OPEC

Saudi King Salman, second right, walks with US President Donald Trump to attend the Arab Islamic American Summit, at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center, May 21, 2017, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP/Evan Vucci)
 

(ANTIMEDIA) — The United States’ ability to maintain its influence over the rest of the world has been slowly diminishing. Since the petrodollar was established in 1971, U.S.

By M K Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline | June 22, 2017 The royal decree of June 21 by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman appointing his son Mohammed bin Salman as the Crown Prince and next in line to the throne is a watershed event in Middle East politics. Such a development has been expected for some time, but […]

21st Century Wire says…
As 21WIRE reported earlier this week, the situation in the Gulf is now on a knife-edge, with Qatar and Turkey moving closer together – while Saudi Arabia, the UEA and the US also close ranks against the newly appointed emirate whipping boy.

Saudi Arabia which has faced something close to an economic recession after years of plummeting oil prices, appears to be willing to do anything to retain its only major source of revenue.
Oil prices immediately increased as Saudi Arabia led the charge of Arab nations severing all diplomatic ties with Qatar.
The price of Brent Crude has jumped 32 cents and has achieved the crucial +$50 a barrel mark.

King Salman of Saudi Arabia, right, welcomes Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani upon his arrival to Riyadh Airbase before the opening of Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 5, 2015. (Saudi Press Agency/AP)

President Vladimir Putin has met with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman today in a meeting that left the Saudi Prince saying, “relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia are seeing one of their best stages at the moment”.
While this may leave many scratching their heads, it actually follows the logic of both Russia’s foreign policy and of wider developments in the world.
First of all, Russia’s foreign policy is non-ideological and nor does it seek to violently oppose nations who have a different foreign policy to that of Russia, no matter how different.

An anti-government protester wields a shotgun taken from security forces during clashes in Caracas, Venezuela, May 8, 2017. (AP/Ariana Cubillos)

Russia and Saudi Arabia – the two biggest oil producers alongside the US – announced today Monday that they had agreed to extend oil production cuts for a further 9 months to March 2018.
The decision was announced in the form of a statement issued by the Russian and Saudi Energy Ministers, Alexander Novak and Khalid al-Falih.  In their statement they said they would do “whatever it takes” to rebalance the oil market to eliminate the current supply overhang.

21st Century Wire says…
If it wasn’t enough with James Comey doubling down on the Russia-gate narrative, the so called ‘liberal mainstream media’ are continuing his work since he got fired by President Donald J. Trump by saying that what happened is a  ‘gift to Russia’.
The United States of America, an atrophying empire, is a laughing stock with these kind of affairs rather than a power to be taken seriously alongside other nations.