Musical Arm(ament) Chairs
Courting the oil-rich Middle East again; everyone wants to partake of the riches to be had. In the process offering to share with them - at a significant monetary gain - the most up-to-date technologically notable munitions, while at the same time beseeching them to a greater oil output and a lowering of the price per barrel. For the benighted West in its thrall to fossil fuels is suffering greatly.How did Nicolas Sarkozy whose batteries are on full thrust put it? "When oil prices triple in four years to US$100 [a barrel] I worry about the brutality of these hikes which directly affect growth and purchasing power, not just in France and Europe but even more so in many poor countries that have no oil," he said despairingly, piously. And Saudi Arabia is expected to care about this while raking in ever greater riches?
Well, to sweeten the proposal to encourage oil-outputters to increase availability and decrease cost - a likely proposal, one certain to have them hugging themselves in the glee of economic conquest - French firms stand prepared to sign contracts to provide Riyadh with military equipment and "civilian" nuclear technology. How very promising for the future of this planet.
Moreover, it was President Sarkozy who raised the potential of Saudi Arabia acquiring the wherewithal through French assistance of nuclear technology, not King Abdullah who, needless to say is quite delighted with the prospect. MAD, you see, for it. Oops, not only Saudi Arabia, but also Algeria and Libya, how's that for liberality? For, as President Sarkozy would have it, all states have a right to atomic power.
"I have often said that the Muslim world does not have less right than the rest of the world to use civilian nuclear power to meet its energy needs in full conformity with the obligations that derive from international law", he professed to an Arabic-language newspaper. "France wants to be a friend of Saudi Arabia, a friend of the Arab world, a friend who does not lecture but tells the truth."
On to the United Arab Emirates to sign a nuclear co-operation agreement, enabling French nuclear co-operation with Abu Dhabi and the UAE's other six sheikdoms. Who says money cannot buy everything? Is this throwing caution to the winds for shekels guaranteeing friendship in a part of the world forever rocked by bitter dissent and the hot breath of tribal irreconciliation?
We've just started; there's U.S. President George W. Bush in President Sarkozy's triumphant wake, urging Saudi Arabia to increase output and decrease per-barrel costs. One-track minds here; George W. has announced its intention to offer the Saudis advanced weaponry representing a portion of a multi-billion-dollar deal with Gulf Arab allies. Whatever happened to the reality of shifting allegiance in the Middle East? Here today, elsewhere tomorrow.
Friends now, though, in fond embrace. And despite Mr. Bush's eager attempts to encourage the Arab world, his very good and reliable friends to isolate Iran because it poses a very real threat to the stability of the geography it would appear that those good and reliable friends are trying out their own tack. Unsurprisingly, since no sovereign country abides being told, however tactfully that they are expected to react in certain ways relevant to the advocate.
Iran is being constructively engaged, it would appear, by its Arab neighbours. Saudi Arabia has no intention of accepting Israel, despite the West's requests, as a welcome neighbour; it is a Jewish Zionist entity, a non-Muslim presence within Muslim territory. However much the larger Sunni presence may fear the intentions of the non-Arab Iranian Shiite presence, it is a Muslim country fully entitled to honour and presence.
So there we have it; Gulf Arab states stand ready to receive roughly US$20-billion in weapons. But that's all right; the U.S. may be prepared to provide Israel with even more technologically advanced "smart bombs", eclipsing those being offered to Saudi Arabia. It's a free-for-all. Armageddon, anyone?
Allies and brothers-in-arms, Mr. Bush is guesting at King Abdullah's ranch. All is well with the world.
Labels: Middle East, Technology, Troublespots
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, January 15, 2008
<< Home