Geopolitics and the Consequences

When oh when will it penetrate the USA's thick skulls that their meddling in Middle East politics is totally unwelcome.
They have wasted trillions there and are so insensitive they have the arabs/Persians baying for their blood. The current siege of their embassy in Bagdad just highlights the situation. Just leave them to sort out themselves until a new regime emerges. It will undoubtably be anti Western thanks to the inept actions of the last few decades though.
 
US ME foreign policy is as rational as these things can be.

1. protect Israel
2. ensure an oil supply available to the US and its western allies
3. disrupt the military capacities of non-friendly states
4. deter Russian (and increasingly Chinese) infiltration
5. disrupt the harbourage and sustenance of international terrorist groups
6. suppress development of united Arab or Islamic power blocs

I don't think these objectives could be denied by the US and regardless of the "mess" resulting on the ground, they seem to have been fairly successful.
 
US ME foreign policy is as rational as these things can be.

1. protect Israel
2. ensure an oil supply available to the US and its western allies
3. disrupt the military capacities of non-friendly states
4. deter Russian (and increasingly Chinese) infiltration
5. disrupt the harbourage and sustenance of international terrorist groups
6. suppress development of united Arab or Islamic power blocs

I don't think these objectives could be denied by the US and regardless of the "mess" resulting on the ground, they seem to have been fairly successful.
I am surprised that you think they have been successful in the ME. The locals are going to exert their power there and they happen to live there. The US is thousands of miles away. One day they will wake up. The drive for renewable energy precisely illustrates the need not to be beholden to the Arabs etc. with the oil.
 
I am surprised that you think they have been successful in the ME. The locals are going to exert their power there and they happen to live there. The US is thousands of miles away. One day they will wake up. The drive for renewable energy precisely illustrates the need not to be beholden to the Arabs etc. with the oil.


I'm not saying these are good objectives or that US efforts towards each are complete. But if this is the right list, the US is winning on more of its own ME fronts than it is losing.

So where is the US losing? - weak US decision-making has allowed policy to run off-track in the IS/Syria, Turkey/Kurds and Turkey/Russia arenas.
 
It
I'm not saying these are good objectives or that US efforts towards each are complete. But if this is the right list, the US is winning on more of its own ME fronts than it is losing.

So where is the US losing? - weak US decision-making has allowed policy to run off-track in the IS/Syria, Turkey/Kurds and Turkey/Russia arenas.

Too early to say, if natural resources are the end goal, then Syrian oilfields is a score, Kuwait already under control, where next, Iran? Afghan has been in the making since the 70's, who is mining the lithium there at the moment?
 
Well well looks like the assassination of Iran's chief terrorist organiser is going to lead to a hot war. Just what the US wants in order to justify bombing Iran's nuclear and missile plants. The mad mullahs will no doubt rant and rave for a while but the planet is probably better off without General Terror. David Milliband apparently missed the opportunity over a decade ago and the general has been directly responsible for thousands of deaths since.
 
The US did the right thing here. Yes, Iran will step up its proxy attacks - so what's new?
 
Trump has no intentions of starting a war with Iran. The killing of Soleimani will be the catalyst for a revolution in Iran. Bad people out, good people in.
 
Trump has no intentions of starting a war with Iran. The killing of Soleimani will be the catalyst for a revolution in Iran. Bad people out, good people in.

I do hope so but right now he has united Shias and Sunnis in Iraq to get the US out.

Also, Iran likely to request help from Russia and China, allowing Russia further into the region.

I reckon he is more concerned with impeachment and elections then engaging in any meaningful goodwill strategy.

It is common knowledge any regime change in Iran must be inspired from within. Any external attack weakens the Iranian democrats and strengthens the mullahs.
 
Also, Iran likely to request help from Russia and China, allowing Russia further into the region.

More than likely they advised Iran not to retaliate too hard, thereby avoiding Iranian obliteration

I reckon he is more concerned with impeachment and elections then engaging in any meaningful goodwill strategy.

Doubt he is concerned with impeachment, other than it being a mild irritant, Dems can't produce any evidence or the whistleblower, otherwise they will blow their own cover and expose Biden and Son for the frauds that they are. Not that they need exposing as we already know the fraudulent Biden arrangements and what the impeachment is all about - another TDS hoax.

It is common knowledge any regime change in Iran must be inspired from within. Any external attack weakens the Iranian democrats and strengthens the mullahs.

US keep trying, but the mad mullahs just keep murdering protestors in response, 1500 at last count. Trump is also avoiding an Iranian bloodbath because of the Russian/Chinese involvement, both of which have been strangley quiet so far, or MSM is avoiding reporting their opinions.
 
I am hoping the current rising risk tolerance of the markets anticipates a period of calm, and we can all make some money.

That Ukrainian jet crash is a worry though.
 
I do hope so but right now he has united Shias and Sunnis in Iraq to get the US out.

Also, Iran likely to request help from Russia and China, allowing Russia further into the region.

I reckon he is more concerned with impeachment and elections then engaging in any meaningful goodwill strategy.

It is common knowledge any regime change in Iran must be inspired from within. Any external attack weakens the Iranian democrats and strengthens the mullahs.
Trump's a good guy, the Russians and Chinese know that. They're all on the same page. I think a lot of people will have a very different opinion of DJT in 5 years or so...
 
Trump's a good guy, the Russians and Chinese know that. They're all on the same page. I think a lot of people will have a very different opinion of DJT in 5 years or so...

Yes maybe? An accidental good guy. As Adam Smith said by pursuing self-interest he may well do good in the long run. :unsure:
 
I am hoping the current rising risk tolerance of the markets anticipates a period of calm, and we can all make some money.

That Ukrainian jet crash is a worry though.

Maybe the Russians - Act II - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_17

I always wonder who was on the plane?

Another dagger into Boeing perhaps?


With respect to market highs, I see that as simply an indication with low yields on treasuries, all the slush money they printed has no where else to go but stocks and assets and share buy backs. What does one do with ones billions.


If you had £10bn loose change, where would you be sticking it in our current climate?
 
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