• SeaJ@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Isn’t it nice that China is working with them on their Belt and Road initiative?

          • DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
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            1 year ago

            Not quite.

            You know Crown Prince MBS? Hacks up journalists MBS?

            https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-clerics-crown-prince-mohammed/2021/08/02/9ae796a0-e3ed-11eb-88c5-4fd6382c47cb_story.html

            The actual reason he hasn’t faced consequences for it is that he’s largely doing what the West wants, the secularization of SA. Calling it a theocracy just isn’t quite right anymore, even if Islam as a whole tends to dispute the very idea of the separation of church and state.

            I think that’s one of the things Christians, or former Christians, don’t want to admit in this little religious rivalry, that Muslims are every bit as varied in their take on fundamentalism as Christians.

            • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Lol the Saudis used Israeli spy tech to spy on the family of the journalist they murdered, Jamal Khashoggi. They may well have used it on him as well, however his devices were never recovered so that was never proven. The sale of the tech was approved by the Israeli government, and the company that sold it claims they have full oversight over who their customers target.

              That’s completely beside the point you were making, but I really felt the need to mention it nonetheless. War is a tangled web, the only consistent thread is money.

          • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            The faiths are a little different, but Wahhabism isn’t far removed from Sunni Islam. In any case, since 7 October the Saudis have been talking with Iran about working with them, instead of Israel.

            • CashewNut 🏴󠁢󠁥󠁧󠁿@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Iran is Shia. They have a very violent history of conflict across the Middle East. Most recently across Iraq but Sunni vs Shia has been a common conflict duo since Islam split.

              • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                Fair play, my mistake. Saudi Arabia is still starting to cosy up to Iran now, though.

        • NewDark@lemmings.world
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          1 year ago

          Maybe. But I’m referring to the United States.

          Pot calling the kettle black and all that.

            • prole@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              Did you even read the first two sentences of the wiki you linked?

              […] despite the differences between the two countries—an Islamic absolute monarchy, and a secular constitutional republic—the two countries have been allies ever since.

              • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                And then most of the rest of the article lists all the ways in which they’re not really allies. It’s not your typical allied relationship, they’re pretty much allies in name only these days and very begrudgingly.

    • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Yes it is? An infrastructure project like that will help modernise the region.

      • Scrof@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        It’s not an infrastructure project, it’s a debt trap and power projection tool through bribery of corrupt leaders willing to sell out their countries.

        • Rikudou_Sage@lemmings.world
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          1 year ago

          I’ve apparently been living under a rock and have no idea what this initiative is about, care to share some quick summary?

          • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Basically China is building roads and rail across from China, through India and into the Middle East. Afghanistan also includes something about getting copper from there to send back to China, I imagine other countries will have resources China is after as well.

        • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          What makes you say the countries it goes through are going to be in debt because of it?

          My understanding is that they won’t be, however they will be practically giving away natural resources (eg copper for Afghanistan).

          • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Not all debt can be satisfied with money. A debt that is being paid, whether in money, natural resources, or the blood sweat tears and labor of your countrymen is still a debt.

            • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              You’re not really making sense. “A debt paid,… is still a debt that has to be paid”? If the debt is paid, it’s already been paid.

              Assuming Afghanistan owes China for the infrastructure, then that debt would be paid by giving them copper. Bought and paid for. So how are they saddled with debt? Where’s the trap?

              Obviously the deal will be a lot more complex, it might not be a great deal long term in some respects and I’m sure there’ll be a measure of corruption (there almost always is, everywhere), but at the end of the day Afghanistan is getting infrastructure it couldn’t build on its own and China is getting resources it otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

              • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Because the copper will be worth way more in the long run than the tech it’s funding. Plus China is notorious for putting their own people in charge of mining operations who are abusive to locals.

                I’m sure it’ll be a little more complex, but it doesn’t have to be. If China can secure cheap raw materials it helps to ensure that they can make things cheaper than anyone else.

                https://www.statista.com/statistics/744071/manufacturing-labor-costs-per-hour-china-vietnam-mexico/

                That link shows how China’s unskilled labor is now more expensive than a lot of their competitors. They need a new edge to stay relevant. The raw materials in Afghanistan is just one of many ways they are attempting to stay competitive.

                You’re right about my mis-type on the last thing I’m headed there to fix it. Thanks for pointing that out.

                • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  Yeah I’m sure China are doing it for their own advantage, but Afghanistan are still getting infrastructure they wouldn’t have had - in particular the route is going through the mountains, where there are no easy roads currently. There are significant benefits for thw other countries involved in the scheme, too.

                  • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    Are you ok? Do you smell toast or something? If you don’t even have a basic understanding of how life works, never mind, the CCP. I can’t help you.

                    Are you implying that China is doing it out of the goodness of their little hearts? Are you suggesting that the CCP signed off on a project like this because they are such nice guys?

                    I bet you believed your mom when she said you were special too. Get the fuck out of here. Hehehehehehehe