In the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, distrust of the United States grows and oil prices fall

In the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, distrust of the United States grows and oil prices fall

 

International oil prices are falling due to limited war between Palestine and Israel, which are not oil-producing countries, and weakening demand in China, the largest oil importer.

As Israel's Hamas war prolongs, American weapons have become a common concern in Ukraine, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, and the U.S. defense industry is suffering from a shortage of ammunition, including 155mm shells, in Ukraine and Israel.

The Indo-Pacific strategy of 'pivot to Asia', which the US Biden regime has focused on, is concerned about delays in military equipment and weapon shortages promised in contracts with Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, US allies in the Indo-Pacific. It's done.

The Biden regime signed new security agreements with the Philippines and India, expanded military training in Korea, Japan and Australia, and focused on a strategy to stay ahead of Chinese technology, but the Pentagon is now increasing U.S. weapons supplies to Israel and increasingly targeting countries such as Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. The urgent visit is being linked to a weapons contract.

The U.S. weapons system has shifted to guided missiles and more complex composite weapons, raising controversy over the military equipment and weapons systems contracted to the Indo-Pacific region in the two conflict zones of this protracted war.

Regarding the Gaza war and its relationship with China, the New York Times' Sydney correspondent said, "If the Gaza war prolongs, it could put a greater burden on America's arsenal, but on the other hand, China can learn that urban warfare is very difficult. This is a loss of territory for China." “It may prevent them from carrying out their threat to occupy the densely populated island of Taiwan, which they consider to be an island,” he said on the 9th.

Regarding the impact of the war in Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, the NYT said, “Conflict over the Palestinian issue has reignited in some countries, fueling long-standing beliefs that the United States is anti-Muslim or at least too biased against Israel,” and “For years, Washington “After watching this Israeli government and extremist Israeli settlers avoid confronting the harsh abuses against Palestinians, some no longer believe that the United States is an impartial broker.”

During his visit to Japan on the 8th, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken responded to a reporter's question about whether the U.S. is too preoccupied with the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine to continue its return to Asia, saying, "I believe our resolve is firm and, as we say, “You can say that you are running and chewing gum at the same time. The Indo-Pacific is an important region for our future,” he said, adding the word “future.”

Despite Israel's intensifying bloody suppression of Hamas militants, the international energy market is plummeting. Brent crude oil, the international crude oil benchmark, is trading at a lower price than when the war began.

Energy analysts said no matter how intense the fighting was, there was little disruption to oil supplies, leading traders to conclude there was no immediate threat.

“Traders are aware that the risks have increased, but that has not led to precautionary buying,” Richard Bronze, head of geopolitics at Energy Aspects, a London-based energy market research firm, told the NYT.

“There is a virtual disregard for the fact that anything could go wrong,” Raad Alkadiri, director of energy and climate at Eurasia Group, said of the Middle East markets. “We will not raise the price,” he said.

The Eurasia Group report determined that “it is very unlikely that supply risks will arise due to an independent decision by Iran or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce crude oil sales.”

Regarding the possibility of supply reduction, the report said, "Such a move would cause as much damage to producers as to consumers."

In fact, for there to be a significant disruption in crude oil supplies, the impact of the war would have to spread to the huge oil fields of Saudi Arabia and Iran, but Iran is avoiding this for fear of alienating China, a key customer of the Islamic Republic.

“Strong oil market fundamentals are outweighing all fears right now,” Jim Burkhard, vice president of energy and mobility and head of oil markets research at S&P Global Commodity Insights, told the NYT.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report this week on its energy outlook for 2024: “U.S. gasoline consumption will decrease next year due to more efficient vehicle engines, the rise of electric vehicles, and reduced commuting as more people work hybrid schedules.” “It will decrease,” he predicted.

Regarding the decline in oil prices, the NYT said, “Prices fell sharply due to pessimistic sentiment before the Israel-Hamas conflict, and despite the risk of a broader war, it appears to be weighing on the market again.”

“We hope that the state of war with Israel will become permanent across all our borders and that the Arab world will join us,” Taher El-Nunu, a media adviser for Hamas, told the New York Times on the 8th.

“We have awakened the world from its deep slumber and demonstrated that the Palestinian issue must continue to be discussed,” said Khalil al-Haiya, a top Hamas leader. “Hamas’s goal is not to rule the Gaza Strip and provide water and electricity. “The fight is not about getting fuel or workers and improving the situation in Gaza,” he told the NYT.

NYT said, “The Hamas leadership sought to create a state of ‘permanent’ war with Israel by reviving the increasingly distant cause of establishing an independent Palestinian state and rekindling the armed struggle against Israel.” “For this, violence was the only answer, and Israel “I also accepted retaliation,” he said.