Part III — thieves in the night
This chapter has to start a little different. Music is a big part of my life and has always been. In the past few weeks, a song resonates with me more than any other time. Talib Kweli and Mos Def, the New York rap duo known as Blackstar released “Thieves in the Night” in 1998. 24 years on the lyrics of the song are stuck in my mind but more on that at the end.
This blog has been covering topics that are deeply intertwined with the world of football. Today, however, we take a slightly broader approach, and we dive deep into the relationships between the real influencers, not the social media pawns.
The uproar caused by the actions of Russia towards Ukraine and particularly the biggest enemy of the West — Vladimir Putin — was felt around the world.
While our attention has been focused on all kinds of virtue signalling gestures towards Ukraine, the main idea was never to support Ukraine, but to sanction Russia. Stopping trade, cargo, and shipping towards and from Russia is somehow supposed to help the people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives.
While the same people of Ukraine are fighting for their homes and lives, the United States of America and NATO have gone rather quiet. The media avalanche of ridicule and threats towards Putin and Russia has now transformed into “live reporting from the frontline.” The strong and stoic character Joe Biden labelled Putin as “war criminal” and expressed the opinion that Putin should be removed from power. Interestingly, Ukraine just received a commitment from Biden and the US to receive further $800 million in military aid and weapons.
Even more interestingly, despite the clear financial commitment from the US the fact that the US can pass up such a fantastic opportunity to enter a war seems bizarre. Maybe I am too cynical and looking at this through the wrong lenses. I should not forget the peaceful and much needed “help” from the US in countries in the Middle East like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and most recently Yemen.
I do not think anybody can underestimate the great similarities in religion, belief, culture and legislation between the US and the countries from the Middle East. Yet, somehow the US is the only qualified and much needed “referee” for the conflicts in those areas. To avoid further confusion and minimise the risk of not understanding my sarcasm, we need to ask ourselves the question why. Why did the US find it so necessary to establish thousands of military bases throughout the Middle East?
Here is the hint: it’s black, liquid and very expensive.
The Middle East holds almost 50% of the oil reserves on the planet. There has always been tension between those countries with the control over oil being one of the main reasons.
We will come back to the US and their involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war but for the time being we need to pay a bit more attention to the Middle East.
As we already know the Middle East is the oil refinery of the world. The biggest resources are there, the biggest oil company in the world is based in Saudi Arabia — Aramco, but there are still few issues.
It is all fine and nice when the West wants export culture and liberties, or at least it was. Most of the countries in the Middle East have extremely strict policies in relation to human rights, women rights, LGBTQ+ communities. Those policies are rightly viewed as atrocities in relation to human rights.
Just recently, Saudi Arabia executed 81 people in a single day bringing the total for 2022 to 92. The reasons for execution varied from practicing free speech to participating in a protest.
Interestingly, the West was appalled by the executions and news agency across the globe rushed to decry the human rights atrocities.
This article from CNN highlights some of the revolting details around the events that took place in Saudi Arabia and the conflict of interest. The reason why it is very important to acknowledge the article is the fact it comes from CNN. Company that has its headquarters in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. State in which the death penalty was reintroduced in 1973. With that in mind, I don’t see why CNN won’t be the shining light of justice and equality around the world. But I digress.
The same human rights atrocities are constantly highlighted in British media also. News agencies covered the story from start to finish, while also focusing on nonsense like “Partygate,” fines for politicians and other nauseating “stories.”
Fittingly, the decorum changed when Russia threatened to stop the delivery of gas towards Europe. All the vitriol and disgust towards Putin intensified. He is a demonic character destined to try ruin the world. And since the ability to pay attention to more than two things at the same time is missing from the mainstream media, the incoming stories were wrapped up in selective amnesia as usual.
Four days after the eighty-one executions ordered by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson visited the Gulf country and the prince himself. The reason for the visit as you can imagine had nothing do with the executions or the poor human rights records, nor with the LGBTQ+ inequalities. The reason for the trip was that Boris Johnson and the West had to beg Saudi Arabia for oil. Simple as that.
Putin turned the switch off, and now the source of energy had to come from somewhere else. In a very timely manner, the executions and the human rights issues took a step back. That is no longer important. The country needs oil and gas. The women and gay people can wait, with all due respect.
That was the messaging. And it still is.
Even more disturbing is the inability to do research. Just a quick visit on the Aramco website will show the close ties between Saudi Arabia and Russia in the sectors of energy and oil. Another quick look onto the PIF (Private Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia) will show the link between PIF and RDIF (Russian Direct Investment Fund).
Furthermore, in response to the plea of Boris Johnson for increase in oil production, the Gulf states didn’t leave too much to the imagination — “Not our war”.
Statement that left Boris Johnson and his Western allies look like clowns.
When asked about the visit’s outcome, Johnson denied answering truthfully and directed the reporters to the Gulf states for more information. Actions speak louder than words in my world and Boris Johnson proved his defeatist mentality with irrational actions followed by even more irrational verbal response.
You have heard the saying “water and oil don’t mix.” Well, football and oil do mix. The reason we went so far away from football in the series of articles covering the topics was to highlight how football is just a clog in the wheel. A pawn on the chess board.
Saudi Arabia bought Newcastle United Football Club through the PIF in the winter of 2021. The human rights weren’t an issue there, streaming piracy was. Streaming piracy meant that Premier League football was broadcasted in Saudi Arabia without the rights for it. Essentially committing a crime.
How the Premier League found a solution for that is a topic of another discussion, but nonetheless Saudi Arabia owns a football club in the Premier League. Couple that with the Abu Dhabi ownership of Manchester City Football Club. And for good measure add the 2022 FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar.
It just goes to show us that the deeper we get, the nastier it gets. And I will take the risk and conclude the topic with this.
It doesn’t matter what you do, nor it matter how you do it. If the price is right, everything is allowed. The Gulf countries have money to spend and wants to acquire assets, and the Premier League has TV rights to sell. Anything that goes in-between all of this is irrelevant. What the UK and the Premier League is proving for over 19 years already is that nothing else matters but the money.
Abramovich, Abu-Dhabi, Usmanov or Kroenke. The name doesn’t matter. From what we see now, if still alive, Adolf Hitler could’ve been trying to buy Chelsea.
And which lawyer of morals will tell us he couldn’t get it?
It only fits to finish how I started — with music. After hopefully reading all three parts the lyrics can also speak volumes to you.
“Not strong, only aggressive
Not free, we only licensed
Not compassionate, only polite, now who the nicest?
Not good but well behaved
Chasing after death, so we can call ourselves brave?
Still living like mental slaves
Hiding like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis making you look twice
Hiding like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis making you look twice”
End of Part III
The next part of the story will come out at the end of the month when the details around the Chelsea sale become clearer. This is when we will come back to footballing topics and the future of the Premier League and its interests.
