Sisi Visit to Russia

Luxor has both Christian and Moslem communities and the politics of the Middle East are equally diverse. Air your views on the situation.

Moderators: DJKeefy, 4u Network

Post Reply
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by Hafiz »

It doesn't seem to have been mentioned on this forum but it does seem strange that Sisi's first and only, to date, overseas visit was to Russia and that this is at odds to decades of wariness.

The arms deal Sisi did and the boost to his political prospects from the enthusiastic endorsement of him from Putin has you wondering what it was all about. Unless its about wheat or sticking it up the US it can’t be about the arms. They will take years to deliver, (and with planes) involve new training of pilots and ground maintenance staff and, as most know, the planes will fall out of the sky at a regular rate. Ground equipment for the army would have been designed for north European conditions and hence be nearly useless for Egypt. Anyone can make such mistakes and Australia bought UK tanks which proved to be an un-airconditioned furnace in our region and had to be gutted and retrofitted.

A visit to Saudi I can understand but Russia. Could a gangster kleptocracy be of interest to Sisi? Maybe all the European/US venues were closed to him because of his coup status?

You wonder about Sisi’s political judgment in embracing the bear because there are few countries on earth that have a more unfavorable view of Russia than Egypt.as measured in a recent poll. The trend is consistently negative of Russia with a 30% total reduction in positive views of Russia since 2007. Positive views are close to the lowest in this poll. Maybe Egyptians remember the last time or just show good judgment lacking in their masters. The fact that people are illiterate doesn’t make them stupid.

In fact the Middle East is full of Russaphobes with the exception of that paradise Syria. Overall Russia has few, and possibly no friends and treaty partners and there might be a reason for this which has escaped Sisi.

If Sisi’s foreign policy has begun as he intends to continue then his political instincts, and his friends, need to change or maybe he is the stupid one not his people.

The opinion survey is the reliable Pew administered in September 2013. The major chart is:
Image

http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/03/glo ... sia-mixed/


newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by newcastle »

Hafiz wrote:It doesn't seem to have been mentioned on this forum ............

A visit to Saudi I can understand but Russia. Could a gangster kleptocracy be of interest to Sisi? Maybe all the European/US venues were closed to him because of his coup status?

You wonder about Sisi’s political judgment in embracing the bear ............

In fact the Middle East is full of Russaphobes ..................... there might be a reason for this which has escaped Sisi.

If Sisi’s foreign policy has begun as he intends to continue then his political instincts, and his friends, need to change or maybe he is the stupid one not his people.
Well Hafiz......it's not rocket science to comprehend the reasons for the, shall we say,muted observations throughout this forum on the prospective president of Egypt ! Either you're not in Egypt, or, if you are,you are not concerned at the possible ramifications of being openly critical via the internet. I salute you! :wi
User avatar
Brian Yare
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2566
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:11 pm
Location: Worcester, UK
Has thanked: 720 times
Been thanked: 647 times
Gender:
Contact:
United Kingdom

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by Brian Yare »

Non sequitur -

today I noticed a taxi in Worcester with the number plate ending with 5151. The driver could have been Egyptian. I do not recall the 3-letter prefix.
newcastle
Egyptian God
Egyptian God
Posts: 8695
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:49 am
Has thanked: 1548 times
Been thanked: 5127 times
Contact:
Egypt

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by newcastle »

Brian Yare wrote:Non sequitur -

today I noticed a taxi in Worcester with the number plate ending with 5151. The driver could have been Egyptian. I do not recall the 3-letter prefix.
Wonderful ! Could the prefix have been 'WTF"...or "OMG" ?
User avatar
Brian Yare
Royal V.I.P
Royal V.I.P
Posts: 2566
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:11 pm
Location: Worcester, UK
Has thanked: 720 times
Been thanked: 647 times
Gender:
Contact:
United Kingdom

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by Brian Yare »

newcastle wrote:
Brian Yare wrote:Non sequitur -

today I noticed a taxi in Worcester with the number plate ending with 5151. The driver could have been Egyptian. I do not recall the 3-letter prefix.
Wonderful ! Could the prefix have been 'WTF"...or "OMG" ?
I'll look out for it again, but I would have noticed if it had been anything so obvious. We only have about 300 licenced cabs here (which is 100 too many) so I should spot it again soon.
A-Four
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 4154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:04 pm
Location: London
Has thanked: 905 times
Been thanked: 1113 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by A-Four »

newcastle wrote:
Hafiz wrote:It doesn't seem to have been mentioned on this forum ............

A visit to Saudi I can understand but Russia. Could a gangster kleptocracy be of interest to Sisi? Maybe all the European/US venues were closed to him because of his coup status?

You wonder about Sisi’s political judgment in embracing the bear ............

In fact the Middle East is full of Russaphobes ..................... there might be a reason for this which has escaped Sisi.

If Sisi’s foreign policy has begun as he intends to continue then his political instincts, and his friends, need to change or maybe he is the stupid one not his people.
Well Hafiz......it's not rocket science to comprehend the reasons for the, shall we say,muted observations throughout this forum on the prospective president of Egypt ! Either you're not in Egypt, or, if you are,you are not concerned at the possible ramifications of being openly critical via the internet. I salute you! :wi
Oh Newcastle you put this so we'll.

I did write on this very subject on the 14th March, elsewhere on this forum that 'a certain intermittent government official' had signed an agreement with Russia for arms supply being 'migs etc'. Being that I was in Egypt at the time and under the 'power' of an Egyptian dongal, I thought it prudent to make no further comment.

Now that I am safely back in the U.K., I can add further, that American influence in the Middle East is certainly on the wain, it see's it's future in the Pacific, you only have to look at Australia, where the U.S. has obtained new military bases, but they are not the only new one's in that region that seem to be springing up. However I do not think they will try to put one on Taiwan, where in the future China will invade that country, and the UN will not dare raise even a finger.


Sisi certainly has nothing to be grateful to the U.S.
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by Hafiz »

Didn't see the earlier post.

My point was unclear. Given antipathy to Russia the trip, which was locally reported, seems odd. Two further ideas on reasons now come to mind and which are the immediate needs of Egypt. Wheat and oil. Maybe also cheap loans which will keep the IMF, and their belt tightening strictures, at bay.

Yes there is 1 soon to be 2 US bases but we have 'hosted' their listening bases for decades. The reason for this. We are part of a close and useful treaty of long standing and of great benefit to us. Our policy has been for more 50 years to 'lure' the US into the region and, now that we have got what we wished for, we should try to enjoy it.

The US shift east has been widely announced based in small part on the US's oil independence from the Middle East and, in lager part, the failure of everything they have tried in the region. Shifting East will deter adventurism such as the present serious arguments with Japan,Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei the Philippines and Malaysia. Its quite an achievement to pick a fight with all them.

China is far from popular with Vietnam and Burma has been running away from it for several years. The recent opening up of Burma is will almost certainly lead to requests for military guarantees.

Bases will be strengthened all over the region including the southern islands of Japan and the Philippines. Japan has announced a doubling of its Defense budget.
A-Four
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 4154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:04 pm
Location: London
Has thanked: 905 times
Been thanked: 1113 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by A-Four »

Yes, I understand what you say here Hafiz, but China is a strange animal, perhaps that's too strong a word, maybe indifferent, it will not go to war, like we see with other nations, it will suck their enemy in, then blow them out, in a dramatic fiscal manner.

Here in the U.K. we have a large department store called Marks & Spencer, in the 70's and 80's this company would order a sample from a clothes making company, then go on to order perhaps 5000 items, then within a short time raise this to 20,000, thus the manufacturer would cancel all other orders from it's other customers, who would then seek another supplier. After a short time, the manufacturer not realising the situation, would be waiting for the phone to ring from M & S, with the usual order. No such order would come, and that company would be bankrupt,...........eventually M & S would step in and buy the manufacturing company for next to nothing, and it's workers welcome them with open arms, even though their pay will be much less,........believe me China operate in a very similar fashion, when it comes to dealing with small states, such as Taiwan in the future.
A-Four
Egyptian Pharaoh
Egyptian Pharaoh
Posts: 4154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:04 pm
Location: London
Has thanked: 905 times
Been thanked: 1113 times
Gender:
United Kingdom

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by A-Four »

Sometimes it's strange how we can make a statement one day, and it becomes major news in the Far East a couple of days after.

On Sunday night there were huge demonstrations in Taiwan, where the authorities used water cannon to disperse crowds who oppose a new exclusive trade 'deal' with China. Read my above statement and you can see clearly what they fear.

China's progress will be slow, but certainly decisive, and before any one starts feeling sorry for little Taiwan, they should read modern history of that area.
User avatar
Hafiz
V.I.P
V.I.P
Posts: 1284
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:23 pm
Has thanked: 614 times
Been thanked: 632 times
Gender:
Australia

Re: Sisi Visit to Russia

Post by Hafiz »

The Taiwan 'envelopment' has been decades in the making. Decades ago preferential agreements led to massive early investment in mainland China. Following this, Taiwan magnates were threatened unless they applied political pressure to their own government to support mainland policy. With so much of their capital invested in China and the capacity for fatal problems to emerge they had to give way.

Your M & S example isn't just a dead case study. Our supermarkets (one at least under UK management) use the tap on and off to get the price they want together with, as you say, large order increases, leasing the supplier to make large new capital investment, followed by order cancellation. You would think that these ... would have learn't some new tricks but maybe the old ones are the most reliable.
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • Russia
    by hatusu » » in News and Sport
    53 Replies
    16081 Views
    Last post by HEPZIBAH
  • Trump and Russia
    by Hafiz » » in Music - Movies - Entertainment
    2 Replies
    2841 Views
    Last post by Hafiz
  • Russia suspends flights to Egypt
    by newcastle » » in News and Sport
    19 Replies
    5636 Views
    Last post by Dusak
  • Putin lifts ban on Egypt-Russia flights
    by Chris » » in Know Egypt
    4 Replies
    1974 Views
    Last post by crewmeal