PARTLY FACETIOUS: There are selections and then there are selectors

“You know I have noticed…”

“Me too, I would strongly urge the West to learn the game of chess.”

“What?”

“Chess, where you time a move that takes account of your adversary’s fallback position. Netherlands didn’t; on 30 September and took effective control of Nexperia owned by Chinese Wingtech Technology under its highly exceptional Goods Availability Act which allows the Dutch government to intervene in privately owned companies citing threat to national security or…”

“That was a laugh, the Dutch did not take account of the fact that key production facilities of Nexperia were in China and China retaliated on 4 October by imposing export controls that prevented Nexperia China and subcontractors from exporting some finished products and sub-assemblies made in China.”

“The Dutch want to negotiate now, anyway, this is not the only instance where the West appears to not have all ducks in a row. While President Trump is the only Western leader who occasionally acknowledges that Russia is winning the war…”

“Europe is acting like a vassal, OK, so European leaders are, and they are unlikely to be reelected. Did you hear that Netanyahu was asked if Israel is operating as a US protectorate, a vassal…?”

“Apparently the US President, unlike the past, is not giving Netanyahu the freedom to violate the Gaza peace deal.”

“That’s a big deal given that Israel routinely violates peace agreements with impunity, for example Israel has already violated and continues to violate the peace treaty with Lebanon – I reckon more than 4000 times already…”

“Right and Trump has also said no to Netanyahu and his right wing cabinet’s support for forcibly annexing land in the West Bank…”

“So if a country allied with the US wants to continue its alliance, with associated candies, it has to follow The King.”

“Absolutely; notwithstanding the no king protests in the US, but you know speaking of foreign policy of a vassal state Pakistan cannot be accused of implementing such a policy today.”

“Is that why the multi-portfolio holder Foreign Minister gets more publicity than the Prime Minister?”

“Stop right there – you are trying to spread conflict in the family, for your information he is not only Nawaz Sharif’s samdhi but also the Deputy Prime Minister and…”

“But the Prime Minister and the deputy were in Egypt together attending the Gaza…”

“Right, right I noticed that too, I reckon deputy sahib was perhaps the man who selected the head of the Television network and…”

“He is wiser than you know who because not all selectors get the loyalty…”

“There are selections and then there are selectors.”

“What a profoundly stupid…”

“Hush.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025