The new international economy and geopolitics

Under this complex environment the traditional Greek-US relationship is strengthened. The control of Eastern Mediterranean by Russia is partially achieved by the deployment of S-400 anti-aircraft missiles in Turkey, Syria, and Crimea. These deployments put the control of the air-space of the region in the hands of Moscow and any increase of Russian naval deployment in the ports of Syria and Turkey will put the complete control of the region in the hands of Russia.

In addition to this, any Greek-Turkish crisis will be associated with changes in the Lausanne Treaty, but also in the Montreux Treaty, resulting in Russian exodus to the Mediterranean.

At the economic level the recent visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister in Iran and Turkey resulted in the signing of multiple economic and trade accords with these two states. The aim is clear: i.e. to bypass the South Sea route, thus giving an additional blow to the Anglo-Saxon dominance. In this framework the alliances between the USΑ-Greece-Cyprus-Ιsrael and between Greece-Egypt-UAE-Saudi Arabia (with France and India added) guarantee the Anglo-Saxon control of the South Sea route.

In the current period Greece, in terms of hard power, is not considered important due to small population, high debt, and limited industrial base. However, in spite of these meretricious disadvantages the country is:
-Pro-Western and pro-American (since the old anti-Americanism is reduced and has been replaced by Euroscepticism due to the austerity measures which have been imposed),
-Due to historical reasons the country enjoys excellent relations with the Arab World and Israel.
-In addition to this, although the current industrial basis is limited, the existence of rare earths items in Greece, which are the raw material for the production of semi-conductors, creates a unique business filed for joint US-Greek entrepreneurial action. Joint venture enterprises between Greek and US enterprises can be established in this market segment and semi-conductor production can occur in Greece which will cover the needs of the US civilian and military industry. (We point out that the US President signed an Executive Order (21-2-2021) which seeks to increase the US production of critical resources and raw materials. Furthermore, Grek-American joint ventures can exist in many other industries such as telecommunications, satellite systems, natural gas and shale gas exploitation, the latter especially from sea via methane hydrites, broader energy network projects, sea trade, pharmaceutical industry, medical equipment industry, timber industry, food and beverages industry, furniture industry, construction industry, steel industry etc.

In addition the geographical location of Greece provides to the US Armed Forces immense geographical location advantages for the establishment of military bases in numerous places from Crete to Alexandroupolis and elsewhere for land, naval and air forces which can operate in different zones.

Fighter jets fly over the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill, during the last day of the multinational aviation exercise "Iniochos 2021" in Athens, Greece, April 22, 2021. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
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Finally the soft power of Greece has global impact. Greece is rightly considered the birth place of Western civilization. Greek ideas and values were for centuries pivotal to humanity. In spite of the current retreat of humanistic ideals due to the technological evolution Greece remains a link between peoples with different cultures and ideologies. This Greek trait can assist US policy in various geographical locations of the planet.

AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED

The current global instability can –and must- be faced. For centuries the Anglo-Saxon World has promoted the ideas of democracy, economic development, free trade and progress. In this path Greece can be a supporter and a companion.

The success of the US and Britain in the twenty first century is associated with the constant control of the South Sea route which connects the critical geopolitical territories of the Anglo-Saxons (USΑ, Canada, UK, Australia, Νew Zealand), and starts from the Pacific, continues to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, and Gibraltar.

The South Sea route has to be under the constant US control not only for geopolitical but also for geo-economic reasons since most commercial enterprises use it to transport the majority of traded finished goods and raw materials. The South Sea route can collapse either form regional military conflict, or from large scale terrorist attacks, or from the complete or partial control of the sea passage by Russia or China. If any of the above occurs the military, geopolitical and economic interests of the Western free world will suffer an immense blow.

Greece in this South Sea route has a pivotal role to play due to its geographical location and because it belongs to the liberal free Western world for decades. Greece was always an ally in the great battles for liberty and imposition of human values. That is why Greece can become a core state of the South Sea route in the following decades if the current economic rigidities are overcome. For this to occur the relationship with the US is critical. The relatively unlimited US economic strengths can bring to Greece massive Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and numerous joint venture enterprises between US multinationals and Greek companies in new and traditional economic sectors with mutually beneficial outcomes.