THE DISGRACE, THE ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!  One of the saddest things is to watch the weakness of this country, under this president, displayed before the world.

It started, a few days ago, as an ordinary Friday in Washington, and then, the bolt from the blue – Saudi Arabia and Iran, presumed enemies, announced that they were restoring diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by...China.

China?  In the Mideast?  Isn't that where America used to be dominant?  China, sitting now in glory, drawing Saudi Arabia away from the United States and giving aid and comfort to our enemy, Iran? 

It wasn't many years ago when Barack Obama allowed Russia to return to the Mideast, even though it humiliated us and forced our allies to wonder if their link to the United States is worth it.  I wonder whose American fingers are all over this elevation of China.  I think we can all guess.  From CNN:

Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN  — 
Saudi Arabia and Iran announced on Friday that they had agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties after seven years of hostility, in a deal between the regional archrivals that could have wide-ranging implications for the Middle East.

Riyadh and Tehran plan to reopen their embassies within two months in an agreement mediated by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran said in a joint statement after talks in Beijing on Friday.

They also plan to reimplement a security pact signed 22 years ago under which both parties agreed to cooperate on terrorism, drug-smuggling and money-laundering, as well as reviving a trade and technology deal from 1998.

Friday’s announcement is also a diplomatic victory for China in a Gulf region that has long been considered part of the US’s domain of influence. It comes as the Biden administration tries to notch its own win in the Middle East by trying to broker a normalization pact between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Talks had been ongoing since March 6 in Beijing between Iranian national security chief Ali Shamkhani, Saudi national security council adviser Mosaed Bin Mohammad Al-Aiban and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, according to Iranian state media.

Video of the signing ceremony aired by Iranian media showed officials seated around tables on opposite sides with the Saudi Arabian, Iranian and Chinese flags around them.

“We will continue to play a constructive role in properly handling hotspot issues in today’s world in accordance with the wishes of all countries and demonstrate our responsibility as a major country,” Wang said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping supported it since the beginning.

In an apparent push back to American influence, Wang said that “the world is not limited to the Ukraine issue” while emphasizing that the fate of the Middle East should be determined by the people of the Middle East.

“The foreign ministers of the two countries will meet each other to implement this decision and make necessary arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors,” the joint statement said. “The two sides agree to respect the sovereignty and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.”

COMMENT:  I fear we're reaching the point where American officials will have to wear name tags so people in other countries know who they are.  There are just so many signs of a nation in decline, from our rotting school system and contempt for our traditions, to this week's monumental failure of a major bank.

I do believe, and it is not original with me, that the next two years will determine the kind of nation we'll hand to our children and grandchildren.  We must do better, with or without the permission of our failed elites.  There is a point where a nation must stop losing.

March 10, 2023