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For the second time in a month, Saudi Arabia has discovered that money buys a lot but not everything.
First, there was Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi, who, contrary to Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and several others, turned down a mouthwatering Saudi offer to go to Inter Miami.
Now, there is the apparent collapse of the kingdom’s potential joint 2030 World Cup bid with Greece and Egypt.
Saudi Arabia hoped that an unprecedented tricontinental Asian-African-European bid involving Greece and Egypt would allow it to circumvent world soccer body FIFA’s reluctance to organise the men’s World Cup in the same continent and same region twice within a decade.
A successful Saudi bid would have awarded the tournament to the Middle East only eight years after Qatar hosted the event.
A FIFA decision to postpone the 2030 bidding process until late next year allows the kingdom to put together a new proposal should it decide to do so.
To be sure, neither Mr. Messi nor the missed World Cup opportunity nor the US Congress and Justice Department investigations of the controversial golf merger between PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a Saudi-backed rival, put a serious dent in the kingdom’s sports blitz.
Saudi Arabia is likely to make a continued splash with its high-profile, well-funded sports initiative that also includes hosting multiple global and regional events such as this year’s FIFA Club World Cup, the 2027 Asian Cup, and chess, boxing, and horseracing tournaments as well as potential bids for the acquisition of Formula 1, World Wrestling Entertainment, and investments in e-sports and possibly tennis.
Rather than being primarily driven by a desire to polish Saudi Arabia’s tarnished human rights record, the blitz is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s effort to diversify the kingdom’s oil-export-dependent economy and his survival as the country’s de facto and future ruler.
Diversification and survival go hand in hand. Sports cater to youth aspirations in a country where 70 per cent of the population is below 35.
“The Middle East may be free of its colonial overlords, but its populations remain captives of European materialism (including) English football clubs,” quipped UAE-based investor and commentator Ali Al-Salim, referring to Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of Newcastle United, the UAE’s pioneering purchase of Manchester City, and a Qatari bid for Manchester United.
Equally importantly, the blitz helps strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position in the international pecking order, improve public health dogged by high rates of obesity and diabetes, turn sports into a profitable pillar of a reformed economy, boost tourism, and potentially attract badly needed foreign investment.
Foreign investment has plummeted since Mr. Bin Salman’s 2017 power grab when he detained scores of prominent businessmen and ruling family members for a shakedown in Riyadh’s Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Foreign investment has also been dogged by questions about the feasibility of some of Mr. Bin Salman’s science-fiction-like mega projects, foremost among which Neom, a US$500 billion futuristic eco-friendly city on the Red Sea, designed to help accommodate an envisioned jump in population from 33 million today to 55 million in 2030.
The Economist noted that “megaprojects such as Neom have become so grandiose, they risk looking farcical (and Neom is under human-rights scrutiny over treatment of the Howeitat tribe that lived on the land). If investors are seduced, it will be by the promise of returns, not by the razzle-dazzle of Potemkin villages.”
In a little-noticed side effect, the sports blitz pressures Mr. Bin Salman and Saudi authorities to accelerate mega-project construction and delivery.
Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena, a winter sports resort in the 2,400-metre-high Sarawat mountains, where snow falls occasionally, that is slated to be built by 2026 as part of Neom.
Trojena would be the Gulf’s first outdoor ski resort. Powered by renewable energy, Trojena expects to create an outdoor ski slope by blasting artificial snow at the mountains.
In an interesting twist, some Gulf journalists and analysts with close ties to the government have sought to give Saudi Arabia’s soccer player buying spree an anti-Western spin. The twist coincides with what journalist and researcher Matthew Petti calls “an anti-American, homophobic disinformation campaign” in government-aligned Saudi media.
Writing on the website of Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television network about predominantly Muslim and black players moving to Saudi Arabia, Bahraini analyst Omar Al-Ubaydli asserted that “any practicing Muslim or non-White person living in Europe will immediately understand that it’s probably not just about money.”
Mr. Al-Ubaydli said: “To be clear, the millions of dollars on offer are certainly a major factor. However, a mixture of arrogance and ignorance is making the secular white Westerners who dominate European football – including its media – underestimate Saudi Arabia’s attractiveness.”
Mr. Benzema’s partner, Jordan Ozuna, reportedly converted to Islam days after he announced his transfer from Real Madrid to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad.
No doubt, anti-immigrant sentiment, Islamophobia, increased racism in European football, and religious belief may play a role in a Muslim or black player’s decision. Nevertheless, if those were driving factors, the question is why they did not seek more harmonious pastures earlier.
Mr. Al-Ubaydli concedes, “That’s not to say Saudi Arabia is free from racism. However, a quick look at the national team – and a quick stroll through the grand mosque in Mecca – suggests that black people are unlikely to be subjected to the sort of vitriolic hatred that is becoming increasingly frequent in Europe.”
A quick look at the English and French national teams or public spaces in multiple European cities could lead one to the same conclusion, even though that would be only part of the story.
Saudi Arabia has had its own racial incidents in soccer. Whether the kingdom has fewer incidents, incidents are less frequently reported, or a repressive political system prompts restraint remains unclear.
Whatever the case, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority states have yet to confront their history of slavery or admit they too, have racism problems. So far, Qatar is home to the Arab world’s only slavery museum.
Black African players in North Africa complain of being targets of racist chants by Arab fans.
Swedish writer Hana Al-Khamri noted several years ago that “year after year, racist mockery and derogatory language against Afro/black Arabs and black African migrants make it to the TV screens of millions of Arab families gathered to enjoy TV series produced especially for Ramadan.”
In addition, while slavery has been abolished across the Muslim world, Muslim legal scholars have yet to update Islamic law by taking slavery off the books.
The long and short of this is that there is enough blame to go around. No one can wash their hands in innocence. Money can buy Saudi Arabia a lot, but it will take more than deep pockets to ensure that Saudi sports, particularly soccer, stay in the headlines for all the right reasons.
Shifting Tides: The Transforming Landscape of Iran’s Foreign Policy
China’s rejection of Muslim Brotherhood and the support for the June 30 revolution in Egypt
Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Würzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture, and the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog, a book with the same title, Comparative Political Transitions between Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, co-authored with Dr. Teresita Cruz-Del Rosario and three forthcoming books, Shifting Sands, Essays on Sports and Politics in the Middle East and North Africaas well as Creating Frankenstein: The Saudi Export of Ultra-conservatism and China and the Middle East: Venturing into the Maelstrom.
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Shifting Tides: The Transforming Landscape of Iran’s Foreign Policy
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Iran’s foreign policy has changed significantly in recent years, reflecting both domestic issues and changing geopolitical factors. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which has a long history of revolution and anti-Western sentiment, has been steadily reevaluating the goals of its foreign policy in an effort to keep up with changing local and global conditions. The rise of the United States as an adversary has forced Iran to rethink its foreign policy. The country is now seeking to diversify its relationships and reduce its reliance on the United States. Iran has been reaching out to China, Russia, and other countries in an effort to build new partnerships.
Ebrahim Raisi came to power in June 2021. Raisi presidency will have significant repercussions on Iran’s international relations. Additionally, it will affect the Middle East’s political and strategic landscape in addition to other regions. His foreign policy is mostly focused on strengthening connections with his neighbours and developing relations with the Asian powers (China and Russia).
Raisi’s pick of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as foreign minister represented his objectives. The career diplomat speaks Arabic in addition to English and has substantial experience in nations with a majority of Arab people. In 1997, Amir-Abdollahian was originally sent to the Iranian embassy in Baghdad. Later, he served as the director of an Iraq-specific division at the foreign ministry. From 2007 to 2010, Amir-Abdollahian served as Bahrain’s ambassador. From 2011 to 2016, he was the deputy foreign minister for Arab and African relations.
Iran’s Pivot to Asia
Raisi’s shift towards Asia was a key element of its foreign policy plan. This shift in emphasis towards Asian nations, especially China, India, and Russia, sought to broaden Iran’s foreign relationships, bolster economic links, and boost diplomatic support in the face of geopolitical obstacles and international sanctions.
China-Iran
The 25-year comprehensive strategic agreement between Iran and China that was inked in March 2021 was one of the most prominent elements of Iran’s pivot to Asia. The agreement encompassed a range of cooperative initiatives, including those pertaining to economic, political, and security issues. Increased Chinese investments in Iran’s manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure sectors, as well as defense and intelligence collaboration, were significant elements of the agreement. This alliance is considered by Iran as a strategy to lessen the effects of international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States following its exit from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018. Iran sought to lessen its economic reliance on Western nations by forging closer connections with China in order to obtain access to a sizable market for its oil and other commodities.
Russia-Iran
The bilateral relationship between Iran and Russia is intricate and multifaceted. On numerous regional and international issues, both nations have a history of cooperation and partnership. Their bond has become stronger in recent years, notably in relation to collaboration in the political, military, and energy sectors. Russia has been a significant economic partner for Iran, especially in the energy sector where it has contributed capital, know-how, and support to the growth of Iran’s oil and gas reserves. Russia has moreover been Iran’s most important diplomatically, supporting it in forums around the world and representing its interests. Additionally, the two nations have worked closely together on regional matters, such as the Syrian Civil War, where they backed the Syrian government. While mutual interests serve as the foundation of their relationship, geopolitical factors and local dynamics also play a role. Overall, the bilateral relations between Iran and Russia continue to be characterized by a combination of collaboration, shared interests, and sporadic disagreements.
India-Iran
Historically, culturally, and economically connected, Iran and India have a long-standing and complex bilateral connection. Despite the difficulties caused by international sanctions on Iran, both nations have maintained strong coordination in a number of areas. With India being one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil, energy has been a significant component of their relationship. The strategic construction of Iran’s Chabahar port has also been an important undertaking for India because it provides a crucial sea route that avoids Pakistan to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Iran and India have cooperated on issues relating to regional security in addition to their shared economic interests. They have previously worked together to foster peace and development in the country that has been ripped apart by war. They both have concerns about the stability of Afghanistan. Further strengthening their connections, both nations have worked to encourage intercultural and interpersonal exchanges. Iran and India’s bilateral relationship continues to be a crucial part of both foreign strategies, fostering regional connectivity and cooperation in South and Central Asia.
The necessity to diversify its economic alliances was one of the factors that prompted Iran to turn to Asia. Iran wanted to lessen its reliance on Western markets and strengthen its ability to withstand international sanctions, thus it tried to deepen its ties with Asian nations. The economies of Asia provided Iran with chances for trade, investment, and technological cooperation. Iran attempted to secure diplomatic assistance from nations other than its customary Western-centric alliances by shifting its focus to Asia. In forums and regional disputes when Iran ran afoul of Western powers, this backing may be crucial.
Iran Joins Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Iran formally joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on July 4, 2023. The SCO is a regional intergovernmental organization that encourages cooperation among its members in the areas of politics, economy, and security. The admission of Iran to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a significant move since it will enable Iran to participate more actively in regional affairs and to take advantage of the organization’s opportunities for economic and security cooperation.
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan created the SCO in 2001. Since then, the group has grown to encompass Pakistan and India, making it the biggest regional security alliance in the world. The main objectives of the SCO are to foster economic cooperation, fight terrorism, and promote security and stability within its member states. The participants in the SCO have praised Iran’s admission. Iran’s membership has received strong backing from China and Russia in particular, who see it as a chance to further their ties with Iran and counteract American dominance in the region.
Normalizing Relations with the Regional Countries
Saudi-Iran Rapprochement
One of the major diplomatic wins for Iran was its normalizing of relations with Saudi Arabia, a rapprochement brokered by China on March 10, 2023. In 2016, diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia were broken after the latter country executed Shia preacher Nimr Al-Nimr, which infuriated Iranians and led to demonstrations. This most recent development is viewed as a move in the right direction towards lowering long-standing tensions and advancing towards peaceful conflict settlement in the Middle East. The Saudi-Iranian reconciliation has a lot of reasons. First, both nations are dealing with issues like the resurgence of ISIS and the unrest in Yemen. Second, they are both concerned about the United States, Iran’s main adversary, and its expanding influence. Third, in order to concentrate on economic development, they both recognize the necessity to lower tensions in the region. The two countries are also taking initial measures for oil cooperation, according to Iranian deputy oil minister. However, both the countries are biding to the deal, Iran has opened her embassy in Riyadh and soon Saudi Arabia will also open her embassy in Tehran.
To diversify its economic prospects and to reduce regional tensions Iran has been making visits to its neighbors, the efforts have increased after Saudi-Iran reconciliation. Iranian President visited Syria and have signed agreements to cooperate in socio-political areas, Iran is also having political and economic consultations with Iraq. Iran also expanded its relations with Pakistan, the leaders of both sides inaugurated the Mand-Pishin joint border market and have started the barter trade. Iranian leaders also visited Indonesia, Uzbekistan, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Latin American States. Different areas of cooperation have been explored by Iran with these states.
Iran’s foreign policy has changed significantly over the years, with a focus on Asia emerging as a key element. Iran aims to take a strategic position in the ever-evolving international scene by expanding its diplomatic and economic engagements, fortifying regional ties, and addressing the difficulties brought on by international sanctions. Iran’s foreign policy is anticipated to continue adapting and changing in order to further its domestic objectives and regional goals as geopolitical forces change.
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Since the announcement of the arrival of the banned terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group to power in Egypt, I was closer during that period to the Chinese experts and professors of political Islam and their intellectual centers based on Chinese supreme directives and orders, given the fear of the leaders of the ruling Communist Party in China about the terror of these extremist groups and the extent of their extensions. And its entanglements and close ties to terrorists in the banned East Turkestan Movement. The Chinese fear reached its maximum, given the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood’s official interest in those Muslim minorities in the Chinese region of Xinjiang, after an article was placed for them in (the general law of the Muslim Brotherhood) so that the Brotherhood would not ignore their cause or forget them according to their belief, so (Article 74) came, Under the title: Committees are established in the department based on various aspects of activity, including: The Far East Committee, which includes the children of Muslims in countries (Afghanistan – Turkestan – China – India – Indochina Indonesia – Japan), and making the Brotherhood Guidance Office banned from those countries a target For many years, he linked it to the Guidance Office of the banned terrorist Brotherhood group, in preparation for creating unrest and chaos within it, which became evident later in view of the evidence of the close relationship between Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and the banned East Turkestan Movement in China and those extremist terrorist organizations belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, so that was It is the main and main reason for the fear of the Chinese of the banned extensions of the Muslim Brotherhood within it.
Accordingly, China and the leaders of the ruling Communist Party inside Chinese territory declared a state of emergency following the arrival of terrorists from the banned Brotherhood to power in Egypt and the region, and everyone was assigned to discuss the situation and how to control it, and even how to deal with these terrorists who have not yet got rid of their tendency Terrorism, extremism, and expiatory terrorist thought, which Chinese experts have described as barbaric, separatist terrorists, who seek to separate the regions and countries of the world in preparation for the domination of the extremist terrorist Brotherhood thought over everyone.
For these aforementioned reasons, China was among the first countries in the world to recognize the success of the June 30 revolution in Egypt and the coming of President “El-Sisi” to power. China even sent the Chinese Minister of Trade and Industry, “Miao Wei” to participate in the inauguration ceremony of President “El-Sisi” as President of the Arab Republic of Egypt in 2014 After the success of the Egyptian people in getting rid of the rule of terrorists from the banned Brotherhood in Egypt and China, and celebrations began on the other side in China following the success of the Egyptian people with the help of their armed forces in getting rid of the threat of terrorists from the banned Brotherhood, and China also sent several experts, professors and researchers to It is similar to the “mini-leadership working committees” to study after the removal and overthrow of the banned Muslim Brotherhood rule in the Egyptian street, and I myself participated with Chinese experts, especially since the beginning of those popular uprisings against the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the region and China, in identifying the pulse of the Egyptian street in a lively and accurate way, which is What made the Chinese very happy after making sure that the Egyptian street, in all its sects, rejected them popularly and by the masses.
Here, experts and professors of political Islam and Chinese think tanks – and I was a real and live witness to everything that happens in China and even studied it step by step with them – followed all the movements of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, starting from their arrival in power until their overthrow by the people supported by the Egyptian armed forces, and they were called in all Chinese circles with terrorists. The Chinese fear of the banned terrorist Muslim Brotherhood has become old, and China attributes the cause of unrest in the Chinese region of Xinjiang mainly due to the penetration of terrorists from the banned Brotherhood inside it and their relationship with the banned terrorist East Turkestan Party and Movement within the Chinese territory itself and around the world, and the Chinese authorities attribute the reasons for the occurrence of many bombings And terrorist operations in the Chinese region of Xinjiang mainly in view of their relationship with the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group, and all Chinese think tanks and political Islam experts have studied the extent of the relationship between the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group and the East Turkistan terrorist movement within the Xinjiang region and Chinese territory. It became clear to the Chinese the extent of the clear relationship between them and that close link between (the Department of Communication with the Islamic World of the Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist East Turkestan Movement) since 1944, which was established mainly in its beginnings to work to link the Muslim Brotherhood with all Islamic countries to each other, and to unify the general policy of the countries that It is inhabited by Muslims like China, and the explicitly banned Brotherhood document declared its desire to work to liberate the Islamic world from every foreign authority over them and to penetrate into Chinese territory through their extensions in the banned terrorist East Turkestan Party and Movement inside Chinese territory. Indeed, the Chinese fear reached many years ago regarding the relationship between the banned Brotherhood terrorist group and its Islamic minorities, following the establishment of the banned Muslim Brotherhood Guidance Office for four committees to carry out and supervise all operations led by terrorists from the banned Brotherhood group in China and around the world, and the most prominent of these four committees Which was formed by the Guidance Office of the banned terrorist Brotherhood group, which are: (The Brotherhood’s Committee for the 3rd Islamic Countries in the Middle East, a Committee for the Islamic Countries in the Far East and China, a Committee for Muslims in Central Asia, and a Committee for Muslims in Europe)
The danger of the Committee of Islamic Countries in the Far East and China, which was established by the Guidance Office of the banned Brotherhood for the Chinese authorities and experts, is its extensions, entanglements, and close relations with the East Turkestan terrorist movement within the Chinese Xinjiang region, and the destabilization of that committee in particular within the Chinese territories following Assigning a number of its symbols and personalities to communicate with members of the banned terrorist Brotherhood group in the Chinese region of Xinjiang and focus on gathering information about the conditions of Muslims in the Chinese region of Xinjiang in preparation for creating turmoil and chaos within it, and writing a number of serial books on the Muslims of Xinjiang through a number of Brotherhood cells and their researchers as a prelude to intervention With regard to the internal affairs of China, the most prominent of these writings by the Brotherhood on Muslims was entitled: “China and Islamism”. This book was written by the Chinese researcher, “Muhammad Tadawd”, head of the Chinese missions at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and a member of the Department of Communication with the Islamic World of the banned terrorist group of the Muslim Brotherhood. He was targeted and recruited by the outlawed Brotherhood Guidance Office during his first years of study at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, as an attempt by them to penetrate deep into Chinese territory and cause a series of disturbances and chaos within him.
And after China officially understood all the dangers and sources of terrorism emanating from the banned terrorist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, the great Chinese welcome came to the success of the June 30 revolution, which embodied the will of change among the Egyptians according to the full Chinese understanding, with the support of the Egyptian Armed Forces, led by President “Abdel Fattah El-Sisi”. This is what the Chinese greatly value, given that Chinese vision that the banned Brotherhood does not know or understand the concept of the national state, because they are a project based primarily on establishing a caliphate state linked to religion and not to the homeland. From here, the June 30 Revolution triumphed in a mass popular epic to triumph over the will of the Egyptians, and led the people of Egypt towards the new republic and building a modern democratic state after getting rid of the banned terrorist group. The International Conference on the capabilities of the homeland and the world, according to what was written and analyzed by the Chinese and their intellectual centers after the success of the June 30 revolution in Egypt. Therefore, Chinese political Islam experts wrote that the June 30 revolution in Egypt is a true embodiment of the popular revolution to save the Egyptian state from an unknown fate at the hands of the terrorist group, and Egypt then transformed from a rescue revolution into a miracle, and that revolution restored the Egyptian state to its normal state after several attempts. Kidnapping and losing her identity and the identity and civilizations of the world by a handful of terrorists belonging to the banned Brotherhood. Therefore, the full Chinese support for President “El-Sisi” came after the success of the Egyptian state, under the leadership of President “El-Sisi”, in getting rid of the threat of terrorist groups, led by the banned terrorist group, as well as defeating the threat of the expiatory thought of the terrorist groups, whether in Sinai or throughout the country, by building an integrated strategy to combat terrorism under the leadership of President “El-Sisi”, which is greatly appreciated by Chinese President “Xi Jinping” and the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party in confronting the attempts of the Guidance Office of the banned Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate and cause chaos and unrest affecting China, Egypt, the region surrounding China and the world.
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A recent poll of Arab public opinion suggests US credibility has taken a hit, but all is not lost.
That is if the United States realizes that Middle Easterners judge the US on glaring inconsistencies in its domestic and foreign policies rather than on its cultural, technological, and economic attributes.
The discrepancy between US policies and professed values has always existed. However, it’s become more evident and relevant and more of a liability in the past 22 years as a result of the War on Terror, rising Islamophobia, the war in Iraq, US reluctance to confront Israel head-on, and most recently the war in Ukraine.
In addition, China loomed less large in the past in the competition for influence in the Middle East. Arab nations were on the defensive in the years after the 11 September 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington.
The United States’ credibility problem is compounded by what former Indonesian ambassador in Washington Dino Patti Djalal and Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Witness, see as more broad resentment in the Global South against the West.
“The West is perceived to perpetuate double standards on issues ranging from climate action and responsibility to trade and accountability for human rights violations… They called for global solidarity during the pandemic while instead often pursuing vaccine nationalism. Western nations preach free trade but increasingly engage in protectionism,” Messrs. Djalal and Sheldrick said in an op-ed.
“While Westerners may see public criticism as a regular diplomatic practice, it is seen by many (in the Global South) as false righteousness, devoid of genuine partnership,” they added.
Against that backdrop, the latest Arab Youth Survey conducted by public relations agency Asda’a BCW indicates the credibility problem the Biden administration needs to address to narrow the gap.
A healthy 72 per cent of the survey’s respondents identified the United States as an ally. Even so, the US ranked seventh as an ally behind Turkey, China, Britain, Germany, France, and India.
That does not mean that the US is perceived to have lost influence in the region. Thirty-three per cent named the US as the most influential power in the Arab world, followed in second place by 11 per cent pointing to the United Arab Emirates.
It also means that only some youths want the US to retain its influence. Sixty-one per cent of respondents said they would support US disengagement, even if more than 60 per cent believe the US will be a more important ally than Russia or China in the next five years.
Similarly, the US ranks at 19 per cent second, behind the UAE’s 24 per cent as the country Arab youth prefer to live in. The same is true for which country youth would like their country to emulate.
In other words, often unexplained contradictions in policy are catching up with the United States, but it retains sufficient ground to bridge the gap if officials recognise that credibility has become far more critical in a world of competing powers.
“Perceptions of Western hypocrisy in the Global South, compounded by bitter memories of past interventions, have made our divided world even more polarized and have pushed old friends and partners to turn to new sources of development finance that come with less baggage and fewer strings attached, at least in theory,” Messrs. Djalal and Sheldrick said.
Moreover, the lack of credibility turns public criticism of human rights abuse and other illiberal and autocratic policies and actions into a liability rather than an effective policy tool.
Ideally, the United States and other Western nations would align their policies with their professed values. Of course, that would require an ideal world. The demands of realpolitik and increasingly polarised domestic politics ensure it is, at best, wishful thinking.
But there are things the United States and others can do, at home and abroad, some of which are low hanging fruit.
The Biden administration could take heed of this week’s United Nations recommendations to end in Guantanamo Bay prison “cruel, inhuman, and degrading” violations of detainees’ fundamental rights and freedoms, including constant surveillance, grueling isolation, and limited family access.
Guantanamo, home to the last 30 men detained as military combatants in the War on Terror since the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, long symbolised to many the perceived hypocrisy of US advocacy to adherence to human rights.
Fionnuala Ni Aolain, the UN’s special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism, made her recommendations following the first visit to the prison by UN experts in more than two decades.
In addition, the United States together with its Western allies could enhance its credibility by living up to promises like the pledge to provide $100 billion in climate financing to developing nations and ensuring that countries from the Global South have a seat at the table.
Western leaders have begun to acknowledge that the ball is in their court. French President Emmanuel Macron told the Munich Security Conference in February that he was “shocked by how much credibility we are losing in the Global South.”
Joseph Borrel, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, echoed Mr. Macron at the same event.
“We cannot think about European security without looking at the global scene and engaging with other partners. I see how powerful the Russian narrative is, its accusations of double standards. We have to dismantle that narrative, cooperate with other countries, accept that the UN structure must be adapted,” Mr. Borrel said, referring to demands that the Global South has a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
The United States’ key allies, the EU and Japan, appear to have taken the lead in attempting to regain credibility and trust. So far, they have taken small steps, but, by and large, they have yet to put their mouth where their mouth is.
For the effort to gain momentum and for the United States to benefit, it needs to not only get on board with what Messrs. Djalal and Sheldrick describe as “a thousand-mile journey” but get in the driver’s seat.
It takes only a glance at the Arab Youth survey to conclude that the stakes are high in the Middle East and across the globe. Credibility matters, perhaps more than ever since World War Two.
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