What happened in Pakistan recently proves the United States of America’s apparent intervention in the internal affairs of countries all over the world. Politicians in the United States continue to assert their famous saying by George W Bush – after the September election – “You are either with us or against us!”
Following the outbreak of Russia’s war on Ukraine, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan declared that his country is “not a slave” to Europeans and that he had received a threatening letter from Washington. “America threatened to overthrow my government because I refused to set up military bases on our country!” he said.
I had hoped that the United States had learned its lesson from its failure to intervene in many countries, particularly Arab and Muslim countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether it is through the military or via economic wars that it wages with the dollar, that powerful currency that controls the world.
I’m sorry to see that America, this great nation where I’ve learned and studied, continues to wreak havoc in many areas of the world. It is as though the American Cowboy mindset still dominates it. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once clearly stated that it is not in Washington’s interest to end any global crisis, but rather to interfere and control it according to its interests.
America may be able to overthrow Imran Khan and cause chaos in the security of one or more countries, given its huge intelligence and military capabilities, but what happens after this “creative chaos”? What happens after rulers are deposed and civil conflicts erupt? Isn’t it enough for the world to have more failed governments that have turned into hotbeds of terrorism and drug export? Is America certain that its isolated geographic position will safeguard it from the afflictions of the conflicts it causes?
America’s Afghan lesson is still fresh in our minds. Nearly two decades ago, a US-led multinational military coalition in Afghanistan overthrew the Taliban. The invasion of Afghanistan was then deemed a part of the “War on Terror” by Washington. It promised to conduct a quick and decisive battle against the Taliban, but it developed into a deadly, long-running struggle that drained the US financially and militarily for over two decades. What’s next? The Taliban have regained control in Afghanistan, plunging the nation back into the abyss of extremism and terrorism.
I’d even go so far as to claim that it was the United States meddling in Ukraine that caused the country’s war and destruction. Because Russia will never accept Nato missiles on its borders, just as America refused to accept Russian missiles in Cuba in the 1960s, and this is the root of the current conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not back down from his battle in Ukraine until he achieves his objectives. The West, on the other hand, will not allow him to triumph for fear of increasing his aspirations of reviving Great Russia’s glory days. The United States continues to escalate the chaos by providing Ukraine with weapons, intelligence, and logistical support, and all parties are currently in pain, but too stubborn to admit it.
America is a great country, and everyone recognises this, except for dictators like Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, as no one dares to become its enemy. But the friendship of America is sometimes a heavy burden because of the changing views and whims of the White House.
We Arabs understand that the only power that we can rely on is the one that comes from inside. We can handle our disagreements ourselves and avoid colliding because of our devotion, dedication, and unity. We also understand that no one can enter our home until we open the door with our hands, regardless of how powerful he is.
akram@fp7.com
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