12/30/2014

BecauseofUSForeignPolicy,EgyptLookstoBolsterRelationshipwithRussiaNightWatchTownhallFinanceConservativeColumnistsandFinan

DECEMBER 30, 2014

BecauseofUSForeign
Policy,EgyptLooksto
BolsterRelationshipwith
Russia
NightWatch
2/14/201412:01:00AM

SouthKoreaNorthKorea:ThefirsthighlevelmeetingbetweenthetwoKoreasinsevenyears
endedwithoutanyagreement.TheNorthdemandedthatSeoulpostponetheupcomingmilitary
exerciseswiththeUnitedStatesuntilafterthetwoKoreasholdreunionsforfamiliesseparatedsince
theKoreanWarlaterthismonth.
"We'vebecomeclearlyawareofNorthKorea'sintentions,andthiswasalsoanopportunityforusto
clearlyexplainourprinciples,"anunidentifiedgovernmentofficialsaid.
Comment:TheonlyinnovationintheoldcarrotandsticktacticsistheNorth'sdemandtoholdthe
reunionshostagetoapostponement,asopposedtoacancellation,ofAlliedexercises.Thefamily
reunionsappeardestinedforcancellation.
IndiaRussia:Update.On7February,anIndianNavyMig29,flownbyanIndianNavypilot,
landedsuccessfullyontheIndianaircraftcarrier,Vikramaditya,formerlyknownastheAdmiral
Gorshkov.ThisisthefirstIndianflightactivityonthecarrier.TheRussiansdecommissionedthe
carrierin1996.
VikramadityawashandedovertotheIndianNavyon16November2013inRussia.Itarrivedatthe
newnavalbaseinKanwar,southofMumbaion5January.
Seatrialswilltakeuptofourmonthsthisyear,accordingtotheIndianNavy.Inotherwords,the
shipwillbeginpatrolsin2014.AteamofRussianspecialistsarrivedonboardtheshipandwillstay
inIndiaforayeartomakeanynecessaryrepairs.
TheIndianNavycommissioneditsfirstsquadronofMiG29K/KUBcarrierbasedfightersin2013.
Thesquadron,dubbedthe"BlackPanthers,"comprises12singleseatMiG29Ksandfourtwoseat
MiG29KUBs.Eventually,theVikramadityaisexpectedtocarryupto24MiG29K/KUBfighterjets.
Comment:Thisis,andwillbeforsometime,thelargestandmostpowerfulwarshippermanently
basedintheIndianOcean.
Afghanistan:OnecommentarytodayopinedthattheUSfinallyhasturnedthetablesonPresident
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KarzaibydecidingtowaituntilafterthepresidentialelectionsinApriltotrytogetasecurity
agreement.
WhatalmosteverycommentatorhasforgottenisthatKarzaisaidlastyearthathewouldnotsignan
agreementbecausehewasleavingofficeanddidnotwanttobindhissuccessor.Hehasdone
preciselywhathesaidhewoulddo.
HehasbeenvilifiedbecauseAmericanpoliticians,generalsanddiplomatsapparentlydidnottake
himseriously.Therelationshiphasbeendownhilleversince.
DisbeliefthathewasseriousorthehubristhattheUScould"turn"itsclientledtoescalating
tensionsovermultipleissues,badbehaviorandnastydenunciations.Sincethelastpresidential
elections,KarzaichangedfrombeingapartnerinAmericangoalstobeingsuspiciousofUS
intentionsandlatelyanAfghanPashtuncriticofAmerica'sfailuresinhiscountry.
Allegationsofcorruptionarenotrelevantinthisissue.InaregionaspoorasAfghanistanand
Pakistan,therewillbecorruptioneverywhere,eveniftheUSgoverneddirectly.
Everyoutgoingregimeiscorrupt,evenifitwasnot.Corruptionisaculturaltermofderisionand
signifiespoliticaldistancefromtheoutgoingregime,notnecessarilyacriminalcharge.TheUS
specialinspectorgeneral'sreportsonthecorruptionofUScontractorsandsomeofficialsin
Afghanistanraisealegitimatequestionaboutwhohasbeenthemorecorruptincriminalterms.
KarzaihassaidconsistentlythathewantshissuccessortoberesponsibleforAfghanistan'sfuture
relationswiththeUS.InwaitinguntilaftertheAprilpresidentialelections,theUSisdoingwhathe
haswantedforatleastayear.ButAmericanofficialsstillhavenotgottenthemessageanddonot
understandAfghanistan,iftheythinktheyareplayingaoneupmanshipgamewiththeAfghans.
Syria:Update.AttheGenevapeacetalksonWednesday,thesocalledoppositionlaidouta
transitionplanfortheSyriangovernment,whichincludedchasingoutforeignfightersandapathto
electionswithoutAsad.Thegovernmentrefusedtodiscussit.
Comment:SomeWesterncommentariessuggestthatprogresshasbeenachievedingettingthe
twosidestotalkdirectly.Wellactuallythesubstanceofthepartiesandthesubstanceofthetalks
mattermorethanthevenue.Buteverybodyknowsthat.
WesternpresscontinuestofocusontheplightofpeopleinHomswhichhasbeenundersiegefor
supportingtherebels.Iranianpressfocusesonthemassacreofciviliansbythesocalledrebelsin
thetownofMa'aninHamaprovince.WesternpresshasnotmentionedMa'an.
Egypt:DefenseMinisterFieldMarshalAbdelFattahelSisiismakingRussiathedestinationofhis
firsttripabroadsinceoverthrowingtheMursiregimelastJuly.Officially,hewilldiscussbilateral
defenserelations.Newsservicesreportedthathehas$2billiontospendonarms,courtesyof
unidentifiedGulfcountries.
Comment:TheRussianswilltreattheFieldMarshalwellandwillbeeagertorecoverafootholdin
acountrythatwastheirclientandinanarmsmarketthatwasexclusivelytheirsbefore1973.US
policyinEgypthasresultedinsignificantgainsfortheRussians.
EndofNightWatch
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