M Santhananaban
Three weeks into the US–Israel war against Iran and Lebanon, a dubious disclosure has emerged from US President Donald Trump: he claims there are “very good and productive” conversations with Iran.
Many lies have been told by the White House since this war began, making it difficult to know whether there is any truth in this.
A five-day pause may be nothing more than a ploy to buy time – in a war that has wreaked havoc on the world economy, strained the US–Israel alliance and exposed deep fault lines in US–Gulf Cooperation Council relations.
The economic toll is mounting. Oil, gas and urea prices are rising, along with insurance and transport costs, raising serious fears of inflation. The fragility of the once-prosperous GCC economies is becoming increasingly evident.
Hiding the truth
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Washington and Tel Aviv have attempted to dress up this war’s brutality as heroism, honesty and honour. But that narrative is losing currency.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel may have fatally undermined its own legitimacy through the genocide and humanitarian disaster it has unleashed in Gaza and through the current war. Even the authority of the Balfour Declaration of 2 November 1917 may now invite fresh questions.
If the war is prolonged, the consequences for the global geopolitical environment could be catastrophic. A new power configuration in West Asia may yet emerge – one that nobody has planned for.
A world growing wobbly
Peace in West Asia remains an unrealistic prospect. An evidently bankrupt US, led by a volatile and temperamental Trump, continues to keep the world guessing over the future of this fitful and seemingly futile war.
Unfortunately, the death toll, destruction, disruption and disastrous consequences appear to mean nothing to the perpetrators of this war.
Meanwhile, the world economy is suffering. Malaysia and the rest of Asean must remain cautious, conserve energy, secure reliable food and fuel supply lines, and maintain food security.
We can only hope that this madness will somehow end.
Dato’ M Santhananaban is a former Malaysian ambassador with 45 years of public sector experience.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
