DR. SAWRAJ SINGH
INTERNATIONALAFFAIRS / EDITORIAL
The year 2013 proved to be a giant steptoward a multipolar world from a western-dominated unipolar world. It becameclear that the West has lost its dominationand America has lost its hegemonyand status of the only superpower of theworld. The situation in Syria, more thanany other event, proved that America andthe West have lost their ability to dictateand control the world.When we look at the difference betweenLibya and Syria, it becomes obvious thatthe world has changed a lot. Two yearsago, America and the West were able tooverthrow Gaddafi without much oppositionfrom the rest of the world.However, in Syria, America and the Westshould be thankful to Russia for savingtheir faces and preventing a very disastrousand dangerous situation for them.Putin saved the day: instead of the Westattacking Syria on the premise of notdestroying its chemical weapons and riskingthe most serious consequences, hepersuaded Assad to agree to handoverthose weapons for destruction.Another very significant developmentwas the projection by the United Nationsthat by 2020, the combined GrossDomestic Product (GDP) of the BRICSnations will be larger than the combinedGDP of America and the westernEuropean countries. One has to also takeinto consideration the fact that GDPdoes not allow a fair comparison of theeconomies of different countries.Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is moreaccurate in that respect. For example, anAmerican family whose total income isabout 2,000 dollars per month will beconsidered living in borderline poverty.However, a similar family in India making125,000 Rupees (approximatelyequivalent to 2,000 dollars) per month isconsidered as being very well-off.Similarly, the GDP of America is abouttwo times that of China. However, if wetake PPP as the criterion for comparison,then the difference significantly narrowsdown. There is hardly any doubt that theWest is comparatively on the decline andpower is shifting to the East.Iran’s nuclear deal and North Korea’sunderground nuclear test also proved thesame point that the West cannot stop theother countries from doing what theywant to do. A few years ago, Iraq wasstopped from developing its nuclearcapability; Israel bombed and destroyedIraq’s nuclear facilities. Israel wanted torepeat the performance in Iran.However, America and other westerncountries did not want to take the risk.Whereas Iraq was unable to retaliate, Irannow has the ability to deliver a very seriousif not fatal blow to Israel and inflicta very heavy damage to the western interests.Similarly, North Korea can inflictvery heavy damage to South Korean,American, and Japanese interests. In bothsituations, the West chose not to attackdirectly. They opted for a negotiated settlement.In case of Iran, it worked; andwith North Korea, it led to a stalemate.The conclusion is that the West could nothave its way and had to compromise.In Egypt, the army overthrew PresidentMorsi and has revived its relations withRussia. This is a very significant shift ofpower in the Middle East. Russia hasgained at the expense of the West. SaudiArabia, the closest American ally in theArab world, is thoroughly frustrated.For the first time, we have a Pope from aLatin American country instead ofEurope. This represents a significantshift of power in the Catholic Church.Two other events also point to the weakeningof American and western influence.Edward Snowden’s informationleaks and the shutdown in America notonly led to embarrassment for America,but also widened the Trans-Atlantic gap.The growing differences betweenAmerica and Europe will weaken theoverall western influence.While America and Western Europe lostinfluence, Russia, China and India gainedinfluence. The Devyani Khobragadeaffair again showed that America is facingdifficulties in pursuing arrogant policiesand double standards. India reactedwith much more force than Americacould have imagined.Many Indian diplomats and celebritieshave faced American arrogance andhumiliating treatment in the past.However, India never reacted with forceand always showed a subdued and subservientresponse. This time it was different.All major political parties joinedhands to condemn the American attitudeand came in defense of Devyani, whohas become a sort-of national hero andrallying point to vent frustration againstAmerican heavy-handedness and doublestandards.The Devyani Khobragade affair alsoshowed that unfortunately, the new convertsto western capitalism (especiallyamongst overseas Indians) are muchmore fanatic and generally supportive ofthe extreme reactionary and decadentpolicies of western capitalism. PreetBharara joins the long list of these figuressuch as Bobby Jindal and NikkiHaley.
