Daily Times

When will western powers curb their ambitions to be the arbiters of the people’s destinies abroad wherever and whenever they perceive an opportunity? By now, they should understand that they neither have the means nor the capabilities to realise that pipe dream. They should, therefore, stop their wild goose chase, as such policies throw into turmoil the unfortunate nations they intervene in on one pretext or the other and plunge the world into greater disorder and chaos. It is not just Ukraine they have pushed into turbulence; they have been privy to adventurism quite often. Earlier it was Iraq, then Libya and now Syria slipping down into a treacherous quagmire for their maddening strategic designs.

Europe invariably looks to the world’s sole superpower, the US, for help, still stumbling from the hangover of the long-gone Cold War, more often than not ready to oblige. At times, European adventurists respond to the US’s summons to become part of its own adventurism, as in Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein to reshape the Middle East in line with its overbearing neoconservative dream. With the use of massive military power, the compulsive adventurists not only had the Libyan strongman toppled but also saw him being assassinated by western-supported militias. The question is: what has become of ‘liberated’ Libya? It has turned out to be a lawless land with no government worth the name.

The country stands parcelled out between numerous uncontrollable militias and divided up on eastern and western fault lines as well as on tribal and confessional lines. The Libyans are living in this turmoil, knowing not what the present means for them and what the future holds. The US and the west wanted to have their way in Syria but Russia, chastened by the Libyan saga, was not prepared to sign on a UN Security Council resolution authorising outside military assault on its ally, Syria. President Bashar al-Assad is still in place due to this Russian helping hand, even as the Gulf monarchies too were actively propping up his opponents with military supplies and cash.

Of course, the compulsive adventurists have been held back because of the fanatical extremists taking over a decisive role in the resistance, having gained control over parts of Iraq and Syria. The fighting is going on in Kobane, a border town between Syria and Turkey. Last week, Turkey said that Kurdish Peshmerga fighters based in Iraq have yet to cross into Syria from Turkish territory, a day after announcing it was assisting their transit to join the battle for the town of Kobane. In August 2014, President Barack Obama, concerned over Islamic State (IS) successes in Iraq, had authorised the US military to conduct targeted strikes on fighters of IS. In an interview with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, President Obama said that the US might eventually further its participation to repel the militant group trying to gain control of the region, especially Syria and Iraq.

The fact remains that the US and the west have been creating Frankenstein’s monsters of imperialism, later posing a serious threat to their creators as well as to the world at large. After Soviet forces entered Afghanistan on what they claimed was the request of the Afghan government under the treaty signed between the then Soviet Union and Afghanistan, the US and the west supported the jihadi groups and warlords to resist the Soviet forces. When 9/11 took place, Afghanistan was being dominated by the people who were earlier lauded as freedom fighters when they fought against the Soviets. It is common knowledge that the US and the west had supported the terrorist activities of Osama bin Laden who was their find and was projected as a legend who left a luxurious life to fight the infidels.

The US and west continued with their policy of regime change and overthrew Saddam Hussein, whose government had earlier been strengthened by the US, the west and Arab countries to counter Iran’s rising power. They also stirred violence in Libya by supporting the rebels with funds and arms yet they utterly failed to bring order and stability to Libya. The US ambassador in Libya was killed by the rebels yet no lessons were learnt. It was then Syria’s turn and they played the sectarian card by providing arms to the Syrian rebels. Having realised that the al Qaeda militants had joined the ranks of the rebels and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had proclaimed himself a caliph on June 29, 2014, the US started distancing itself and refused to provide air support to the rebels.

After World War II, the US, as a superpower, had arrogated to itself the right to run the world according to its whims and fancies. There is a widespread perception that conspiracies were hatched, responsible for the assassination of Lumumba and removal of President Soekarno. It is now an open secret that the US also played its role in stoking the Iran-Iraq war, the Arab-Israel conflict, and supported the Contra saboteurs against the revolutionary government of Nicaragua. The list of its interventions, subversions, control and overthrow of third world governments is too long to be elaborated. US leaders have never hidden the motive that they want to dominate the world and control its resources. Now the Frankenstein’s monsters created by them will throw a spanner in the works.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com