Let's Talk

06/11/2023

Today is exactly one month since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. This qualifies it as a war of attrition just like the Ukraine war. While Israel is focussed on its “meat-grinding” operation against Palestinian civilians, Hamas in turn is focussed on its “meat-grinding” operation against Israeli military combatants. And unbeknownst to many, this war of attrition has a direct relation to the Ukraine war. It’s all about monies (you can call it a gas war) and Israel’s dream of creating a Greater Israel with genocide and ethnic cleansing being the main drivers of this dangerous dream. More on this in the latest edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 45.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 45 / NOVEMBER 2023 The proxy and hybrid war unleased by the US and the collective west on Russia, it seems to your editor, has become an inspiration for Hamas a…

23/10/2023

Oct 17 to Oct 19 could be the last window of opportunity where events in the Middle East pointing to an escalation into a full-fledged war involving major powers that may just lead to a world war could be halted with US president Joe Biden’s visit to the region. But as his visit there was a disaster, and efforts at de-escalation and a humanitarian pause worked out by Russia, Brazil and China through diplomacy at the UN continue to fail, no one really knows whether there is any more window of opportunities to stop the fog of war. More on this in our latest edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 N0 44.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 44 / OCTOBER 2023 The word “war” was first used by Israel to describe its response to the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on Oct 7.This itself is unprecede…

11/10/2023

When you push people into a corner by oppressing, besieging and occupying their country, and desecrating their holy place, they will fight back hard with a sense of deep vengeance, and all these are reflected in the sophistication that Palestinian resistance fighters Hamas launched its recent attacks on Israel which caught the regional superpower off guard with its pants down. Also the entry of the first few Hamas troops into Israel via paraglider was indeed a Touch of Class! These and many more in the latest edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 43.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 43 / OCTOBER 2023 On the second day of Hamas’ “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, your editor received a WhatsApp text message from a friend who in turn received it from…

07/10/2023

'Ineffective' Western price cap on Russian oil still sets dangerous precedent, expert tells RT

Washington is conducting its economic policies at the expense of other markets, a Malaysian economist has said

https://www.rt.com/business/584184-russia-western-sanctions-ineffective/

Western sanctions imposed on Russia have sent a message to other nations that if they “misbehave,” they could easily become the next target, Benedict Weerasena, the research director at Malaysian think tank Bait Al Amanah, has warned.

In an interview with RT on the sidelines of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, he questioned the effectiveness of the $60-per-barrel price cap imposed on Russian oil by the EU, G7, and allied countries last December, along with an embargo on exports of the country’s seaborne crude.

“It’s important to understand the reality of the price cap. Is it really effective? Can it be implemented considering how the Opec system and global tanker trade works? If sanctions don’t work in reality, then what is the purpose of them in the first place?” Weerasena said.

According to him, countries in South East Asia, especially in emerging market economies, do not support the sanctions on Russia and fear that in the future, restrictions imposed by the US and other Western countries could be directed against Asian oil exporters.

“Countries like us in Malaysia who are oil-exporting countries, we’re concerned that if this [oil trade] could be weaponized, will this be weaponized against us in the future?”

This young Malaysian economist is spot-on.

The very reason why Saudi Arabia “switch side” is precisely because of the oil price cap imposed on Russian oil. Being the biggest oil-producing country, Saudi Arabia rightfully feels that it is the country that will determine the optimum supply of global oil via Opec so that the price of oil is in equilibrium via the market forces of supply and demand.

And then comes along the US which is not among the biggest oil producing countries, and hence is not a member of Opec, being trigger-happy in setting a price cap on Russian oil, which is one of the biggest oil producing countries.

The Saudis are very angry with this because they rightfully feel this oil price cap of the US will only cause global demand and supply of oil to go haywire, and in turn will affect negatively the world economy.

More importantly, if the US can weaponise oil against Russia, then there is no telling that it can do so to Saudi Arabia in the future, notwithstanding the US and Saudi Arabia are close allies. Anyway, a country by right should not be meddling in the affair of its ally’s forte.

For the uninitiated, the US oil price cap imposed on Russia means that things will be as per normal if global oil price is below US$60 per barrel. The moment it rises to above US$60, all countries that buy and sell Russian oil at that price will be subjected to a “sanction” in the form of the refusal of the US and its western allies to provide such countries the required insurance services that accompanied the sale of Russian oil, thereby affecting even the needed logistics of the sale.

The only way to avoid the sanction is for the transaction to proceed on the basis of US$60 even though market forces hv determined the price to be more than US$60, thus shortchanging the Russian.

This is the rule-based world order spearheaded by the US and its western allies - making rules according to their whims and fancies - that is about to crumble. The alternative is the vision of a multipolar world based on international laws as enunciated by Russia, India and China.

Russia has defied this cap from day one. When the global price of oil hit US$65 some time ago this year, all countries esp China and India still bought Russian oil at that price, ignoring the US price cap. And today when oil prices are about to hit US100, the US oil cap remains impotent.

The young chap in the Malaysian think tank is questioning why is the cap still maintained when it is proven to be useless.

Why, why, why… and why ….

The simple answer is the only hegemon in the unipolar world is too ashamed and embarrassed to admit defeat … sigh.. and do away with failed policies ….

By the way Russia is now able to handle its own insurance cover and logistics for its oil trade, and can manage this trade on its own without being dependant on the west’s swift system, insurance and logistics. Sanctions have forced Russia to be self sufficient, as the adage goes necessity is the mother of invention. Wonder who is the father … hehe..

Wondering too whether this is affecting the London-based insurance giant Lloyd's of London.

Lastly one reason why Russia manages to overcome this price cap is the EU countries themselves. Despite the sanctions on Russian oil in general, and the price cap in particular, the EU is still buying Russian oil big time. What a hypocrisy!!!!

https://www.rt.com/russia/577056-western-states-buy-russian-energy/
https://www.rt.com/business/581654-russian-oil-eu-g7-price-cap/
https://www.rt.com/business/583814-russia-oil-cap-working-yellen/

Oil exporters in Asia don’t support the price cap on Russian oil, which has proved ineffective, the head of a Malaysian think tank says

07/10/2023

https://rumble.com/v3njqip-idf-declares-state-of-war-alert-calls-up-reservists-after-attack-from-gaza.html

The IDF has declared ‘a state of readiness for war’ following the attack from Gaza Strip, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approving a call-up of reservists. --------------------------------

07/10/2023

07/10/2023

Breaking news!!!

Breaking news!!!

A state of war has been declared. Ya Allah Grant Protection and victory for Muslims and Islam🤲🏻 Pray for those in Gaza in the expected Israeli retaliation.

My guess is if this state of war alert escalated to a real war, it won’t just be the same old, same old usual war. It cld be a war that is one of its kind taking into account the global developments heading towards a multipolar world. Just my 2 cents …

Oh this war is now one of its kind. Just heard over CNN that Hamas ground forces hv already crossed the border n are now fighting in Israel. Unprecedented. In the past only rockets crossed the border. We are living in interesting time.

https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/al-aqsa-storm-militants-infiltrate-israel-after-gaza-rockets-10-07-intl-hnk/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3Hdq_7EEgYFvLDJ4FtDKAgEnForwSCRmsZr1yUZp8eLs6Kapegv8pYsEk_aem_AWa9nXncPhjRvNGScU97iKeHr_AGQc5-SP1EYfrX2IlF7uZZvtd6lsh-rijAlmq5yCU

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is "at war" following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants. Follow for live updates.

07/10/2023

Breaking news
US House Speaker McCarthy ousted

https://www.rt.com/news/583990-us-house-speaker-sacked/

The neo-cons strike back. McCarthy is responsible for cutting aid to Ukraine to zilch (nada or zero) in the latest budget to prevent a US shutdown. The Republican is the first holder of the office to be voted out by his peers in the institution’s 234-year history.

But his ousting is not so much the neo-cons strike back but rather illustrates a lose-lose situation for him in dealing with the neo-cons. Even though McCarthy dropped military aid for the Ukrainian army from the funding bill, the organiser of his ousting still accused the now ex-speaker of cutting “a secret side-deal” with President Joe Biden, claiming on Monday that McCarthy had shared details of the apparent deal with Republican lawmakers. This secret deal involves the funding of Ukrainian army once the 45 days of the temporary funding legislation is over.

Florida Republican Matt Gaetz who introduced a motion to oust McCarthy denounced McCarthy as “a feature of the swamp” shortly after the vote. “It’s the benefit of this country that we have a better speaker of the House than Kevin McCarthy,” he told reporters.

Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina, was declared acting speaker until the election of McCarthy’s replacement.

US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been voted out of his position for passing a controversial funding bill

02/10/2023

One more victim of the “Zelensky curse” - outgoing PM of Slovakia when his party lost in the weekend election in Slovakia.

https://www.rt.com/news/583871-eu-state-bigger-problems-ukraine/

Read more on the Zelensky curse:
https://www.sb.by/en/cursed-handshake.html

So whose next? Biden, Macron, Sunak or Scholz? Your guess is as good as mine as only time will tell.

Or could it be Zelensky himself succumbing to his curse by shaking hand with himself?

Only time will tell….

Sending more military aid to Kiev makes no sense for Slovakia, according to the leader of the party that has topped the poll in the country

01/10/2023

Our second op-ed published by The Malaysian Insight, Alhamdulillah.

AFTER its success in the “natonisation” of Eastern Europe which began during the Clinton administration, by the time George W. Bush ruled, the neocons were setting their eyes on the Caucasus. The first salvo on the Caucasus began during the final months of the Bush administration when the US int...

30/09/2023

Breaking news!!!

Robert F. Kennedy Junior reportedly no longer wants to contest in the primary for the Democratic Party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election, despite currently polling as the top challenger to Biden.

Kennedy has railed against the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for refusing to give him a fair opportunity to win the party’s nomination, and has criticized Biden for declining to approve US Secret Service protection for him during the campaign, despite numerous death threats. He is the son of 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy Jr. both of whom were assassinated.

Instead he now plans to run as a third-party candidate, potentially shaking up the 2024 race for the White House by sapping Democrat votes away from President Joe Biden and boosting the odds of a Republican victory.

This is unprecedented. Normally a primary candidate will only go for this option if he loses in the primary and remains dissatisfied with the party’s nomination, and it’s indeed very rare for a losing primary candidate to choose this option.

But Kennedy is a trail blazer in this regard because he is skipping the primary to go as a third-party candidate. This is what happened when an incumbent president is so insecure with losing the primary election and manage to galvanise his party to put a lot of obstacles in the way of a pop**ar candidate of the party who may just be able to “dethrone” the old and senile Biden in the primary.

US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly to announce he will run as an independent, rather than seek Democrat nomination

30/09/2023

And for the first time our story appears in Medium. Alhamdulillah.

https://medium.com//nagorno-karabakh-war-games-on-a-chessboard-turned-real-cd8df5e4435a

https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/464396

After some disquiet, a new escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh began on Tuesday, Sep 19 when Baku launched “counter-terrorism measures of a…

28/09/2023

New amendment seeks to cut salary of US defense chief Lloyd Austin to $1 a year.

The amendment to the Pentagon appropriations bill, which would slash Austin’s pay from his current rate of more than $221,000 annually, was passed by the House on Wednesday.

The measure won’t likely be enacted – given that the bill also must get through the Democrat-controlled Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden – but at least symbolically, it marks another Republican rebuke of the nation’s current military leadership.

Among the reasons given for this amendment:

We do not want the United States’ military led by failure, causing us to be weak.
Under his failed leadership, our military is being destroyed, and he doesn’t deserve to serve any longer.

But I think he has an excellent track record as a military officer. The only problem once he enters politics as a Pentagon chief (equivalent to a Defence Minister in other countries), he forgot about the military credo of speaking without fear or favour (ahem...ahem the tagline of Let's Talk!) to his commander-in-chief Joe Biden.

Anyway if the amendment becomes a reality (unlikely), don’t sweat over the massive cut in his salary. His previous connection sitting on the board of a US military industrial complex company, Raytheon, can still afford him a comfy life with a salary of US1 a year.

Immediately after retiring as CENTCOM Commander, Austin joined the board of Raytheon Technologies, a military contractor, in April 2016. As of October 2020, his Raytheon stock holdings were worth roughly $500,000 and his compensation, including stock, totaled $2.7 million.

https://www.rt.com/news/583675-pentagon-austin-salary-dollar/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-defense-idUSKBN29F0EO

The Republican-controlled House has passed an amendment to cut US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s annual salary to $1

27/09/2023

In the current conflagration in Nagorno- Karabakh, it really looked like it's Azerbaijan that was instigating this fresh wave of escalation. But there is more to this than meets the eyes with such a conclusion, as we need to have a good understanding of the historical context of the conflict between Baku and Yerevan, and explore the big picture aspect of US’ intention on the Caucasus, all of which will throw some lights on the issue. This and many more in the latest edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 no 42.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 42 / SEPTEMBER 2023 After some disquiet, a new escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh began on Tuesday, Sep 19 when Baku launched “counter-terrorism measures of a local…

20/09/2023

Breaking news!

Is the US trying to open a second front in the Ukraine War? If yes, at least they are doing it right by “asking” Armenia to invite them. But i think it is fruitless to open a second front bec the US and its allies are experiencing shortages in ammunitions and weaponries. Vietnam war revisited? Only time will tell.

Armenia has urged the US to intervene in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against Azerbaijan

17/09/2023

https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/462551

BRICS is a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, formed by the 2010 edition of the latter to the predecessor BRIC. On almost every scale, it would be the largest entity on the global stage other than the G20 and the United Nations. These five countries have been among the bigges...

16/09/2023

In the latest issue of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 41, we explore the implications of both the Brics and G20 summits which highlight the fact that the collective west’s strategy of isolating Russia internationally seems to have the opposite effect because western officials have overestimated the willingness of neutral nations and the Global South to join anti-Russia policies in support of Ukraine. In particular, the final statement of the G20 leaders after the summit in India last week did not condemn Russia or even call the conflict a war “against Ukraine.” There is a push-back against western influence as reflected in the animosity toward the US and Europe in some parts of the world and the desire of rising powers, such as Brazil and South Africa, to assert their independence. The successful conclusion of the Brics summit which saw its expansion to 11 member countries, and final statement of the G20 summit are indeed clear victory for Russia, Brics and the Global South, made possible via the brilliant Russian miskirova (deception) sprinkled with some Indian and Chinese miskirovas that had spoofed the collective west including its intelligence agencies into believing that there are fundamental n irreconcilable problems in Sino-Russian, Sino-Indian and Indian-Russian relations that will prevent them especially Russia and China to have a decisive influence on the Global South.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 41 / SEPTEMBER 2023 In the beginning there was only four countries, then it became five and soon it will be 11.Your editor is talking about Brics – a grouping o…

07/09/2023

The Malay version

Perang Ukraine telah sampai ke persimpangan jalan. Dengan kegagalan menyedihkan serangan balas Ukraine baru-baru ini di mana ia mengsalami korban tentera dan kemusnahan peralatan tentera yang amat besar dan kekurangan ketara peluru, senjata dan askar, mentelah lagi penaja baratnya juga menghadapi kekurangan peluru dan senjata untuk dibekalkan ke Ukraine, apa yang perlu dilakukan oleh Ukraine, AS dan sekutu baratnya ialah berunding untuk perdamaian sebelum lebih banyak lagi kemusnahan menimpa Ukraine. Jika rundingan damai tidak menjadi kenyataan kerana AS bertekad untuk kekalahan strategik Russia, maka jangkakan serangan balas Russia p**a yang boleh menamatkan perang. Adakah ini satu perkara yang baik untuk dunia? Ya, kerana semua peperangan adalah buruk dan perlu dihentikan. Russia telah pun memenangi perang sekatan. Semua ini dan banyak lagi dalam edisi terkini Jom Sembang! Bil 3 No 40.

VERSI WARNA WARNI LANGGAN BIL 3 NO 40 / SEPTEMBER 2023 Amerika Syarikat (AS) dan sekutu baratnya yang merancang dengan teliti serangan balas Ukraine bermula pada 4 Jun, bagaikan berkhayal dengan ra…

01/09/2023

https://www.nst.com.my/amp/opinion/columnists/2023/09/949912/russia-has-already-won-sanctions-war

Taking its cue from the shock and awe strategy of the Gulf War in Iraq, the United States and its western allies introduced “shock and awe” sanctions on Russia within days of the Special Military Operation in February 2022.

29/08/2023

The Ukraine war has reached a crossroads. With the dismal failure of the recent counter-offensive where Ukraine experienced horrific losses in troops and military hardware, and dire shortages in ammunition and weapons, and its collective west sponsors is also similarly facing shortages in ammunitions and weaponries to be supplied to Ukraine, all that is left for Ukraine, the US and its western allies to do is to negotiate for peace before more damages are inflicted on Ukraine. If peace negotiation does not materialise because the US is bent on a strategic defeat of Russia, then expect a Russian offensive to end the war. Is this a good thing for the world? Yes, because all wars are bad and need to be upended. Russia for all practical purpose has already won the sanctions war. All these and more in the latest edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 40.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 40 / AUGUST 2023 The US and its western allies together with Ukraine which planned meticulously for a Ukrainian counter-offensive to begin on June 4, were somew…

16/07/2023

The Malay version

Negara-negara harus bersedia menghadapi krisis makanan sedunia dengan memberi perhatian sewajarnya kepada isu sekuriti makanan mereka sekiranya Russia tidak menandatangani lanjutan Inisiatif Bijian Laut Hitam yang akan tamat pada 17 Julai. Adakah Erdogan dapat meyakinkan Putin kali ini untuk bersetuju dengan lanjutan seperti yang dilakukannya dalam tiga lanjutan yang lalu? Baca lebih lanjut mengenai perkara ini dalam keluaran terbaru Jom Sembang! Bil 13 No 39.

VERSI WARNA WARNI LANGGAN BIL 3 NO 39 / JULAI 2023 Dengan tinggal beberapa hari sahaja lagi, Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) tergesa-gesa untuk melanjutkan perjanjian yang membenarkan bijiri…

16/07/2023

Another op-ed published by The Malaysian Insight.

WITH just a few days remaining, the United Nations is in a rush to extend an agreement that allows Ukrainian grain to be shipped through the Black Sea to regions grappling with hunger. The initiative aims to alleviate the global food crisis, which has been worsened by the Ukraine war. If Russia doe....

15/07/2023

Our Op-Ed published by Business Today.

Global food prices have been falling since mid-2022 owing to several factors, including the resumption of exports from Ukrainian ports under the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Food Price Index declined by 19.7% year-on-year in April 2023 to 127.2%. Data ...

14/07/2023

Countries should be prepared and ready for a global food crisis by taking care of their food security, just in case Russia does not sign on to the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative which is set to expire on July 17. Will Erdogan be able to convince Putin this time round to agree to an extension as he did in the past three renewals? More on this in the latest issue of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 39.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 39 / JULY 2023 With just a few days to go, the United Nations is scrambling to extend an agreement that allows Ukrainian grain to be shipped via the Black Sea t…

06/07/2023

Seems like destroying infrastructures is a fun hobby for this country … no wonder it is a prime suspect of a country that bombed the Nord Stream pipeline ….

04/07/2023

Dalam eidisi Jom Sembang! Bil 3 No 37 yang terdahulu, kami telah memberikan pandangan tentang pemulihan hubungan antara Iran dan Arab Saudi yang ditaja oleh China. Dalam edisi terbaharu Jom Sembang Bil 3 No 38 ini, proses pemulihan hubungan antara Türkiye dan Syria tajaan Russia dikupas serta kesannya terhadap perang Syria. Juga baca rencana penulis undangan kami dalam keluaran terbaru ini.

VERSI WARNA WARNI LANGGAN BIL 3 NO 38 / JULAI 2023 Ketika tirai hampir ditutup pada 2022, menteri pertahanan dan ketua perisikan Türkiye dan Syria bertemu di Moscow di bawah naungan Menteri Pertaha…

27/06/2023

In our previous edition of Let’s Talk! Vol 3 No 37, we have given our thoughts on the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered by China.

In this latest edition of Vol 3 No 38, the rapprochement between Türkiye and Syria will be discussed along with the possible impact this will have on the Syrian war. Also do read our guest writer op-ed in this latest issue.

COLOURFUL VERSION SUBSCRIBE VOL 3 NO 38 / JUN 2023 As the curtains were about to be closed on 2022, Türkiye and Syria’s defence and intelligence chiefs met in Moscow under the auspices of the Russi…

14/06/2023

Adakah pemulihan hubungan diplomatik antara Iran dan Arab Saudi yang ditaja China akan menjadi permulaan bagi berakhirnya Perang Yaman? Apakah perubahan seterusnya untuk Yaman? Adakah rakyat Yaman dapat mengecapi keamanan yang berkekalan setelah bertahun-tahun menderita? Isu-isu ini dikupaskan dalam edisi terbaru Jom Sembang Bil 3 No 37.

VERSI WARNA WARNI LANGGAN BIL 3 NO 37 / JUN 2023 Apabila rakan kolej Editor anda yang beragama Kristian menghadiahkannya sebuah buku kecil Perjanjian Baru berwarna merah sekitar 45 tahun lalu, satu…

14/06/2023

After our op-ed on China wa Russia are the peacemakers of the Islamic world, we now hv this.

Guess Israel is “shivering” now not so much at the prospect of war but rather peace; peace is an imminent threat to both Israel n its sponsor, the US ….