Not only did they not expect 'old crazy Putin' to be a mighty military power against their weapons and sanctions, they did not expect:
1) by laying sanctions aka siege on Iran they simply allowed it to have to create without US technology and thus it armed all the groups now fighting in the Middle East on the cheap - while the US and EU spend billions on their weaponry to the Zelensky who is too busy posing for Vogue
2) because the US routinely stabs its 'allies' in the back, they supposed those in the Middle East would do the same. After years of divide and rule and cutting the Arabs into factions, they had no idea and did not expect for them to stop fighting and to unite in efforts for the protection of Palestine. Palestine is still the issue and will always be for those of the Abrahamic faiths. (I do not think Keir Starmer has realised how deeply he's lost the Muslim vote on this.)
Do you think 2024 will be the year the peoples of the Arab oil-rich countries (Gulf/Khaleeji) - who have thoroughly disappointed everyone with their lacklustre approach to Palestine - will face uprisings from their populaces?
Hello Aya, I totes agree the US underestimated the capability, diplomatic skill and sophistication of Russia and Iran and painted them with the same perfidy as they have themselves.
I don't think there will be popular uprisings in US client states such as the UAE. Saudi of course has already called off normalising with Israel and some are calling for ceasefire to protect oil transport. Saudi and Iran are getting closer to Russia and BRICS. I think there will be general feeling in West Asia that they've backed the wrong horse, that the US can't protect them, that the dollar is going down and they'll start leaving the sinking US ship.
The UAE is a bit of a funny one due to the fact that states such as Dubai are heavily foreign (80%) last check?
You make a good point on the Saudi front - our "news" is so heavily censored it would be interesting to see how much it was about the oil rather than the citizens getting restless. Looking at the way the Crown Prince has acted with such ruthless impunity, their somewhat about-turn has raised at least an eyebrow at least. They are another that hide behind religion to enrich their own selves.
Absolutely!
Not only did they not expect 'old crazy Putin' to be a mighty military power against their weapons and sanctions, they did not expect:
1) by laying sanctions aka siege on Iran they simply allowed it to have to create without US technology and thus it armed all the groups now fighting in the Middle East on the cheap - while the US and EU spend billions on their weaponry to the Zelensky who is too busy posing for Vogue
2) because the US routinely stabs its 'allies' in the back, they supposed those in the Middle East would do the same. After years of divide and rule and cutting the Arabs into factions, they had no idea and did not expect for them to stop fighting and to unite in efforts for the protection of Palestine. Palestine is still the issue and will always be for those of the Abrahamic faiths. (I do not think Keir Starmer has realised how deeply he's lost the Muslim vote on this.)
Do you think 2024 will be the year the peoples of the Arab oil-rich countries (Gulf/Khaleeji) - who have thoroughly disappointed everyone with their lacklustre approach to Palestine - will face uprisings from their populaces?
Hello Aya, I totes agree the US underestimated the capability, diplomatic skill and sophistication of Russia and Iran and painted them with the same perfidy as they have themselves.
I don't think there will be popular uprisings in US client states such as the UAE. Saudi of course has already called off normalising with Israel and some are calling for ceasefire to protect oil transport. Saudi and Iran are getting closer to Russia and BRICS. I think there will be general feeling in West Asia that they've backed the wrong horse, that the US can't protect them, that the dollar is going down and they'll start leaving the sinking US ship.
The UAE is a bit of a funny one due to the fact that states such as Dubai are heavily foreign (80%) last check?
You make a good point on the Saudi front - our "news" is so heavily censored it would be interesting to see how much it was about the oil rather than the citizens getting restless. Looking at the way the Crown Prince has acted with such ruthless impunity, their somewhat about-turn has raised at least an eyebrow at least. They are another that hide behind religion to enrich their own selves.