Its name recognition is universal, and, until recently, so was its appeal. Who can resist a family dinner with roast turkey, bread dressing, Christmas pudding, and all the trimmings? Or going into the living room, a warm fire roaring, hot chocolate topped with marshmallows or whipped cream in the mug, while gleeful children unwrap presents found under the Christmas tree? Or listening to the public singing of Christmas carols, with those time-honoured verses, are still able to stir the soul? Yes, Christmas still evokes much enthusiasm throughout the world, and not just in the West. Asia goes crazy over Christmas, including places like Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan. Even in ‘laid-back’ Australia, where a few even refer to it as ‘Chrissie,’ Christmas is still a very popular day off. Aussies relish the big meal, the family gathering, and, if possible, a splash at the beach while throwing ‘ another shrimp on the barbie. ’ In his best-selling book, A Christmas...
In Part 01, we learned about Donald Trump, his political comeback and how he practised his legendary dealmaking in the Middle East. We concluded by briefly assessing his interactions with regional players, particularly the Houthis of Yemen and HTS, who are currently governing war-torn Syria. We continue the regional assessment. Iran: Its nuclear program is a real worry, and while negotiation has been the understandably chosen method of dealing with it, Iran appears to be running down the clock until Trump is out of office. The Islamic Republic insists that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But why does a nation that has ten per cent of the world’s oil reserves need a nuclear energy program? And if it is only for peaceful purposes, why do they insist on enriching uranium themselves rather than accepting enriched uranium from a second country? So, Trump, the master negotiator, chose to negotiate with Iran directly. It did not work. So after many years of military ...