The recent terrorist attacks in Paris should lead to some serious introspection and re-evaluation of policies by America and the West. I feel it will become clear that the main cause of turmoil in the world is that America and the west are unwilling to create any room for the rising powers. America wants to maintain its hegemony and the West its domination at any cost. They are behaving like spoiled children rather than mature adults. Their attitude is, “If I cannot have it, then you cannot have it either.” The spoiled child will break the toy rather than share it. Whereas Europe is showing some flexibility, America continues its quest for gold medals in the fields of arrogance and stubbornness.
Which are the rising powers? Russia, China, and India are the biggest rising powers in the world today. Then there are countries such as Brazil and South Africa that can also be considered as the rising powers. Therefore, BRICS can be considered the main organization of the rising powers. These powers are developing alternate institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Invest Bank, which are challenging the western-dominated institutions, the World Bank and the IMF. The eagerness of some America’s closest allies to join the new Bank shows that reality starts asserting itself no matter how much we try to deny it. The elite clubs can only last if you have full control over the resources. When you lose control over resources, then you have to make room for the others. The G-7 had to become G-8, and then G-20 emerged. The main problem is that while Europe is showing some flexibility in adjusting to the rising powers, America is adamant that it will not budge. Just look at Sarkozy, the former President of France. I did not like his policies because he had unrealistic faith in America’s strength. Instead of Europe playing an independent role in the world, he seemed to suggest that it should be satisfied being the junior partner of America. The French rejected his policies. However, Sarkozy has learnt from his mistakes and has changed his stand. He has become a strong advocate of making room for the rising Russia. I had nothing personal against Sarkozy, I just did not like his policies. However, since he has corrected his policies, I feel he deserves a second chance. Unfortunately, Stephen Harper never learnt from his mistakes and the Canadians had to show him the way out. Europe deserves credit for showing a willingness to change. However, America is trying to maintain its hegemony at any cost.
America is absolutely refusing to make any room for the rising powers. In Europe, it is trying to contain Russia. America is inciting Russia’s neighbors to stand up against Russia. It has forced the European countries to break their trade agreements and other deals with Russia. It has forced them to impose sanctions on Russia. It encouraged the fascists and the ultra-nationalists in Ukraine to start a war in Ukraine. It is forcing Russia’s neighbors to join the NATO. It is installing nuclear missiles in Russia’s neighborhood. In Asia, America is doing everything it can to contain China. It is inciting China’s neighbors to rise against China. It is directly interfering in the South China territorial disputes. It is forcing the APEC countries to discuss the South China territorial issue in their meeting in Philippines even when the host country does not want to bring up that issue in the meeting. America is trying everything to provoke China like sending its aircraft carriers into the disputed waters and flying its planes over the disputed territories.
Such American attitude and actions create chaos, anarchy and turmoil in the world. These in turn breed terrorism. This gives an indirect support to the terrorists. However, America and the western countries have never hesitated to join hands with the terrorists in order to get rid of their adversaries. Just look at what happened in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. The same thing is happening in Syria. In order to dethrone Assad, America and the western countries encouraged terrorists against him. I feel this is one of the biggest causes of not only the refugee crisis in Europe, but also of the terrorist attacks in Paris. America and the western countries have aligned with the most oppressive, the worst violators of human rights, and proponents of radical Wahabi Islam, regimes such as Saudi Arabia against the secular, liberal, and democratic forces in the middle East. This can be considered a direct support to radicalism, fundamentalism, and terrorism. Libya is a glaring example of this.
America and the West have to accept the fact that equations between the East and the West have changed and the balance of power has shifted to the East. In the new world order based upon the present balance of power, neither American hegemony nor western domination can last. The relations between the East and the West have to be based upon equality and mutual respect. America has to learn the merit of sharing. If it does not learn to share and refuses to make room for the rising power of the Eat, then the world will go into more turmoil and that will increase the problem of terrorism. If the western countries really want to solve the problem of terrorism, then they have to work with the other countries and start respecting other cultures. They should not impose their values on others and let other people follow their own values and lifestyle. For too long the western countries have been following policies where they have been passing their values as universal values. In a world order based upon the principles of equality, mutual respect, pluralism, and tolerance, there will be very little room for terrorism.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
