The two greatest obstacles to the North-South Transport Corridor are the Azerbaijani-Iranian security dilemma and the US’ reinstated “maximum pressure” policy against the Islamic Republic.
If the US were able to stop the eastern NSTC route by financial coercion on the central Asia countries, i.e meddling in a nearly landlocked region out of its military reach and in the backyard of Russia and China, that would resound as a major failure of the BRICS project: everybody would see its inability to allow free trade even in the most favourable context.
It would be a major loss of face not only for Russia, which has the most economic interest in this specific case, but also for China whose credibility as independent economic power would be greatly tarnished around the world.
So while prima facie the India balancing act might suggest a limited, if not even negative, chinese interest on the NSTC project, it could instead be argued that its success is actually a primary chinese interest.
All this concern over USA "secondary sanctions" might fade more quickly than we imagine. As to ramped up pressure on Iran, USA might find itself with a bloody nose & sore stomach if it pushes beyond bellicose words into foolish actions. This part of the world is savvy to USA tricks, gambits & military presence. Time is running out for the bully & everyone knows it.
Just one more addition to the multidimensional world of American nightmares. Once an Iran, Russia, India, China alliance is hammered out the U.S. will not be able to resist and apply pressure on this alliance. At that point the sovereignty of the landlocked Central Asian nations will melt like butter in a hot pan and there you have it: Halford John Mackinder’s Heartland Theory, already published in 1904. If you do not know what it is be afraid, very afraid. At least this is what Mackinder wrote it for. While studying about this in graduate school I was not really afraid and argued that in the early 20th century it was not realistic as the critical area was under populated and extremely poorly developed. Now, the theory seems to have a lot better chance to cross into the real world.
India talks from both sides of its mouth and the US believing they are some sort of ally is preposterous. The US should treat them with more hostility. Quit building factories over there and using them as call centers for American
Company help desks. I’m sick and tired of talking to “Steve” while I can barely understand a word he says through his thick Indian accent. The US employs plenty there and maybe it’s time to rethink that. A few more unemployed India workers might put some pressure on its leaders to seriously come to the table and do what’s right for the US. India is a major player in the BRICS currency that is trying to overthrow the US dollar in international trade. It’s time to put more pressure on these countries. Argentina is another. Just sayin’.
Another example of how hegemonic USA is meddling via economic sanctions in order to limit co-operative progress between nations that are far from USA's shores.
If the US were able to stop the eastern NSTC route by financial coercion on the central Asia countries, i.e meddling in a nearly landlocked region out of its military reach and in the backyard of Russia and China, that would resound as a major failure of the BRICS project: everybody would see its inability to allow free trade even in the most favourable context.
It would be a major loss of face not only for Russia, which has the most economic interest in this specific case, but also for China whose credibility as independent economic power would be greatly tarnished around the world.
So while prima facie the India balancing act might suggest a limited, if not even negative, chinese interest on the NSTC project, it could instead be argued that its success is actually a primary chinese interest.
All this concern over USA "secondary sanctions" might fade more quickly than we imagine. As to ramped up pressure on Iran, USA might find itself with a bloody nose & sore stomach if it pushes beyond bellicose words into foolish actions. This part of the world is savvy to USA tricks, gambits & military presence. Time is running out for the bully & everyone knows it.
Just one more addition to the multidimensional world of American nightmares. Once an Iran, Russia, India, China alliance is hammered out the U.S. will not be able to resist and apply pressure on this alliance. At that point the sovereignty of the landlocked Central Asian nations will melt like butter in a hot pan and there you have it: Halford John Mackinder’s Heartland Theory, already published in 1904. If you do not know what it is be afraid, very afraid. At least this is what Mackinder wrote it for. While studying about this in graduate school I was not really afraid and argued that in the early 20th century it was not realistic as the critical area was under populated and extremely poorly developed. Now, the theory seems to have a lot better chance to cross into the real world.
India talks from both sides of its mouth and the US believing they are some sort of ally is preposterous. The US should treat them with more hostility. Quit building factories over there and using them as call centers for American
Company help desks. I’m sick and tired of talking to “Steve” while I can barely understand a word he says through his thick Indian accent. The US employs plenty there and maybe it’s time to rethink that. A few more unemployed India workers might put some pressure on its leaders to seriously come to the table and do what’s right for the US. India is a major player in the BRICS currency that is trying to overthrow the US dollar in international trade. It’s time to put more pressure on these countries. Argentina is another. Just sayin’.
Another example of how hegemonic USA is meddling via economic sanctions in order to limit co-operative progress between nations that are far from USA's shores.