By Ameer Ali –
Dr. Ameer Ali
“Iran: The Game Changer” was the title of my column appeared in Colombo Telegraph on 16 August after President Donald Trump lost his so-called “Operation Epic Fury” which he and his Zionist allies led by Benjamin Netanyahu thought could win in a matter of weeks. At the end it was Iran without agreeing to any of Trump’s terms and conditions set its own demands which included among others an end to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The long term geopolitical and strategic implications of Iran’s anti-American resolve was thus made clear to the world community.
As far as Trump was concerned his expected victory over Iran was one of the trump cards for Republicans under his leadership to win the mid-term elections, which is actually a referendum on his presidency. By blocking Iran’s oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz, he not only expected to impoverish Iran but also to bring that Strait under US control and pompously rename it as Trump Strait. When oil prices hit the roof in consequence, he justified it as a “small price” worth paying for a safer world. He little realized that this increase coming on top of rising prices for many consumer items caused already by his mercantilist tariffs was creating a cost-of-living crisis for the American voters. That crisis was turning into a pandemic and spreading to many countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. Moreover, his so-called peace-making efforts and ceasefires in Middle East and Europe did not show any positive outcome and the wars over there were causing too many supply constraints, which are causing inflation. Moreover, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has made the Pro-Palestine movement so popular that it even won supporters in Hollywood and sport arenas. The wave of Islamophobia spread by Trump’s Zionist supporters seemed to have no effect among many American voters. All this eventually reduced the popularity of Trump administration and ended in an ignominious defeat for the Republicans at the mid-term election. While Trump was looking for excuses for this defeat Iranians were celebrating their success as a game changer. Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth although has narrowly escaped impeachment over his handling of the Iran war, whether would remain unimpeached once the Democrats capture the Senate in January is not sure.
What is the fallout of these developments in the Middle East? To start with, it was more than a coincidence that Trump’s defeat was followed by that of his Zionist friend and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu at the elections there. For the first time in history the Arab votes in Israel are playing a crucial role in the electoral politics of that country. However, on a broader level, there seems to be an awakening within the Arab leaders that their hitherto dependence on US for defense requirements has become more a liability than an asset. Iran’s military response against US attacks by targeting US military bases in the Gulf region has taught this valuable lesson to the Gulf leaders. This awakening is seen in several developments beginning with the Mecca Agreement of 7 October signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey. Soon after that the defense ministers of the three countries visited Iran to dispel any suspicion that the agreement was an anti-Iran initiative but part of an attempt to become self-reliant on defense matters. Lately, Qatar and Turkey have signed a defense agreement.
After the Mecca Agreement two Gulf leaders, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of UAE and Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said of Oman visited China, and information is circulating that Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia who was a principal participant in the 2023 India-Middle East- European Economic Corridor (IMEC) which is an alternative to the China-led Belt and Road Initiative and having noticed the declining influence of US in international affairs, is planning to join other international organizations such as BRICS.
The point to note here is that all this are initiatives propelled by Iran’s resolve to challenge the US designed Middle East Order in which Israel is meant to be US’ Deputy Sheriff and fortress of Western civilization. Accordingly, Israel was funded by US taxpayers and armed by US and Western powers to become an unchallengeable regional superpower. When Israel was created during the closing years of imperial Britian in 1948, UN the co-conspirator at that time deliberately left the new country’s territorial boundaries undefined. This is why Israel to the Zionists means Eretz Israel or Greater Israel. The 1948 Nakba was the first episode in Israel’s long-term plan to extend its territories. What is happening today in Gaza, Occupied West Bank and Southern Lebanon is the continuation of that plan. While the Arab world slept and tried to normalize its relations with Israel via Trump’s Abraham Accord, post-1979 Iran was preparing to challenge this order. There is no way to change this order so long as Israel remains the only nuclear power in the Middle East, and Israel wants to stop Iran becoming a challenger. That is why Israel wants to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment program at any cost and urged Trump to do it by declaring a war. The rest is history.
Iran has changed the game. Arab countries have realized at last that the current Middle East Order is an existential threat to their future, and that is the most significant fall out of the US midterm elections.