Rich Arab states wasting their trillions listening to foolish advice to spend and spend on vanity projects

The Saudi's are making the same fatal mistake as UAE, investing hundreds of billions trying to outdo Dubai, with its massive Noem construction projects and the highest building in the world - the 'Jeddah Tower' caught in limbo.

Dubai's Burj Kalifah is now facing massive problems with maintenance issues, just fifteen years after inauguration. The desert heat is destroying its glass cladding that poses enormous problems with replacements. I do not have to highlight all the other technical issues regarding water, sewage disposal and external cleaning which are well articulated elsewhere.

Saudi Arabia is caught between a rock and a hard place, trying to fund all the construction costs, with many projects now abandoned. When they look at what is happening with Dubai, they knew the kind of problems they are going to face. No longer would filthy rich investors be tempted to take up units in the Jeddah Tower after seeing what the Burj Kalifah is going through.

Both countries face the same problem - desert heat that destroys infrastructures. Nature is taking back what Dubai took from it by dredging sand loaded with salt as foundations for its Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Jumeirah beach homes. Another such project had been scrapped, leaving sand dunes basking in the hot sun and the sea claiming back its sand. Nature has all the time in the world to do its job or reclaiming what belongs to it.

Saudi Arabia needs desperate money trying to export its oil. The Strait of Hormuz already dampened its hope of generating more revenue to fund its development, thinking that the Red Sea gives it a alternative lifeline. Now, that possibility is being given a rude awakening by the Houthis. So, now the Saudis are claiming they have control of the Bab Al-Mandab. The question is how are ships going to avoid being accosted by the Houthis? Will shipowners and insurers just ignore the risks? We have gone through the Strait of Hormuz issues, and it is clear that gloating does not necessarily mean the problem is solved.


Anonymous

America already lost the AI war by making it so expensive and closed system

Actually, the USA knows its AI apps are too expensive to compete with Chinese AI apps, not just in China, but across the world and even within the USA itself.

As usual, the USA Government has to ban others from operating in the country in order to safeguard its own AI companies or rather its sectorial lobbies. We have seen what had been done to 5G, to EVs and soon to AI.

Many people are under the misconception that USA entities like Google, Facebook and Youtube are banned from operating in the Chinese market. What I understand is that they are not banned, but because they have to operate under certain conditions on national security issues which they do not agree with. That is unlike the total banning of 5G, EVs and fabricated connections to the CPC.


Anonymous

Good News, bankrupt America opening two more military bases in Greenland

  US to open two new military bases in Greenland: Sources

Washington on Monday also stressed the need for military and economic investment in the Arctic to safeguard the region. Reuters

Bankrupt America still believes it can remain the world hegemon, to control and dictate to the world by force, by having more military bases around the world. 2 more bases in Greenland and a few more in the Philippines. What about the bombed out bases in the Middle East? The American terrorists should waste no time to rebuild these multi billion bases in the Middle East or be chased out from the region.

America has nothing to worry about having no money. Just keep printing. There is no need for the Americans to build anything to compete in the world market. Just control the world by military force, by controlling the banking and finance system, the greenback, data centres and chips, and threaten any country that dares to go against the American hegemony by shutting them out of the SWIFT system. The Americans can than feed on the rest of the world without producing anything, just print more money to exchange for all the goods and services from the rest of the world...or just take whatever they want.

Just by being the number one terrorist state, the whole world will belong to the Americans. Oops, oops, just by being the policeman of the world, carrying a big dick and whack anyone they like.

America has nothing to worry about the manufacturing powers of China and the rest of the world. The American terrorists can just take them for free. Who is there to stop the American terrorists? The world belongs to the American terrorist Empire, Pax Americana, American Peace, and will live happily forever.

Have gun will travel. Build more American bases, manufacture more weapons, especially nuclear weapons. Greenland has been taken over and the Danes can do nothing about it. Neither can the Greenlanders. Venezuela is already taken over, and Cuba is next, and Mexico and Canada also on the card.

The excuse to take over these countries is simple and accepted by the world. Just declared a country is vital to America's security, meaning America needs to take over the country to be safe. Safe from who? Marco Rubio has just said that about Iceland. So Iceland is next. 

When would the American terrorists declare the Strait of Malacca as vital to their security, of Singapore for that matter and take them over, like taking over Greenland? Can the world do anything to stop this?

There is another precedent being set in the Middle East. Iran and the Houthis have made it happen, that with their missiles and drones and fighting will, the Americans will not be allowed to take over the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab El Mandeb. Iran and the Houthis have proven to be stronger than Denmark and NATO to resist the American terrorists.

PS. The Philippines has been taken over. But this is a different case as the Pinoys are very willing to be taken over by the Americans, even as a colony or vassal state, not the 52nd state they hope so. The Americans will not grant them the right of citizenship of America, as another state.

Saudi Arabia claimed control of Bab El Mandeb that USA failed to do so

Saudi Arabia and its allies now claim that they have wrestled control of the Bab Al-Mandab from the Houthis. How great is that going to be for navigation or just hype? Who is going to be the permanent resident there and who are to be the hotel guests?

We know very well that the Houthis can target ships in the Gulf of Aden as well which is its front yard, not just ships passing through the Bab Al-Mandab waterway. So, what is going to change regarding the Saudis now controlling the Bab Al-Mandab? That stretch of water is not going to be navigation free from now onwards, whether under the Houthi's control or Saudi Arabia. The same as the Strait of Hormuz. If you believe in the gloating, no proof is necessary. The proof lies with shipowners and insurers.

Saudi Arabia had fought a long, drawn-out war against the Houthis before, supported by the USA. Did the Saudi's win that conflict? Now that the peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia are fracturing, it is going to be back to the bad-old-days. One side needs the Bab Al-Mandab staying open for its oil exports, the other side cares two hoots about closing the Bab Al-Mandab. Who is more desperate is not difficult to see. The Houthis will just sit around and wait, nothing to lose and no oil exports to care about.


Anonymous

China must keep American AI out, just like keeping American chips out

China must keep away USA AI usage in the country just like what the USA is trying to do to Chinese AI entities. The USA is just taking time to come up with fabricated issues to keep Chinese AI out of the country. Being safe is better than being sorry for China. In any case, Chinese AI usage of domestic AI models is very much cheaper than those USA models, anyway.

AI is going to be another avenue for the USA to spy on China after being cut-off without access to 5G. We all know that all the tech giants in USA are all connected to the USA Government and any information about China can be used to compromise China's national security. The USA Government is investing big in those entities, with the ability of using such AI apps to benefit the USA Government. Such connection between the USA Government and the private sector tech giants is not an issue to others, but Chinese companies which have little connection to the CPC are gloated to be so and sanctioned. The double standard application is so evidently clear and needs no further proving.

The USA Government is trying to prevent USA consumers from using Chinese AI for the same reason of national security. What is not revealed is in what way. Obviously, they know just as much about the issues and know that China could do the same to USA AI models trying to access the Chinese market. So, they must come up with a thorough excuse to make their attempt of keeping Chinese AI models out of the country convincing.


Anonymous