Today, The Two Mikes had the pleasure of discussing international affairs with Edward Yeranian, a veteran foreign-affairs journalist who is based in Cairo.
Mr. Yeranian reported that the current confrontation between the United States and Russia is being watched closely in the Middle East and is tending to drive greater cooperation among the myriad Arab States. The region’s governments have kept a fairly tight lip on the unstable, erratic, and amateurish.
He also noted that Saudi leader Mohammad Bin Salman is gradually becoming respected by Muslims in Africa and the Middle East because he has defied the United States by conducting the kingdom’s energy policy to the advantage of Arabs and not those of the United States.
On the issue of Ukraine, Mr. Yeranian joined his hosts in being astounded by the reckless manner in which Western governments are mishandling the Ukraine issue and risking — seeking? — nuclear war.
He noted that U.S. Secretary of State Blinken was the last senior Western official to meet with Putin before the Russian army acted, which appears to mean that Blinken probably told the Russian president there was no possibility of negotiations to satisfy Russia’s genuine national security interests. There apparently is no awareness in the West that Ukraine had been part of Russia for 500 years.
On the gradual southward movement of Islamist extremists in Africa, Mr. Yeranian said that this reality was direct result of the United States chaotic departure from Afghanistan and allowing the Turks and Qataris to take control of the running of Kabul airport. The Turks and the Qataris are providing access to Africa for Islamist fighters via flights from Kabul, and are thereby reinforcing Africa-based Islamist groups with forces that can be used in the southern portion of the continent. He also noted that the Qataris also run and fund a program that moves Islamists into Gaza and from there into the Sinai Peninsula.
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