By Dr. Sawraj Singh
As the western economic crisis is becoming deeper and there is no solution in sight, America has become very aggressive in world affairs. America is desperately trying to maintain western control on world resources, particularly oil. Under this new aggressive policy, Gaddafi was murdered with such brutality and barbarity that has never been seen in recent times. Libya has been added to the list of countries such as Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, which have been pushed to anarchy by western invasion.
Syria is in the line to join the countries which have become painful victims of western aggression. America is inciting the most dogmatic, extreme fanatic fundamentalist and Islamist elements, bandits, traitors, and mercenaries to spread violence in Syria to justify the western invasion of Syria to change the regime of Bashar Al Assad. However, America is meeting tough resistance from Russia and China. Therefore, the Syrian invasion will be much more difficult than the Libyan invasion. Moreover, the strategic location of Syria makes it much more difficult. An uncontrolled civil war in Syria can easily spill over into the neighboring countries, severely risking the security and stability of the most crucial American allies.
Even more dangerous American policy is containing and confronting China in its own backyard. This is like entering a lion’s den or putting your hand in a snake pit. America is desperately trying to include India in its China containment policy. Just like Syria, it is inciting the most dogmatic and fanatic extremist religious elements. The only difference is that in Syria, they happen to be Muslim, while in India they can be Hindu.
America is unleashing forces which can ultimately turn against western civilization. However, the bigger danger to western civilization is from starting a Third World War against Russia, China, and their allies, because the West is bound to lose the war. Losing the Third World War can be the final blow to Western civilization, which is already facing a severe crisis.
Why cannot the West win a Third World War?
The biggest reason is the human factor. While the economic and military factors definitely influence the outcome of a war, however, the most important factor which determines the outcome of a war is the human factor. It is the will of the people to fight. The modern western civilization is based upon the value system of western capitalism. Western capitalism has made people extremely selfish, self-centered, individualistic, alienated, impatient, intolerant, fearful, anxious, and insecure. These types of people cannot fight a sustained war. They can only win quick victories which are the result of massive force and superiority based upon advanced technology and weaponry. However, when a conflict becomes prolonged, these advantages start to disappear and the human factor becomes more important.
Still another contributory factor to the human factor is the changing gender roles. In many western societies as well as other societies which are following the western pattern, the women’s liberation movement has purposely (by the capitalist system) been made to interfere with natural gender roles.
This phenomenon can be responsible for declining fertility rates and falling sperm counts in many Western countries as well as in Israel. This phenomenon can also influence the mens’ ability to fight. Last year, more American soldiers died from suicide than were killed in actual combat. It is a well-known fact that the incidence of severe depression and other mental illnesses is extremely high in American soldiers who were in countries where there was active combat.
It is also a known fact that the American army is facing increasing difficulty in recruiting better elements of society and is forced to have to constantly lower their standards to recruit soldiers. Generally, the majority of the soldiers are coming from the most deprived sections of society. Survival, rather than patriotism, is their main reason to join the army. When such soldiers are sent into combat, their main concern is to come back alive. Unfortunately, even the Samurai (traditional Japanese warriors and warlords) knew the fact that if one goes into war with the main intention of attaining martyrdom, then he has a higher probability of surviving; whereas if one goes into war with the main intention of coming back alive, then he has a higher probability of being killed.
As opposed to the western side, the other side has more reasons and the will to fight. The Russians feel that they were very badly humiliated and taunted by the West—particularly by America—when the Soviet Union collapsed. The Chinese feel that in the last two centuries, the West treated them very badly and exploited and suppressed them. The North Koreans also feel severely wronged by the West. Iran and Pakistan, being Muslim countries, feel that the Western civilization is set to finish the Islamic civilization. These countries can extend the concept of suicide bombs to nuclear weapons and be the first to use them against countries such as Israel and India.
With the recent victories of Socialists in France and other European countries, there seems to be a growing feeling in Europe that the American style of consumerist capitalism is not suitable for the West. Europe seems to be drifting away from America. After experiencing the destruction of two World Wars, Europe is very reluctant to get involved in a Third World War. Leaders such as Sarkozy and Tony Blair are now looked down upon as being American stooges, peons, and sell-outs. The new leaders in Europe may stop supporting aggressive American policies and may be able to stop America from starting a Third World War. If a Third World War starts, the very likely affect can be the destruction of western civilization based upon consumerist capitalism.
Europe has the ability to stop America from starting a Third World War. However, Europe has very hard choices to make. It has to give up the privileged status it enjoyed in the last two centuries. Basically, Europe has to make this choice: Will Europe try to retain its privileges and risk the very survival of western civilization, or will Europe live in a multipolar world based upon principles of fairness, equality, and justice?
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].
