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Trump’s stunning betrayal of the Kurds

IAN BLACK
Scorn and disbelief were entirely justified when Donald Trump defended his abandonment of the Kurds to a Turkish onslaught by saying that they “had not helped us” in Normandy – the site of the decisive battle to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation in the second world war.
Not for the first time, the US president was expressing opposition to what he contemptuously termed “tribal wars” in the Middle East. But this time he went further - with potentially devastating consequences - by essentially giving a green light to Recep Tayib Erdogan’s plan to create a “safe zone” in north-eastern Syria.
The man in the Oval Office immediately attracted furious criticism. European allies expressed their dismay – Britain nervously managed only “disappointment” - but there was anger on the domestic front too, including from senior members of the Republican Party like Senator Lindsey Graham.
Niki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN, spoke for many when she rebuked Trump for having betrayed the Kurdish forces who had spearheaded the defeat of Isis. The danger is that thousands of Isis prisoners may escape – and live to fight again in the name of their “Caliphate.”
Ignorance of key moments in 20th century history is one thing. But the president’s reputation for impulsiveness and inconsistency was not improved by what happened next. Having announced the withdrawal of the small number of US forces – and given implicit approval to the long-anticipated operation by a fellow member of Nato - he then unconvincingly threatened Erdogan with the “obliteration” of Turkey’s economy if his forces went too far.
The result was that the US, which has struggled to deal with the war in Syria since it began in 2011, found its international credibility badly damaged yet again. Barack Obama failed to observe his own “red line” of the use of chemical weapons by Bashar al-Assad. Trump tried and failed to withdraw US troops in December 2018 – but the resignation of defence secretary James Mattis showed determined opposition in the Pentagon. Critics now accuse the president of having let down his own military as well as the Kurds.
Traditional US allies are understandably alarmed. Israel is already reeling from the White House’s changing attitude towards Iran. Having persuaded Trump to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal Binyamin Netanyahu is shaken by the fading of the US policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran and the failure to respond militarily to Iran’s recent provocations in the Gulf, whether the harassment of oil tankers or last month’s drone and missile attack on the Saudi Aramco oil installation at Abqaiq.
For their part the Saudis also appear to be reaching out to Iran to try to de-escalate tensions, though as the Kurdish crisis deepened Trump also announced the despatch of 3,000 US troops to reinforce the kingdom’s defences. He also boasted that Riyadh would now be paying for “everything we are doing to help them” as well as buying billions of dollars’ worth of US military hardware. That typically transactional approach brought accusations of US personnel acting as “mercenaries.”
Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, observed in the wake of Trump’s abandonment of the Kurds that it was now “futile” to seek America’s permission or to rely on it for security.”
It is widely believed that this latest erratic US move will play directly into the hands of Iran and Russia, both firm supporters of Assad. The Kurds have already appealed for help from Damascus, now consolidating its control over the majority of the country. That does not augur well for the fate of Idlib, in the north-west, the last remaining stronghold of opposition forces.
Erdogan’s own motives are mixed. Turkey certainly has legitimate security concerns on its southern border, but Ankara’s plan to establish a “safe zone” is motivated too by the wish to reduce the number of Syrian refugees – 3.6 million – it has been hosting against a background of rising domestic discontent. If those Syrians, largely Arabs, do return under Turkish protection it will threaten the Kurdish presence in the country’s north-east and could constitute ethnic cleansing.
American pundits predict that as the presidential election of November 2020 draws near, the man who has been dubbed the “Narcissist-in-Chief” will increasingly put his own selfish interests above the global reputation of the US. That is likely to mean courting those voters who want to reduce the scope of US involvement in the Middle East. Isolationism will win him support. Ignorance is not the monopoly of the Donald!
Whatever the extent and outcome of the Turkish offensive, the scale of the damage done by Trump is no less than stunning. Mixed messages, recklessness, greed and sheer confusion are no way to conduct the foreign and security policy of what – like it or not - is still the most powerful country on earth.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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