Developing Ties Between Pak, Russia, China, Iran & the CARS

[lem34]

Whatever suits you guys. But I seriously doubt Russia would be enthralled to get gas from Iran considering it has its own huge oil and gas reserves.

I dont know whethe to do this


or

 

[true_indian]

I dont know whethe to do this


or

Whatever makes you go to bed in peace. Hehe.

 

[Jade]

to you all indians and pakistanis here this thread is not anti india or anti anyone. There are two proposals that are being worked on. One that would link iran pakistan china and russia has already started. This pipeline stands to make loads of money for participants. America as usual wants its corporations to get some of that money so they favour a different proposal which is supported by indian govt. Long term pot there could be securoty links not cos these 4 countries want to attack india or america but because they want to protect their income.

Guys I cant make it any simpler so if you still dont get it....

But India is a very important element here, because two of the three countries in the proposed block are neighbours of India with which India fought wars and the third one with which India has strong military relationship. Any block -security or military- that contains China and Pakistan would draw unparalleled reaction from Indian side

Moreover, some other points that goes against this block are

1. China runs because of US and EU markets
2. Nor China or India would form blocks that would be felt by other as overt encirclement (India not joining US - Australia - India trilateral agreement is an example)
3. Even now relationship with US is the most important relation that any country value, including China, Russia or Pakistan

The era of blocks are over. This is the era of bilateral relationships

 

[lem34]

But India is a very important element here, because two of the three countries in the proposed block are neighbours of India with which India fought wars and the third one with which India has strong military relationship. Any block -security or military- that contains China and Pakistan would draw unparalleled reaction from Indian side

Moreover, some other points that goes against this block are

1. China runs because of US and EU markets
2. Nor China or India would form blocks that would be felt by other as overt encirclement (India not joining US - Australia - India trilateral agreement is an example)
3. Even now relationship with US is the most important relation that any country value, including China, Russia or Pakistan

The era of blocks are over. This is the era of bilateral relationships

the proposals on the table are what they are. india has chosen a route that is not going through, the other proposal has started, the proposal that has started is india neutral at the moment

 

[illusion8]

I dont know whethe to do this


or

I appreciate your above than average enthusiasm for your beloved Pakistan to be in august company and to have a say in world economics, But believe me Pakistan hasn't evolved much beyond the prism of being a US lackey and now a China lackey. Pakistan as a state is looked at as a Paranoia state regarding its nuclear stockpile even in Russia's eyes who fears that terrorism will be forced into CAR nations by Pakistan after the power vacuum is created after the departure of the US/ NATO from AFG.

AFG as a strategic point is much more crucial for Russia, China, India and the US, Pakistan is looked at as just a country who has a sort of hold over AFG due to its sheltering of Afghan Talibans. You will remain as a counterweight against vis a vis the US in the past to India and Russia combined and in the present and future vis a vis China where Pakistan is acting as a deterrent to India/ US, not much more than that. Iran gas can be channeled through the Arabian Sea, Central Asia resources can be channeled through Russia. Russia is courting Pakistan at the present because it does not want a terrorism infiltration from Pakistan to its CAR nations after US/NATO leaves AFG, Russia also is looking at an active role in AFG. I know what is China's aim vis a vis Pakistan but saying it here wont be effective.

Russian relations vis vis Pakistan will always be weighed with its friendship with India, Israel relations with Pakistan will always be weighed with Israels relations with India, Iran's relations with Pakistan again will be in the prism of India - Do you know how much India buys from Iran? - US relations will again be weighed vis a vis India. There is only one relation Pakistan can bank on for some solace and that is China. Cos India is not courting China - India has practically declared China as its long term enemy.

There is not much leeway for Pakistan other than its supposed influence regarding AFG in the big powers eyes. It would be advisable to capitulate on that aspect.

 

[Jade]

the proposals on the table are what they are. india has chosen a route that is not going through, the other proposal has started, the proposal that has started is india neutral at the moment

I don't think any such kind of proposal is doing rounds. This is rather the imagination of some columnists. First of all, India cannot be neutral that goes against its interest, and second of all, if the block were true, then US would have started expanding NATO east wards

 

[lem34]

I appreciate your above than average enthusiasm for your beloved Pakistan to be in august company and to have a say in world economics, But believe me Pakistan hasn't evolved much beyond the prism of being a US lackey and now a China lackey. Pakistan as a state is looked at as a Paranoia state regarding its nuclear stockpile even in Russia's eyes who fears that terrorism will be forced into CAR nations by Pakistan after the power vacuum is created after the departure of the US/ NATO from AFG.

AFG as a strategic point is much more crucial for Russia, China, India and the US, Pakistan is looked at as just a country who has a sort of hold over AFG due to its sheltering of Afghan Talibans. You will remain as a counterweight against vis a vis the US in the past to India and Russia combined and in the present and future vis a vis China where Pakistan is acting as a deterrent to India/ US, not much more than that. Iran gas can be channeled through the Arabian Sea, Central Asia resources can be channeled through Russia. Russia is courting Pakistan at the present because it does not want a terrorism infiltration from Pakistan to its CAR nations after US/NATO leaves AFG, Russia also is looking at an active role in AFG. I know what is China's aim vis a vis Pakistan but saying it here wont be effective.

Russian relations vis vis Pakistan will always be weighed with its friendship with India, Israel relations with Pakistan will always be weighed with Israels relations with India, Iran's relations with Pakistan again will be in the prism of India - Do you know how much India buys from Iran? - US relations will again be weighed vis a vis India. There is only one relation Pakistan can bank on for some solace and that is China. Cos India is not courting China - India has practically declared China as its long term enemy.

There is not much leeway for Pakistan other than its supposed influence regarding AFG in the big powers eyes. It would be advisable to capitulate on that aspect.

that is one indian point of view which I would say is self serving and anti pakistani. Clearly you havnt read your former respected ambassadors reading of the situation earlier in the thread:

Dai Bingguo heading for Islamabad


Francis Fukuyama wrote a sequel to his celebrated book The End of History and the Last Man (1992) no sooner than he realised that he was hopelessly wrong in his prediction that the global triumph of political and economic liberalism was at hand. He wrote: “What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the crossing of a particular period of postwar history, but the end of history as such… That is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western democracy as the final form of human government.” But in no time he realised his rush to judgment and he retracted with another book.

However, unlike the celebrated American neocon thinker, Indian foreign policy thinkers who were heavily influenced by his 1992 thesis are yet to retract. The Indian discourses through the 1990s drew heavily from Fukuyama to throw overboard the scope for reinventing or reinterpreting ‘non-alignment’ in the post-Cold War setting and came to a rapid judgment that Russia belonged to the dustbin of history. Our discourses never really got updated despite Fukumaya’s own retraction.

Indeed, western commentators also fuelled the consequent sense of insecurity in Delhi through the 1990s by endorsing that India would never have a ‘Russia option’ again and Boris Yeltsin’s Russia itself was inexorably becoming an ‘ally’ of the west — and, therefore, what alternative is there for India but to take to the New American Century project? Remember the drama of the Bill Clinton administration arm-twisting Yeltsin not to give to India the cryogentic engines?

In sum, India got entrapped in a ‘unipolar predicament’. The best elucidation of this self-invited predicament has been the masterly work titled Crossing the Rubicon by Raja Mohan, which was of course widely acclaimed in the US. While releasing the book at a function in Delhi, the then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra even admitted that India’s main foreign policy challenge was somehow to engage the US’s “attention”.

Russia, of course, went on to prove our pundits completely wrong. Russia remerged as a global player and the evidence of it is today spread (and is poised to expand) all across global theatres — Libya, Syria, Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, etc.
Why I am underscoring all this is that I am strongly reminded of that sad chapter in the recent history of India’s foreign policy when I see the huge ‘psywar’ being let loose on Pakistan currently when that country too is at a crossroads with regard to its future policy directions in a highly volatile external enviornment.

In Pakistan’s case, the ‘psywar’ substitutes Russia with China. The US’s ‘Track II’ thesis is that China is hopelessly marooned in its own malaise so much so that it has no time, interest or resources to come to Pakistan’s aid, the two countries’ ‘all-weather friendship’ notwithstanding. Let me cull out two fine pieces of this ongoing ‘psywar’.

One is the lengthy article featured by America’s prestigious flag-carrier Foreign Affairs magazine in early December titled “China’s Pakistan conundrum”. Its argument is: ‘China will not simply bail out Pakistan with loans, investment, and aid, as those watching the deterioration of US-Pakistani relations seem to expect. China will pursue politics, security, and geopolitical advantage regardless of Islamabad’s preferences’. It puts forth the invidious argument that China’s real use for Pakistan is only to “box out New Delhi in Afghanistan and the broader region.”

Alongside the argument is the highly-tendentious vector that is beyond easy verification, namely, that US and China are increasingly ‘coordinating’ their policies toward Pakistan. Diplomacy is part dissimulation and we simply don’t know whether the US and China are even anywhere near beginning to ‘coordinate’ about ‘coordinating’ their regional policies in South Asia, especially with regard to Pakistan (and Afghanistan). The odds are that while the US and China may have some limited convergent interests, conceivably, their strategic interests are most certainly in sharp conflict.

A milder version of this frontal attack by US pundits on Pakistan’s existential dilemma appears in Michael Krepon’s article last week titled ‘Pakistan’s Patrons’, which, curiously, counsels Islamabad to follow India’s foreign-policy footsteps and make up with the US. Krepon literally suggests that the Pakistanis are living in a fool’s paradise.

The obvious thrust of this ‘psywar’ — strikingly similar to what India was subjected to in the 1990s — is that Pakistan has no option but to fall in line with the US regional strategies, as it has no real ‘China option’. The main difference between India and Pakistan is that the foreign policy elites in Islamabad — unlike their Indian counterparts — are not inclined to buy into the US argument with a willing suspension of disbelief. In a way, the Sino-Pakistan relationship is proving once again to be resilient. Pakistan is in no mood to get into a ‘unipolar predicament’, as the Indian elites willingly did in the 1990s.
Thus, the visit by the Chinese delegation led by State Councilor, Dai Bingguo to Islamabad at this point in time assumes much significance. Dai is one of the highest-ranking figures in the Chinese foreign-policy establishment and the fact he is leading a delegation that includes of senior Chinese military officials is very significant. Dai is scheduled to meet not only Pakistan’s political leadership at the highest level but also army chief Ashfaq Kayani and ISI head Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

Obviously, Beijing is making a big point through the timing of this visit as well, which, incidentally, is taking place at a time of great uncertainties in Pakistan’s internal affairs. When it comes to relations with China, it must be assumed that Pakistan’s civil and military leaderships are together.

Dai doesn’t really have a US counterpart as he is ranked above the FM. Arguably, it would be secretary of state Hillary Clinton. If so, to what extent Dai ‘coordinated’ his proposed visit with Clinton will be of particular interest. The future of the US’s ‘psywar’ on Pakistan is at stake.

The big question is whether this would be Dai’s last major trip to South Asia, as he is a key member of President Hu Jintao’s team and China is moving into a period of transition at the leadership level. Dai’s visit to Delhi for the Special Representatives meet was called off at the last minute.
Posted in Diplomacy, Politics.

Tagged with China-Pakistan, US-China, US-India, US-Pakistan, US-Russia.

 

[lem34]

Well China allready backs pakistan and iran has already started its leg of the ip pipeline we know that now all those that feel Russia maybe circumspect have a look at this:
Saturday 24th December 2011 | Muharram 28, 1433 dawn

Russia endorses full SCO membership for Pakistan


APP
November 7, 2011



ST. PETERSBURG: Russia on Monday, for the first time, publicly endorsed Pakistan’s bid to get full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made this announcement in response to Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani’s address at the 10th Heads of Government meeting of SCO, at the Constantine Palace.

The Russian Premier also supported Prime Minister Gilani’s proposals for implementing trade and energy projects.He announced financing 0.5 billion US dollars for the CASA- 1000 that would ensure power transmission from Turkmenistan Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Putin said in practical and tangible terms, Russia wants materialization of projects including TAPI (Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project and the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Trade and Transmission Project (CASA 1000).

Later, the two leaders held bilateral meeting and discussed several important issues including fight against terrorism and extremism, besides calling for the need to adopt regional approach towards dealing with major challenges.

Russian Premier Putin termed his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani “very pleasant” and expressed satisfaction over bilateral and trade ties between the two countries.

“Pakistan is important for us in trade and economy and it is an important partner in South Asia and in Islamic world,” he told Prime Minister Gilani.

Putin offered Russia’s assistance in expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills and provision of technical support for the Guddu and Muzaffargarh power plants.

He said Russia could facilitate Pakistan in the execution of Thar Coal Project.

Gilani said this was his fourth meeting with Prime Minister Putin. He mentioned that he joined other leaders at the SCO forum despite the occasion of Eid, because of the importance of the forum and also of Pakistan’s commitment to the regional issues.

He appreciated Russia’s support for mega projects including CASA 1000.

Putin supported Pakistan’s stance on war on terror and agreed to pursue the policy of counter-terrorism for ensuring regional peace.

The two Prime Ministers agreed that collective regional efforts were required to eliminate terrorism from the region to usher in peace and stability, and re-direct all energies towards economic interaction among the members of SCO

 

[illusion8]

that is one indian point of view which I would say is self serving and anti pakistani. Clearly you havn't read your former respected ambassadors reading of the situation earlier in the thread:

Pakistan is beyond its threat perspective vis a vis India, We do not consider Pakistan as a threat much, militarily, diplomatically or otherwise our sole focus is China, and all defense preparedness and our foreign policy is driven vis a vis China. Our long term goals have been achieved with respect to Pakistan. We were a bit worried when Russia said Pakistan is an important partner in South Asia, but our worries have been put to rest by Russia after they have stated their goals vis a vis Pakistan. Why do you think there is no counter statements from Indian statesmen.

 

[lem34]

that is one indian point of view which I would say is self serving and anti pakistani. Clearly you havn't read your former respected ambassadors reading of the situation earlier in the thread:

Pakistan is beyond its threat perspective vis a vis India, We do not consider Pakistan as a threat much, militarily, diplomatically or otherwise our sole focus is China, and all defense preparedness and our foreign policy is driven vis a vis China. Our long term goals have been achieved with respect to Pakistan. We were a bit worried when Russia said Pakistan is an important partner in South Asia, but our worries have been put to rest by Russia after they have stated their goals vis a vis Pakistan. Why do you think there is no counter statements from Indian statesmen.

rather a clever method of trying to derail the thread and going off topic. Why dont you understand the sun dont revolve around india. This thread is not about india. if you want to discuss about india go and start that thread. cant you swallow pakistan going the right way or doing well why everything through the prism of indo pak hatred?. You choose at every turn to knock pakistan. I am not even allowed to mention what you have more of than africa as I would get an infraction. Im sure you know what i mean yet you have such delusions of grandeur

back to topic and thread. I assert that iran has already started its end of the iran pakistan pipeline. Chinese have agreed to provide finance for the pakistan side, russia in the above article through putin have said they want to work with pakistan on this. The ingredients are there this works and all 4 countries will benefit. This is not an anti india or anti american alliance it makes economic sence and that is why the parties are moving forward. Lets talk about the benefits and great partnership for mutual benefit in the neighbourhood. l

 

[lem34]

China offers goodies to Pakistan, urges world powers not to abandon it - The Times of India

BEIJING: China has showered goodies on Pakistan as its top diplomat Dai Bingguo is visiting Islamabad. It has offered Pakistani companies tax free status if they operate in the border province of Xinjiang while ICBC, the Chinese bank, is working on ways to finance the Iran-Pakistan oil pipeline project

 

[illusion8]

^^^ OK you can live in your grandeur, Please yourself, Pakistan will be looked at vis a vis India and Afg cos of its relations or adverse relations with these countries and worlds relations with these countries. Your attempts at putting down India is immature, Can I say something and can you open your eyes to acknowledge that the only countries who are moving in the world are the US, China and India - these countries are driving world politics in 4 out of 5 continents(Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia). I know you wouldn't agree but the fact is its a tussle in all countries of the world between the US+India and China. Again coming back to the topic as you feel I am derailing the thread - I understand where you are coming from and I understand your eagerness to hope that this dream comes through but believe me the world moves differently. I acknowledge Pakistan has done much more for its past ally the US than what the US has done for Pakistan and now Pakistan is doing much much much more for China than what China is doing for Pakistan. Pakistan is literally propping up China in AFG and among other few muslim countries. It was the country which pushed the US towards China in the past. But you need to weigh out what you are getting in return for your unabashed patriotism towards China - which I am afraid is not much. I really hope you do not factor in Iran and Russia as your allies in the future - which is not gonna happen.

 

[lem34]

China is doing its bit to move this project forward.


The taxation move suggests China is serious about building a rail line connecting Pakistan and is preparing the economic infrastructure to support it. The new rule unveiled on Saturday offers a 5-year tax exemption to companies operating in Kashgar, which borders Pakistan and Horgos on the Chinese border with Kazakhstan.

Beijing had earlier announced to build a logistics centre in Kashgar

Pakistan recently announced that the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the largest of Chinese banks, has been appointed as the main financier in a consortium that will finance the $1.2 billion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline

---------- Post added at 07:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 PM ----------

Wielding soft power: US offers to finance TAPI gas pipeline
By Zafar Bhutta

Published: December 19, 2011

Asian Development Bank becomes a transaction adviser for the initiative. DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD

ISLAMABAD:
The US has made a generous offer to finance the multibillion-dollar Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, an implicit gesture to lure Pakistan away from the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline deal.

Addressing students of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on November 25, US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter had termed Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline deal unfeasible. A viable alternative, in his view, was the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project via Afghanistan.

In the $7.5 billion TAPI gas pipeline project, Pakistan’s share will be 1.35 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) out of a total of 3.2 bcfd gas exports from Turkmenistan.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has also become a transaction adviser for TAPI gas pipeline project, raising funds for it by forming a consortium of leading lenders.

Although Pakistan and Turkmenistan have signed the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) on TAPI project, the two countries are yet to take a final decision on it.

Sources inform The Express Tribune that the Export-Import Bank (EIB) of the United States as well as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), an “independent” US agency, have offered Pakistan financing for TAPI. “As Pakistan has welcomed the offer, Pakistani and US authorities were scheduled to discuss it on the sidelines of the Bonn conference,” sources asserted, adding that the discussions could not take place due to the subsequent boycott of the moot by Islamabad.

Petroleum Secretary Ijaz Chaudhry, however, asserted that he had no knowledge of any financing offer by the US for the TAPI gas pipeline project.

“After finalising gas price, the approval of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) would be sought to sign the final GSPA with Turkmenistan,” he added.

Pakistan is yet to finalise transit fees with neighbouring Afghanistan and India.

According to sources, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources is expected to leave for New Delhi next month to hold talks with his Indian counterpart after transit fee is finalised with Afghanistan.

Three options are under consideration for transit fee on gas imports.

The first deals with fixing it on transmission of gas from Turkmenistan. The second one includes linking it with the length of gas pipeline. The third option may involve taking into account the volume of gas to be consumed by each country.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2011.


and now america tries bribing pakistan no mention of india here mate lol

 

[lem34]

Now that we have had Indians come on here and either not know a clue what they are talking about or slag off pakistan or looking at this project within the indian pakistani hatred doctrine. Its not about india or about anti american or to be honest even pakistan is only one link in the chain so try not to look at it in a narrow way

Lets properly get back to the topic. I reckon this article best describes whats going on:


Russia, China, Iran defeat U.S. in the “pipeline wars”

While the West kills thousands of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan and ravages both countries, Russia, China and Iran are acquiring the crucial energy riches of Central Asia and the Caspian area without firing a shot.

by Asad Ismi

A major reason for the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan was the building of a pipeline through the country that would take natural gas from Turkmenistan to India and Pakistan. Canada and the other 44 Western countries occupying Afghanistan are supporting this U.S. objective by bolstering Washington’s military position in the country.



Turkmenistan, which borders Afghanistan, contains the fourth largest reserves of natural gas in the world. The U.S. has been trying to set up the pipeline for a decade, having first negotiated the venture with the ousted Taliban government. Two months after these negotiations broke down, Washington overthrew the Taliban in October 2001 when it invaded Afghanistan.

Since then, the U.S. has persuaded India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan to sign an agreement aimed at constructing the pipeline, but the war in Afghanistan and the U.S.’s failure to defeat the Taliban stalled actual work on this project. Washington’s occupation of Afghanistan and pipeline plans are part of its strategy to gain control of Central Asia’s and the Caspian Sea area’s energy riches and divert them away from Russia, China, and Iran.

As Richard Boucher, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, stated in September 2007: “One of our goals is to stabilize Afghanistan so it can become a conduit and hub between South and Central Asia so that energy can flow to the south… and so that the countries of Central Asia are no longer bottled up between the two enormous powers of China and Russia, but rather that they have outlets to the south as well as to the north and the east and the west.”

However, as the Indian diplomat M.K. Bhadrakumar put it in an article for Asia Times, “The United States' pipeline diplomacy in the Caspian, which strove to bypass Russia, elbow out China and isolate Iran, has foundered.”

Recently, the U.S.’s Turkmen-Afghan pipeline plans have suffered what appears to be a fatal blow. On January 6, Turkmenistan committed its entire gas exports to China, Russia, and Iran with the inauguration of the Dauletabad-Sarakhs-Khangiran (DSK) pipeline which connects Iran's northern Caspian area with Turkmenistan.

As Bhadrakumar explains, Turkmenistan “has no urgent need of the pipelines that the United States and the European Union have been advancing.” The operation of the DSK pipeline, along with the launching of another one between China and Turkmenistan in December 2009, has “virtually redrawn the energy map of Eurasia and the Caspian,” he maintains. “We are witnessing a new pattern of energy cooperation at the regional level that dispenses with Big Oil [private Western multinational oil companies]. Russia traditionally takes the lead. China and Iran follow the example. Russia, Iran, and Turkmenistan hold, respectively, the world's largest, second-largest, and fourth-largest gas reserves. And China will be consumer par excellence in this century. The matter is of profound consequence to U.S. global strategy.”

Bhadrakumar has served in diplomatic posts for India in the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Russia and Turkmenistan have also agreed to build an east-west pipeline connecting all of the latter’s gas fields to one network so that the pipelines going to Russia, Iran, and China can take gas from any of the fields. (See the accompanying map for the routes of these new and proposed pipelines.)

Three weeks before the opening of the DSK pipeline, China and Turkmenistan inaugurated a major natural gas pipeline between the two countries. The presidents of China, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan attended the opening ceremony of the 1,833-kilometre pipeline on December 14, 2009. The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Saman-Depe field in eastern Turkmenistan through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to China’s Xinjiang province, from where it will go to 14 Chinese provinces and cities. By 2012, the pipeline will deliver 40 billion cubic metres of gas per year, which is more than half of China’s present gas consumption.

Chinese President Hu Jintao described the pipeline as “another platform for collaboration and cooperation” between China and Central Asia. In return for access to Central Asian gas, China is building infrastructure and giving cheap loans to the area’s republics. According to John Chan, writing on the World Socialist Website: “Beijing’s broader aim is to bring the region within its own political and strategic orbit.”

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov declared that the pipeline has “not only commercial and economic value. It is also political,” and will become “a major contributing factor to security in Asia”.

Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov added: “China, through its wise and farsighted policy, has become one of the key guarantors of global security.”

As Chan puts it, “The opening of a major Chinese pipeline from Turkmenistan alters the Central Asian energy equation. The Financial Times commented last week that the pipeline “deals a blow to the European Union’s plans to win Turkmen supplies for the planned Nabucco pipeline.”

This pipeline is the U.S.’s and E.U.’s attempt at breaking Russia’s dominant role as the leading energy supplier to Europe. Nabucco depends mainly on getting gas from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. However, Russia now wants to double its consumption of Azerbaijani gas, and Iran is also becoming a consumer of this gas, further reducing supplies for Nabucco.

In December 2009, Azerbaijan signed an agreement to deliver gas to Iran through the 1,400km Kazi-Magomed-Astara pipeline. Russia's South Stream and North Stream pipelines (the latter’s construction starts in Spring 2010), will supply gas to northern and southern Europe, ensuring Moscow’s continued dominance of energy supplies to Europe.

As Bhadrakumar points out, the DSK pipeline shows that U.S. efforts to demonize, isolate, and terrorize Iran have failed miserably. In open defiance of U.S. policy, President Berdymukhammedov of Turkmenistan is busy creating “a new economic axis” with Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad, whom he considers a valuable partner.

Washington’s and the West’s show of force in Afghanistan has also failed to impress Berdymukhammedov, who is giving all of his country’s natural gas to Russia, China, and Iran. These countries are not currently engaged in imperialist military occupation of another nation. All they had to do to get Turkmenistan’s gas was to offer it a decent economic deal. So, while the West kills thousands of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan and ravages both countries, Russia, China and Iran are acquiring the crucial energy riches of Central Asia and the Caspian area without firing a shot.

Russian dominance of Central Asia was further cemented by the recent overthrow of the pro-U.S. government in Kyrgyzstan and its replacement by a pro-Moscow regime. The new government has told Washington that it can no longer use the Manas airbase, which is the main transshipment point for American supplies to Afghanistan.

In light of such major Western energy-related defeats, the continuing occupation of Afghanistan by 46 Western nations must have some other purpose. If their military venture were mainly economic — if they simply wanted greater access to Central Asia’s resources — why did they not offer the region’s countries acceptable prices for them, just as Russia, China, and Iran are doing?

The answer perhaps lies in a memorable remark by the great Palestinian intellectual Edward Said: “At the heart of the Western Idea is imperialism.”

The West did not become rich by offering resource-endowed countries fair and mutually beneficial economic deals. It became rich by subjecting countries in the Global South to 500 years of genocide and plunder through colonialism, neocolonialism, and the endless wars these aggressive actions entail.

The U.S. and its allies do not seem to realize that the dark age of “might-is-right” imperialism is coming to an end. Russia, China, India, and Iran are not countries that can be subdued by displays of military aggression in neighbouring nations. The continuing futile occupation of Afghanistan reflects the failure of the West’s political and military strategists to face this new geopolitical reality.

What possible threat could a financially and politically crippled West — a coalition that can’t even defeat the Taliban after nine years — pose to nuclear-armed Russia, China, and India? Countries like these are busy creating a post-imperial age in which aggression and occupation are not required to secure needed resources.

They are leaving the decadent West in the dust of history.


Read more: Russia, China, Iran defeat U.S. in the “pipeline wars” « RAWA News

Note India is mentioned is this article as opposed to pakistan, but of course pipeline is planned through pakistan. I think the author quoting an indian found it difficult to bring pakistan in lol. If india is or was to join it would have to make up with china/pakistan and also act against America. What a headache for dehli

 

[idune]

India has no direct border with Central Asia and no physical underpinning in the region. When US will be gone or its presence will be reduced indian noise making capability will go along with it. Only stake india can request is as gas consumer but being in US bloc and cut off by Pakistan that prospect is also slim. Besides,

1) india does not have money like china or farsighted thinking where it can sway anyone in the region.
2) Central Asian countries already have more rich buyers for their gas.
3) And to aggravate india repeatedly acted against Pakistan, Iran (voting for sanction, flip flopping on Us pressure) and core stake holders in Afghanistan.
4) Pakistan holds the key to any prospect for india getting any gas from Central Asia. Indians can make noise anyway they want there is no escaping from that reality.

With such realities india has to pay up uncle sam for all the nuclear power plants india has signed up for. And uncle is waiting to collect.