
Alpheous Nxumalo is not a media expert hence he cannot understand the technicalities of these issues particularly in the dissemination of information, he wants eSwatini to be excluded and be contacted separately in a statement released by the highest regional body that was binding to all member States?.
The Government Spokesperson is questioning how Magawugawu reached London because he doesn’t understand diplomatic issues, he thinks when Ambassadors pose with Mswati, that means they support this regime and will assist this Government in persecuting dissenting voices.
No, Mr Nxumalo, countries understand that dictatorship regimes eventually fall, that is why in one way or the other, they give support silently to the opposition to maintain future diplomatic relations with that country, in the event the opposition takes over power.
I hope now you understand Mr Government Spokesperson how SWALIMO President Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane reached London and engaged with British Members of Parliament(MP).
SECURITY OFFICERS UNION: Sergeant Cebile Shongwe to ‘take over’ from Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirm police reports
Thursday, 21st July, 2022
By Bongiwe Dlamini
MBABANE: Resigned senior cop Sergeant Cebile ‘Cece’ Shongwe is highly expected to take over from Superintendent Phindile Vilakati and confirm police reports to members of the public through the independent media.
Shongwe is expected to head a Union for members of the security forces, it has been disclosed that police officers have already started sending police reports to Sergeant Shongwe.
Speaking to this Swaziland News, Shongwe confirmed that part of her duties would be to advocate for the welfare of police officers, manage relations between pro-democracy officers including verifying and confirming what is happening on the ground.
“Police officers have already started sending information to us and part of our duties would be to verify and confirm to the independent media,” she said.
The latest developments come after the police tried to censor the independent media while using the State owned media to twist information regarding the ongoing killing of civilians.
Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson told this publication that she was warned by Government against responding to questions from the independent media.
Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini welcomed the establishment of the Union for security officers adding that it might render propaganda platforms of the illegitimate Government redundant.
“We support institutions that seek to promote transparency and accountability and we will work with this Union in ensuring that police officers have a voice on issues affecting their welfare. Furthermore, we will assist the Union to expand its global network and be recognized by the world,” said the editor.
Government Spokesperson exposing weakness of Mswati’s State Intelligence Unit on Magawugawu’s trip to London
Friday, 22nd July, 2022
By Zweli Martin Dlamini
During one of our meetings with Lin Songtian, the then Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China(PRC), he disclosed that Taiwan would be presenting helicopters to King Mswati that following week and indeed, the helicopters arrived.
The Ambassador demonstrated how State Intelligence operated, Eswatini Government Spokesperson is exposing the weakeness of Mswati’s intelligence by reacting to media reports suggesting that former Siphofaneni Member of Parliament(MP) was in London.
It is eSwatini Government State Intelligence Department that was supposed to know that the President of the Swaziland Liberation Movement(SWALIMO)was about to fly to London and if indeed, he remains a wanted man, Interpol could have arrested him.
The truth is, the SWALIMO President is wanted within eSwatini where citizens with a different political view are arrested tortured and killed, within the global community Magawugawu remains a highly respected politician.
Alpheous Nxumalo must know that some of us speak to Ambassadors and other high profile people within the governing bodies of the world, a very few countries take Mswati seriously now.
Magawugawu never ‘conned’ Swazis thousands of Rands, promising them jobs in the army like Alpheous, he was elected into Parliament by the people of Siphofaneni and was subsequently removed by a dictator who was never elected by the people.
It is therefore absurd and or cowardice of the highest order for a criminal with borrowed robs like Alpheous Nxumalo to label Magawugawu a fugitive.
What about the criminal cases opened against Nxumalo by aspiring soldiers who are demanding their monies?
We know the high profile people in London contacted by Government agents trying to gather information on how Magawugawu reached London and who facilitated his meeting with British MPs.
As an internationally recognized journalist, I can pick a phone and call journalists from the BBC, SABC, eNCA, NewsRoom or any media organization, these are my colleagues and we engage on that level.
International journalists know that dictators fight independent journalists and a journalist who is hated by an illegitimate Government is normally respected by the international community.
The same applies to Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu' Simelane who is still regarded as an MP by Swazis and the world, he engaged the British MPs on that level and Nxumalo will never understand global politics because such is far above the thinking capacity of Sibaya.
It’s very disturbing to note that Nxumalo went on to attack TimesLive in a public statement saying Government was supposed to be contacted to balance a story after SADC through the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) confirmed that a Summit has been cancelled or postponed.
So Nxumalo, who uses the State owned radio where those opposed to this regime are attacked without being given any opportunity to respond knows that in terms of journalism principles, a story must be balanced?.
But then, let me give Nxumalo a brief lecture on how issues of the Southern African Development Community(SADC) are handled or communicated to the media.
Firstly, Nxumalo must understand that SADC is not an independent State but a collective regional organization for countries in Southern Africa, there’s a difference between ‘South Africa’ and ‘Southern Africa’.
Now, when the communication department of the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) released a confirmation suggesting that the Summit has been cancelled, that confirmation was released on behalf of SADC member States including eSwatini and therefore, the TimesLive journalist was not obligated to contact eSwatini.
Even if the journalist could have decided to contact eSwatini Government, she could have done that to enhance the plurality of views in her story, otherwise, the story was already balanced because the confirmation came from the DIRCO on behalf of SADC Troika not South Africa.
Alpheous Nxumalo is not a media expert hence he cannot understand the technicalities of these issues particularly in the dissemination of information, he wants eSwatini to be excluded and be contacted separately in a statement released by the highest regional body that was binding to all member States?.
The Government Spokesperson is questioning how Magawugawu reached London because he doesn’t understand diplomatic issues, he thinks when Ambassadors pose with Mswati, that means they support this regime and will assist this Government in persecuting dissenting voices.
No, Mr Nxumalo, countries understand that dictatorship regimes eventually fall, that is why in one way or the other, they give support silently to the opposition to maintain future diplomatic relations with that country, in the event the opposition takes over power.
I hope now you understand Mr Government Spokesperson how SWALIMO President Mduduzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane reached London and engaged with British Members of Parliament(MP).
Far-right Israel settler movement invades Palestinian territories to set up illegal outposts
21 July 2022
A far right Israeli organisation with links to terrorist groups has planned an invasion of Palestinian land with funding from Zionists in the West
Israeli settlers have been rampaging through the West Bank this week in an attempt to further occupy Palestinian land and set up illegal colonial outposts.
In a campaign launched by the far-right Nachala movement, which is headed by a Zionist leader named Daniella Weiss, its followers have a mission to spread Jewish settlement outposts throughout the West Bank, and yesterday sought to build at least three of the outposts.
According to the media outlet, Mondoweiss, the settlers operate using the strategy of descending en-masse on different sites allocated to them by the movement's leadership, where they then set up tents and mobile caravans before declaring it a new settlement.
The Nachala movement had reportedly planned the operations for months by mobilising settlers and fundraising in cities across Israel, as well as gaining support from Israeli officials and political figures.
Such preparation is predicted to have given it the ability to continue to carry out the operations over the coming weeks.
According to the news outlet, The Times of Israel, the movement has already set up 28 of those groups which primarily consist of high school and Yeshiva [Jewish religious school] students.
Although the outposts are similar to official Israeli settlements in the West Bank in that they are both illegal under international law, they lack the pre-approved status and subsidies given by the Israeli government, making the outposts illegal even under Israeli law as they lack permission by Tel Aviv.
According to the NGO, Peace Now, the number of outposts in the West Bank currently outnumber the number of Israeli-approved settlements, with there being 150 outposts and 132 settlements.
Earlier this week, Israeli Defence Minister, Benny Gantz, released a statement condemning the Nachala movement's initiative, announcing that the military and police are ordered to prevent such operations from taking place and outposts from being erected. In a statement, the Israeli military also said that it is "preparing for roads, checkpoints, and key points in the Judea and Samaria [West Bank] area to maintain security and law and order".
Despite those warnings and statements, however, videos circulating around social media have shown Israeli security forces suppressing activists and protestors who were demonstrating against the settlers and their outposts.
The European Union, too, denounced Nachala's initiative, unsurprisingly stating that it is "concerned" over the consequences it could result in. It acknowledged that "outposts often serve to establish or further expand Israeli settlements and are a potential direct source of increased settler violence against Palestinians."
That violence has already occurred, even prior to the launch of the movement's operations. While Nachala activists in the West Bank's Salfit district conducted scouting and planning activities last month, settlers stabbed and killed a 27-year-old Palestinian man named Ali Harb. More recently, on Tuesday evening, settlers carried out a large-scale attack on the Palestinian village of Burin in the Nablus district, attacking homes and setting fire to land in the village.
UN: Al-Qaeda set to surpass Daesh as leader of global jihad
21 Jul 2022
Jihadist network Al-Qaeda is positioned to overtake Daesh as the pre-eminent terrorist group threatening international security, according to a new report published on Tuesday by the UN.
Citing intelligence shared by UN member states, the report says that Al-Qaeda is experiencing a surge, in part due to the successful Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last summer amid the US withdrawal from the country. "The international context is favourable to Al-Qaida, which intends to be recognised again as the leader of global jihad," it explains.
"Al-Qaida propaganda is now better developed to compete with [Daesh] as the key actor in inspiring the international threat environment, and it may ultimately become a greater source of directed threat," the report adds. It notes that Daesh "has suffered a rapid succession of leadership losses since October 2019, with an as yet unknown impact on its operational health."
Experts believe that threats from both terrorist groups remain high, especially in conflict zones in Africa, Central and South Asia and the Levant, which are said to be the most vulnerable.
Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the former deputy and current leader of Al-Qaeda is "alive and communicating freely," the report notes in a conclusion based on his regular video messages. However, the group is not seen as an immediate global threat.
"Al-Qaida is not viewed as posing an immediate international threat from its safe haven in Afghanistan because it lacks an external operational capability and does not currently wish to cause the Taliban international difficulty or embarrassment."
Despite being defeated territorially by the combined forces of the Iraqi army, Iranian-backed paramilitaries and a US-led coalition in 2017, the UN experts say that, "[Daesh] remains a resilient and persistent threat owing to its decentralised structure and ability to organise complex attacks."
The extremist group still maintains two distinct organisational structures in Iraq and Syria, in addition to regional networks across Turkey, Afghanistan, Somalia, Africa's Lake Chad Basin, Libya, Yemen and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, so that it can "sustain the group's global capability and reputation."
Russia Moves to Permanently Shuts Down Russian Branch of Jewish Agency
21 July 2022
The Russian Ministry of Justice has reportedly requested the dissolution of the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency, an organization that promotes immigration to Israel at a mass scale since its inception in 1929.
Many historians recognize the significant role played by the agency in the colonization of Palestine, as it was established to be an important branch of the World Zionist Organization.
The news was reported in Reuters, Israeli and international media.
According to the website of the Russian Basmanny district court, the request, filed by the ministry on July 15, will be discussed on July 28.
“The move against the Jerusalem-based agency, the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world, follows criticism by Israel of Russia’s war in Ukraine, where Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid accused it in April of carrying out war crimes,” Reuters reported.
Palestinians and many of their supporters around the world have highlighted the hypocrisy of the Israeli position and of the West, which continues to finance and support the Israeli military occupation of Palestine.
The deteriorating relationship between Tel Aviv and Moscow was also illustrated in the Russian authorities’ suspicion that the Jewish Agency was illegally gathering data on Russian citizens, as reported by The Jerusalem Post on July 5.
According to Israeli government data, around 7,000 Russian Jews emigrated from Russia to Israel in 2021.
Venezuela Reaffirms Its Support and Solidarity With Nicaragua
19 July 2022
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Carlos Faría reaffirmed his government's commitment and solidarity with Nicaragua in a meeting held on Tuesday in Managua with his Nicaraguan counterpart, Denis Moncada.
"We appreciate the reception given to us by the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Denis Moncada, whom we greeted on behalf of the President (of Venezuela), Nicolás Maduro. We took advantage of the moment and had a pleasant meeting where we expressed solidarity and mutual support between our peoples," the minister said through his Twitter account.
Faría arrived in Managua to participate in the commemorative acts for the 43rd anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, where he said that the sovereignty of the peoples of the region would be "defended with courage and dignity."
The Sandinista Revolution was a process carried out between July 1979 and February 1990 in which the Sandinista National Liberation Front put an end to the dictatorship of General Anastasio Somoza.
For his part, Maduro said that the Nicaraguan revolution opened the way for that Central American country's political and social transformation.
As in Venezuela, the US has also imposed sanctions against members of the Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega.
New Terrorist Attack Against Venezuelan Gas System
18 July 2022
Currently, workers, firefighters, and members of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces are actively working to restore the operation of the PDVSA gas system.
On Sunday, Venezuela's Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami denounced an attack against a gas system of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) located in the Aguasay municipality in the Monagas department.
"We raise our complaint to the country and the peoples of the world about a new attack on the gas system in Eastern Venezuela. These are the same terrorist groups, which have acted against the national interest to affect the lives of our people", El Aissami said, adding that "this vile attack is part of the sabotage script perpetrated by the enemies of peace."
The Bolivarian Oil Minister also mentioned that PDVSDA workers, firefighters, and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) are actively working to restore the operation of the gas system.
"Right now we are putting out the fire caused by this criminal action so as to regularize the service of this infrastructure," El Aissami pointed out.
Biden Is Trying to Revitalize U.S. Imperialism in the Middle East
20 July 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden’s tour of the Middle East aimed to limit Chinese and Russian influence, address the energy crisis, and secure the West’s imperialist interests
The Middle East has regained relative importance for the United States. The region is key for containing energy prices and maintaining trade routes, as well as for shoring up the United States’ historical allies to contain China, with its Belt and Road Initiative, and Russia, which has occupied the “empty spaces” left by the U.S. withdrawal from the region, as in Syria.
After he landed, one of Joe Biden’s first remarks was “You need not be a Jew to be a Zionist,” expressing his full support for the racist discourse that ideologically sustains the Israeli occupation. Israel seeks universal recognition of its colonialist policy in Palestine, as well as its occupation of territories in Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. Biden arrived in a region facing great challenges that directly affect the interests of U.S. imperialism, which seeks to extend NATO policy and weaken Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence. Among other problems, the Middle East is suffering the direct consequences of rising food prices, which has spurred several revolts and mass protests in the region, from Sudan to Lebanon to Iraq.
Resolving these challenges to U.S. imperialism requires increasing oil supplies, alleviating the growing tensions between Iran and Israel, and reaffirming the United States’ strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia in the context of the energy crisis. This brought about an uncomfortable meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, whose country Biden once considered a “pariah” for its abysmal human rights record, particularly after the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018.
Biden is seeking to achieve his strategic objectives by implementing several policies. On the one hand, he is betting on regional integration among his allies — with the United States as mediator — contributing to progress in Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia and other states of the Persian Gulf, which were accelerated through the Abraham Accords. Biden was able to get Saudi Arabia, which has not yet normalized relations with Israel, to open its airspace to civilian carriers, including unrestricted flights for Israeli airlines. Saudi Arabia will also allow direct charter flights from Israel for Muslims participating in the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. In a pledge to Israelis, Biden also indicated that the U.S. would restrain Iran in its quest to build nuclear weapons, even if doing so requires military force. This leaves the door open to moving forward on the Iran nuclear deal, which President Trump discarded in 2018.
On the other hand, Biden avoided making deep commitments that could drag the U.S. back into a fragmented and chaotic region, the product of decades of imperialist military interventions and civil wars. Israel and the Arab states will likely approve of what the U.S. president has to offer, but they are well aware of their diminishing political value on a global scale. For this reason, Iran is particularly relevant, since it may help align the policies of U.S. allies.
The Visit to Israel
Israel has been under a caretaker government headed by Yair Lapid since last month, when the multiparty coalition collapsed. While Biden’s visit is an opportunity for the interim prime minister to demonstrate his diplomatic skills, Biden also met with Likud’s Benjamin Netanyahu, who has a chance to return to power in the country’s fifth election in two years on November 1, although it is unclear so far if his right-wing alliance will achieve a majority in parliament to form a government.
In the joint statement signed between Lapid and Biden, the U.S. pledged to counter Iranian efforts to pursue nuclear weapons, but also the Palestinian-led global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, which carries a lot of weight in U.S. domestic politics. In recent years, more than 30 U.S. states have passed legislation requiring state contractors to sign a pledge not to boycott Israel, which the BDS movement has been fighting.
In his meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas, Biden promised more aid for Palestinians, including $15 million in emergency aid to help with grain shortages caused by the invasion of Ukraine. Biden says that since he took office in 2021, his administration has restored $500 million in aid to the Palestinians, including funds for UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees), which had received about $350 million annually in the Obama era. But this sum contrasts with the $3.8 billion in aid to Israel, primarily for its military. During the meeting, Biden also said that “the United States will continue to insist on a full and transparent accounting of [Shireen Abu Akleh’s] death and will continue to stand up for media freedom.”
The elephant in the room was the so-called Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For the United States, Palestinian self-determination — to which it has always only paid lip service — is now increasingly being left off the agenda as several Gulf monarchies normalize their relations with Israel. This normalization could help negotiate interregional security ties that do not depend on the U.S. in the long term, allowing the U.S. to focus on other areas of the globe.
Back to the Middle East
The Middle East has been the world region most neglected by the Biden administration. Since taking office, he has instead focused on Asia, the pandemic, the United States’ internal polarization, and, now, the war in Ukraine. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East is linked to the Obama administration’s shift in economic and military strategy toward containing the rise of China, which has already become a major investor in the region, both in Israel and in other countries.
Biden’s objectives are also focused on oil prices and on containing Russia — specifically, on encircling Russia with NATO in Eastern Europe. In this sense, the U.S. president’s strategy has also taken into account the fact that in exchange for Turkish support for Sweden and Finland’s incorporation into the alliance, the Erdoğan regime will have carte blanche to continue ethnically cleansing the Kurdish population within its territory and across the border into Syria and Iraq.
The global energy crisis, sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has made the energy supply to Europe and other regions of the world vital, particularly for the United States. Although the U.S. is a net exporter of energy, the country is not immune to global energy prices. These price increases are one factor behind the United States’ high inflation rate, which today exceeds 9 percent. The fear of a crisis similar to that of 1973 looms large in the memory of the U.S. bourgeoisie, and the country’s relationship with OPEC+ is central. As one of the world’s biggest oil producers, Saudi Arabia is a central player in that organization and is in a strong position to compensate for the Russian oil production lost due to the crisis in Ukraine and the related sanctions.
However, Saudi commitments to pump more oil in response to Biden’s visit are too small to reduce the price in the short term. Moreover, energy analysts expect global demand to outstrip supply in the long term. If that trend continues, sustained high prices are built into the world’s economic future, and the relatively minor adjustments made by the Saudis in exchange for U.S. favors will provide little comfort to Americans. As a result, the royal family might raise the price of the deal — “arms and security for oil” — that has been repeatedly renegotiated since the USS Quincy meeting in 1945 between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Saudi King Ibn Saud, which sealed the U.S.-Saudi alliance.
Riyadh is therefore unlikely to accept significant production increases beyond those it is already planning in agreement with its OPEC+ partners, including Russia, and for the kingdom’s own economic objectives. Another problem is the capacity of Saudi wells and refineries, which will likely peak at 11 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia has been holding firm to the agreement with OPEC+ on keeping oil prices high through a voluntary move by members to limit production. In this regard, Saudi Arabia will maintain its alliance with Russia.
At the same time, the Saudis view the United States’ security over the Gulf monarchies as weak, after the tepid U.S. response in March to the Houthi drone attacks on Abu Dhabi National Oil Company facilities in the UAE in January and on a Saudi refinery of ARAMCO — the world’s most lucrative energy company and one of the most capital intensive companies globally. This perception has prompted countries in the region to seek alternatives to new engagements in a multipolar world, with actors who have overlapping interests.
Saudi Arabia has been steadily deepening its economic ties with China, with a focus on oil and, increasingly, trade and military cooperation to balance the kingdom’s dependence on the United States. Biden returned to the region aiming, in the short term, to fragment the ties that allowed Middle Eastern countries some autonomy in their relationships with China and Russia, and to limit these latter countries’ influence. But at the same time, Biden’s trip aimed to counteract the decline of U.S. imperialism itself. > https://www.leftvoice.org/bidens-trip-to-the-middle-east-aimed-to-counteract-declining-u-s-imperialism/
#####
Issued by NEHAWU International Service Centre
For more information, please contact Head Office