In Flames (III)

Lest we forget the Obama administration’s foreign policy that has allowed Iran to strengthen and impose its hegemony in the Middle East — in this case, Yemen. Iran is backing Houthi rebels who are attempting to overthrow the country, which is of enormous strategic importance. According to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) fact-sheet on global oil chokepoints, over 3.8 million barrels of oil and refined petroleum products pass through the Bab el-Manded strait. It’s shipped to Europe, Asia and even the U.S.. This strategic chokepoint is the world’s fourth-busiest. Whoever owns the straight controls access to numerous oil pipelines and terminals which are state owned by Egypt, the Saudis, UAE and Qatar.

Knowing this, you now know the reason behind Saudi Arabia’s involvement. It is not Saudi Arabia and Co. who are the “aggressors” which this article states. Rather, they are simply reacting to Iran’s actions and America’s inaction. Germany plays a key role as a weapons supplier in the sense that America is refusing to back its Saudi allies and is simply filling the vacuum. Saudi Arabia is fed up with America, which has become an unreliable partner for it, and is now taking the initiative. This is why you also see Saudi Arabia considering going nuclear and it has been once reported that they might’ve bought nuclear weapons from Pakistan already. It also gives Germany an opportunity to gain and strengthen footholds within the region as well.

In summary, a weak and corrupt administration in the White House has paved the way for all hell to break loose in the Middle East. Only time will tell when it comes to seeing who (aside from Israel) will remain the dominant Middle East power: Saudi Arabia or Iran.

 

SANA’A/RIYADH/DOHA/ABU DHABI/BERLIN (Own report) – Germany’s close Arabian allies are using German weapons to launch their deadly offensive on Yemen’s capital. Saudi Arabia has been carrying out its aggression on that country for about half a year, seeking to drive the Huthi rebels, considered allies of Iran, out of Sana’a. The Saudi military is using German weapons to wage its war, and its allies – the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – have also been equipped by German arms manufacturers. The air forces of these three Gulf dictatorships have been training aerial combat with the Bundeswehr and acquired skills that they could now put to use in their offensive on Sana’a. This is significant because observers have noted their extreme ruthlessness in combat methods. More than 5,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed; a vast number of others have fled. However, the majority of those fleeing cannot leave their country – also because German technology blocks their routes at the Yemeni borders. Relief supplies into the country are insufficient due to a Saudi blockade. More than a quarter of the population is currently suffering acute starvation. Germany, however, is continuing its arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia’s war coalition.

Chinese cyberspies have hacked Middle East experts at major U.S. think tanks

Middle East experts at major U.S. think tanks were hacked by Chinese cyberspies in recent weeks as events in Iraq began to escalate, according to a cybersecurity firm that works with the institutions.

The group behind the breaches, called “DEEP PANDA” by security researchers, appears to be affiliated with the Chinese government, says Dmitri Alperovitch, chief technology officer of the firm CrowdStrike. The company, which works with a number of think tanks on a pro bono basis, declined to name which ones have been breached.

Alperovitch said the firm noticed a “radical” shift in DEEP PANDA’s focus on June 18, the same day witnesses reported that Sunni extremists seized Iraq’s largest oil refinery. The Chinese group has typically focused on senior individuals at think tanks who follow Asia, said Alperovitch. But last month, it suddenly began targeting people with ties to Iraq and Middle East issues.