A New Front: Is Therea New Rift in the RelationsBetween Russia and the US?

The war in Sudan is threatening to put the superpowers at odds.

The recent intensification of the fighting on the border between North and South Sudan over the region’s oil-rich territory could lead to strained relations between Moscow and Washington, which are supporting opposite sides of the conflict.

According to international news agencies, the war is currently focused upon the major battles between the two armies deployed in Sudan’s disputed region around Helgig. It is now controlled by the South Sudanese troops, which has caused Khartoum to be deprived of what amounts to nearly 55 percent of the oil sources. The North Sudanese troops have begun bombing Helgig and other southern cities in retaliation.

As written in Kommersant today, South Sudan claims that its northern neighbor has declared war with their invasion of the south, after South Sudan had halted all oil production, effectively cutting the North off from selling southern oil. Although the warring section belongs to Khartoum – and South Sudan agreed to declare independence from that city just less than a year ago – the South has deliberately attempted to undermine the North’s influence. In this case, as noted by most experts, the South Sudanese army, which consists of warlords from various ethnicities, is inferior to the North Sudanese army in both numbers and equipment. Nonetheless, Juba has, in all likelihood, secured the ideological and financial support of the U.S. and is not planning to stop their offense.

General Secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon informed the country’s president, Salva Kiir, of this several days ago -- and in a fairly bold manner. Upon being asked to stop the offense by the head of the UN, Kiir retorted that, “I am not your slave to fulfill your commands.”

Washington’s interest in South Sudan is not accidental. The South possesses huge reserves of oil and is inhabited by black-skinned Christians and various animistic groups who are opposed to the Arab-Islamic North whose president, Omar al-Bashir, is said to be a sponsor of terrorism and a welcoming host to al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

Besides that, rumor has it that the Pentagon is planning on building a military base there that will be stronger than any other on the continent. Meanwhile, American companies are interested in building an oil pipeline, which will eliminate Juba’s dependence on Khartoum for transporting its oil. According to their plan, the pipeline will connect the oil fields of South Sudan with the Kenyan port of Lamu on the Indian Ocean.

Along with this active support of South Sudan is a long-standing alliance between the U.S. and a nearby country – Israel. According to certain data, they have been giving Juba weapons for a month already, bringing them into the country on their airplanes with African mercenaries for the war with the North.

Meanwhile, a possible defeat for North Sudan would be extremely disadvantageous for Russia and China who, for many years, have worked closely with Khartoum. Beijing has invested a great deal of money in the local economy and Moscow has become the primary weapons supplier for al-Bashir’s army. If the country’s condition deteriorates, Khartoum will no longer be able to pay for the products of the Russian military-industrial complex. Russia is threatened with the loss of another market.

In conclusion, if the war is not stopped soon, the local conflict threatens to become a global issue. Moscow and Beijing are asking the United Nations Security Force to force South Sudan into a cease-fire, but bearing in mind Moscow and Beijing’s positions on Syria, Washington is unlikely to agree.