News SA

Tag: GULF

Internal Rift in NATO Conceals Widening Political and Strategic Divisions
International

Internal Rift in NATO Conceals Widening Political and Strategic Divisions

By Thobile Jiwulane: The NATO flag (Image: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) We know divisions among the Western countries over the Gulf War were always to be expected after the debacle over Canada and Greenland that Donald Trump wants to seize as an extension of the US territory. But the rift over the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is the worst crisis facing the North Atlantic since the post-Cold War era. The internal rift within NATO, long concealed behind ritual statements about “transatlantic unity,” is becoming increasingly visible. Its causes lie not only in the accumulation of contradictions between the United States and its European allies, but also in the evident crisis of American leadership, particularly against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s ...
China Steps Into Gulf Crisis With Xi’s Four Propositions on Safeguarding and Promoting Peace and Stability
Opinion

China Steps Into Gulf Crisis With Xi’s Four Propositions on Safeguarding and Promoting Peace and Stability

By Thobile Jiwulane: President Xi Jinping believes dialogue is the best approach in finding solutions to world conflicts. IMAGE: Supply by the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria China’s President Xi Jinping has added his voice to international efforts aimed at ending the war in the Persian Gulf, urging peace, stability, and adherence to international law. His intervention signals Beijing’s deepening involvement in a conflict that has already reshaped the Middle East and rattled global markets. The war—pitting Israel and the United States against Iran- has engulfed much of West Asia, triggering a global economic crisis as oil prices surged. At the heart of the turmoil lies the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping artery. Its blockade by the warring sides created a st...