India did all of this to itself. Modi came to the US and blew smoke up Trump’s ass then went back to his home country and made deals that directly flew in the face of what he just agreed to when he was in the US showing either a lack of gratitude or blatant lying. India also taxed and tariffed US trade all the while enjoying the many companies who have set up shop in India creating huge employment for the Indian people and an economic boon. India then joins BRICS attempting to subvert the US dollar as the world’s currency. For a country that is a supposed ally of the US. It sure has a strange way of showing it. Trump is showing India how life will be if the US walks away from them and Modi is seeing how scary that really is which either makes them wise up or the US will do other deals that support US interest. FAFO
Maybe however, India, Russia and China will form a tripartite alliance. Along the Halford MacKinder Heartland Theory. Then, Russia could reach India by rail via China. What then for the USA?
Only because Chinese are clumsy at diplomacy and cultivate their hostility to India. Otherwise, they could have put down the rail-tracks through the plateau where they face Indians directly and everyone could profit.
Building that railroad from Beijing to Tibet took, like, ten years? And it will never recover the cost. The path of such a route would send trains through central Siberia to Xinjiang (China's northwest province), Xian (in China's West), and Chengdu (in China's southwest) before going through high-altitude plateaus and mountains to reach Tibet. The three areas are considered the "strategic rear" by China and have many defense-related industries. I don't think China is going to let India-bound goods or citizens through this area without a good relationship first. Building the railway from Tibet down to the northern India plain is no trivial matter, either. Resolving the political tensions between the two is likely more difficult than building the railway for various reasons.
The question we could ask ourselves is that if Russia search a way by Afghanistan and Pakistan, isn't it a sign that it anticipated an Iranian defection?
eh, I think no. First of all, Iran wants to remain fiercely independent and Russia does not want to force them into any alliance. Therefore, there is no issue of defection. At most a drift away. Secondly, building a route east of the Caspian Sea brings attention and money to this side of Central Asia, and it is a pre-emptive move before the US, Turkey, Azerbaijan, or even Israel goes there first. Also before China gets too deep over there. China had rebuilt the ancient Silk Road into a 4-lane modern highway and earned some good praise in this area. Russia-X-Afghanistan is a longer route, but still mostly flat until it reaches northern Afghanistan. The political resistance may still be an issue, but Russia has become the first nation (?) to officially recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government in Afghanistan.
There are 4 possible rail routes from Russia to the Indian Ocean - West Caspian (Azerbaijan, Iran), East-Caspian (Kasachstan, Turkmenistan, Iran), Afgani/Paki and via Tibet. It's a bit up to China.
India is caught in UK/USA web. It continues to be the "crown jewel" & sits firmly in British Commonwealth. Playing it & Pakistan back & forth creates the chaos UK/USA thrives upon. How long this continues is anyone's guess.
India did all of this to itself. Modi came to the US and blew smoke up Trump’s ass then went back to his home country and made deals that directly flew in the face of what he just agreed to when he was in the US showing either a lack of gratitude or blatant lying. India also taxed and tariffed US trade all the while enjoying the many companies who have set up shop in India creating huge employment for the Indian people and an economic boon. India then joins BRICS attempting to subvert the US dollar as the world’s currency. For a country that is a supposed ally of the US. It sure has a strange way of showing it. Trump is showing India how life will be if the US walks away from them and Modi is seeing how scary that really is which either makes them wise up or the US will do other deals that support US interest. FAFO
Give it a week.
Maybe however, India, Russia and China will form a tripartite alliance. Along the Halford MacKinder Heartland Theory. Then, Russia could reach India by rail via China. What then for the USA?
geographically infeasible.
Only because Chinese are clumsy at diplomacy and cultivate their hostility to India. Otherwise, they could have put down the rail-tracks through the plateau where they face Indians directly and everyone could profit.
Building that railroad from Beijing to Tibet took, like, ten years? And it will never recover the cost. The path of such a route would send trains through central Siberia to Xinjiang (China's northwest province), Xian (in China's West), and Chengdu (in China's southwest) before going through high-altitude plateaus and mountains to reach Tibet. The three areas are considered the "strategic rear" by China and have many defense-related industries. I don't think China is going to let India-bound goods or citizens through this area without a good relationship first. Building the railway from Tibet down to the northern India plain is no trivial matter, either. Resolving the political tensions between the two is likely more difficult than building the railway for various reasons.
The question we could ask ourselves is that if Russia search a way by Afghanistan and Pakistan, isn't it a sign that it anticipated an Iranian defection?
eh, I think no. First of all, Iran wants to remain fiercely independent and Russia does not want to force them into any alliance. Therefore, there is no issue of defection. At most a drift away. Secondly, building a route east of the Caspian Sea brings attention and money to this side of Central Asia, and it is a pre-emptive move before the US, Turkey, Azerbaijan, or even Israel goes there first. Also before China gets too deep over there. China had rebuilt the ancient Silk Road into a 4-lane modern highway and earned some good praise in this area. Russia-X-Afghanistan is a longer route, but still mostly flat until it reaches northern Afghanistan. The political resistance may still be an issue, but Russia has become the first nation (?) to officially recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government in Afghanistan.
There are 4 possible rail routes from Russia to the Indian Ocean - West Caspian (Azerbaijan, Iran), East-Caspian (Kasachstan, Turkmenistan, Iran), Afgani/Paki and via Tibet. It's a bit up to China.
Dear friend, I think you did a little mistake, Azerbaijan is western Caspian and Turkmenistan is eastern.
Pierre, you are entirely correct, I've changed it accordingly, thanks!
I don’t think India is what it was 10 years ago . If USA thinks it can coerce India into saying uncle than it’s mistaken .
Pakistan is a country that it will become anyone’s bitch who will throw enough money at it .
Taliban can be seduced if USA throws enough money .
China, Russia , Iran can’t be bought .
Thanks for your great work Andrew!
We've shared the link on our daily report.
A Skeptic War Reports
https://askeptic.substack.com/
Free Imre Kahn !!
Disgusting.
India, Pakistan, the two little bitches who are fighting over the master's favor.
And in the same time the jesters of AMC are singing that American hegemon is dead.
This world become boring and contemptible.
The more I see all that, the more I think that Poutine is the only current giant.
Presumably the US would have to officially recognise the Taliban government (like Russia) to have any chance of getting Bagram back?
India is caught in UK/USA web. It continues to be the "crown jewel" & sits firmly in British Commonwealth. Playing it & Pakistan back & forth creates the chaos UK/USA thrives upon. How long this continues is anyone's guess.