Pakistan-Iran attacks: Another Middle East conflict heats up

Pakistan-Iran conflict: Fear of another Middle East war | Ian Bremmer | World In: 60

Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week from Davos on World In :60.

How was White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s statement on a two state solution received in Davos?

Well, I mean, people like the idea of a two-state solution. They have absolutely no idea how to get there. And even if you say you could link it to Saudi normalization with Israel, by the way, the Israelis still want, and behind the scenes the Saudis still want. You still have to find a way to govern Palestine, both Gaza and the West Bank. And we are very, very far, I should say Israel is very, very far from having that as a possibility. So are the Palestinians.

Could the attacks between Pakistan and Iran ignite into a bigger conflict?

Yes, it absolutely could, but has almost nothing to do with Gaza. It was that ISIS attack in Iran that the Iranians are responding to. This is about domestic security, domestic concerns. That's why they hit Pakistan. That's why Pakistan hit them back. But no question, this is a tinderbox. The Middle East, it's very dry and we've got a lot of sparks. And I expect that this conflict is only going to escalate further.

Finally, what should we expect from the Ukraine peace summit to be held in Geneva?

Well, not very much, because the Russians won't participate. And President Putin has absolutely no incentive to give anything. The reason he's talking about diplomacy right now is because he's hoping to shake a few Europeans free and say, yeah, yeah, you should talk. You should sit down with them. It's making it easier to create a wedge inside Europe, especially once Trump gets the Republican nomination, who is clearly on that side. But we are very, very far from peace. In fact, we've got the Ukrainians right now on the back foot and deeply, deeply dissatisfied with it.

More from GZERO Media

As the back-to-school season brings a whirlwind of registration forms, shopping lists, and new technology, scammers are taking advantage of the chaos to steal personal and financial information. To protect yourself and your family, remember the ABCs: Always Be Cybersecure! For expert tips on how to maintain your digital safety during this busy time, read on for advice from Mastercard’s Deputy Chief Security Officer Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies during a U.S. House Oversight and Reform Select Subcommittee hearing on coronavirus crisis, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 22, 2021.
Graeme Jennings/Pool via REUTERS

Friday’s new US jobs report showed that unemployment ticked down to 4.2% and employers added 142,000 jobs in August, lower than the 161,000 expected.

Former President Donald Trump gives brief remarks alongside his attorney Todd Blanche at the conclusion of his hush money trial at Manhattan criminal court on July 11.
Michael M. Santiago/Pool via USA TODAY NETWORK

Former President Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York hush-money case, which had been scheduled for Sept. 18, has been delayed until after Election Day.

People react inside a damaged residence following an Israeli raid, in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Sept. 6, 2024.
REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

An American woman was fatally shot at a protest against settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, the State Department confirmed.

Honduras' President Xiomara Castro delivers a speech during a ceremony to commemorate the National Flag Day, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras September 1, 2024.
REUTERS/Stringer

Honduran President Xiomara Castro faced calls to resign on Wednesday after journalists released a video of her brother-in-law negotiating payoffs with convicted drug traffickers.

FILE PHOTO: A Kenyan police officer stands guard during a joint operation with Haitian police, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti July 29, 2024.
REUTERS/Jean Feguens Regala/File Photo

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Haiti for the first time on Thursday, underscoring American support for the struggling Caribbean government and the Kenyan-led security mission meant to stabilize the country.

Hunter Biden
REUTERS

Just as jury selection was about to start for his federal tax evasion trial, Hunter Bidenhas offered to plead guilty in a last-ditch effort to avoid a costly and potentially damning public trial.