This is a follow-up piece that includes Africa. It also has more on BRICS+ as well as ongoing work on developing an alternative payments system. The title is misleading in that it is representative of the actual subject of the post. The US and West don't figure in much in what he has to say other than being oppositional to these projects.
Strategic Culture Foundation (sanctioned by the US Treasury Department)
“Then, during a personal meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa decided to speak in the name of all African leaders, thanking Russia for the offer of free grain, but stressing they had not come to “receive gifts; Africa proposes the return of the grain deal.”
ReplyDeleteI had not known about this. South Africa is such a basket case of corruption.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative (aka “grain deal”) expired on 18 July 2023. Russia did not renew its participation because the West had cynically exploited the deal and sabotaged it, while blaming everything on Russia.
To begin with, Western media outlets called Ukraine the “world’s breadbasket,” even though Ukraine’s share of the world wheat market is only 5%, while Russia’s is 20%.
Anyway, amid the war in Ukraine, the “grain deal” was supposed to open up humanitarian corridors in the Black Sea for grain to leave Ukraine and reach poorer countries to prevent starvation. This did not happen, thanks to the West. During the year-long “grain deal,” Russia allowed 32.8 million metric tons (36 million U.S. tons) of supplies to be shipped out from from Ukraine, but the West allowed only 3% of that to reach Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan. Another 70% went to high- and upper-middle-income countries. Big agricultural interests received grain from Ukraine, and sold it to Europe for a huge profit.
The “grain deal” included some Russian grain and supplies. This was supposed to be a purely humanitarian initiative, free of Western sanctions on Russian grain. But the West did not keep its promise, and imposed new barriers to Russia’s attempts to supply mineral fertilizers to the poorest countries in need, free of charge.
Of 262,000 metric tons of Russian goods blocked in European ports, only two shipments were delivered – one of 20,000 tons to Malawi and one of 34,000 tons to Kenya. The West stole the remaining 208,000 tons, and still has not released it.
Moreover, Russia refrained from bombing Ukrainian ports in Odessa so that grain could be shipped out from Odessa. The West exploited Russia’s kindness to land arms shipments in Odessa, and also exploited the humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea to attack Crimea (i.e. blow up the bridge etc).
The West is truly a parasitic empire of lies. And South Africa is a cesspool of corruption. Pepe Escobar says that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wants Russia to enter into a new “grain deal” so that Ramaphosa's cronies in South Africa can cash in on the bonanza. That is, seize part of the grain shipments from Ukraine and sell them to other African nations for a profit.
On a different note, Pepe Escobar writes, “Only one BRICS member without which is impossible to build Eurasia integration has serious problems with China: India (and that includes rivalry for influence in Africa, West Asia and Central Asia).”
Yes. I traveled around India for 2½ years. It was clear to me that India saw China as a rival for hegemony in certain parts of the world, and that India also feared China. The two nations have frequent border disputes and military skirmishes along their 2,100-mile-long frontier. Every time I think this friction has ended, something new happens to inflame it anew. The border is fuzzy and contested, and is called the “Line of Actual Control.”
India and China need to get their act together. Oh…and India should expel the Dalai Lama, who began as a CIA asset against China in the late 1950s. This is a sore spot between the two nations. At age 88 he won’t be around much longer anyway. You have heard how Mother Theresa was not the saint she was made out to be? This guy is the same.
Pepe Escobar has clearly revealed himself to be a Russian asset.
ReplyDelete"Pepe Escobar has clearly revealed himself to be a Russian asset.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Anyone who supports justice, fairness, and sanity is a Russian asset.
Consider LGBTQ supremacy. If you don't agree with it, then you are a Russian asset, since Russia has outlawed LGBTQ depravity.
Or consider the West's reduction of weaker nations to poverty and debt slavery. If you don't agree with it, then you are a Russian asset, since Russia is now shipping grain to many nations free of charge, with free delivery.
@ Konrad
ReplyDeleteGiven the confused mish-mash of culture war bullshit you vomited up, I suspect yer some kind of Trump Cunt.
If one opposes American Imperialism, but makes excuses for Russian Imperialism, one is either...
A: a Russian Asset
B: a Useful Idiot
C: just a garden variety hypocrite
D: some combination of the above
@ Nebris
ReplyDeleteName calling is childish.
Now run along and play with your toys.
The adults are talking.
The adults are talking. LOL Dude, that is so weak and cliched.
ReplyDeleteCommie criminal Putin trying to corner the wheat market over there…
ReplyDeleteOMFG!!! I agree with Franko! dies
ReplyDelete