As a student of history, over time I have realized that we do not learn history to know only how to behave or how to succeed. Basically we learn history to know who we are.
America was discovered by Europeans in 1492, but it was only after 1600 that “successful settlement” started. The majority were from the United Kingdom. The settlers were adventurous and desperate. They left not only their home, and environment but the continent. For them, this was a prevail or perish situation.
To establish themselves, they came in contact and conflict with indigenous people who resisted and fought with primitive weapons, bows, and arrows. Europe experienced 100 years of war, 30 years of war, and many more. In the process they developed tactics, armament, guns, and cannons superior to the native’s armament.
The locals suffered defeat one after the other but that did not break their will to resist. What caused defeat is treachery. European settlers would come to an agreement and peace deal, but in an opportune moment when the indigenous people were “off guarded” the settlers attacked and massacred the indigenous population and in the process grabbed more lands.
History is replete with such examples. Even history museums in the US would testify that. They targeted the culture and way of life of the native population. In all of these the settlers exterminated some 56 million native populations, occupied their lands, their homes, villages, environment and pushed the survivors into pockets, picturized them as savage people, and made them insignificant (sounds familiar as what is happening in Palestine).
This is interesting, why USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and to some extent New Zealand support Israel, possibly it is the latest existing settler colony following their way of establishing a “western colony.”
To build the habitat, large-scale farming, and economy to support such activities there was a huge demand for manpower, slave trade got currency that started another era of dehumanization of African people. In the process, they killed a few million slaves brutally -- sounds like brutality is in their DNA -- the way Europeans killed or were allowed to kill and the manner they killed six million Jews in modern times, not in the medieval age.
However, the settlers were very industrious and innovative and started building neighbourhoods, communities, and society. Simultaneously building institutions of academic, political, and social excellence. These institutions harnessed culture, and fineness in society. Justice, equality, and the idea of human rights crept into society.
All these could happen because of some charismatic leaders like GeorgeWashington, Franklin D Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, and of course lately, John F Kennedy (compared to the present two presidential candidates seem bankruptcy of leadership in the US politics). Under their dynamic leadership, America cultivated the greatest economy, built great big things, technological advancement, explored space, and cultivated the world's greatest artists. The Declaration of Independence was considered a masterpiece of human rights and equality. It inspired people to stand for what was right.
But at some point in time, the neo-cons took over the centre stage of politics, realists dominated the White House/Capitol Hill and it gradually shifted from democracy to polyarchy. This shift being that of a lone superpower affected the whole world and its impact still continues.
The US has approximately 800 military bases around the globe, it is involved in 83 countries in counter-terrorism. From 2000-2021 US economic sanctions increased to 1000%. Today the US has sanctioned a third of the world population. Sanctions are not benign. It is short of bypassing war but they cause mass amounts of death and suffering. Sanctions in the Gulf War in the 90’s alone killed 5 lakh children.
After the Cold War, the US destabilized the Middle East and adjacent areas by invading or involving Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Pakistan, killing millions (mostly civilians) -- all perhaps just to eliminate the threat to Israel and enhance its security.
However, we are seeing the world moving from unipolar to multipolar, and when power declines it develops ego and ill-temper and the US is no exception. Nonetheless, it takes time for an empire to collapse, although it quickens when it implodes from within.
The US with its economic and military might could remain a leading power for quite a long time, but it has gradually been losing its “moral authority” with its stance on the Ukraine and Palestine conflicts. From a value-based viewpoint, it almost lost its legitimacy and credibility in general as a leading power.
In the case of Ukraine, Zelensky was about to strike a peace deal with Russia in March 2022 making the US-led West irrelevant. NATO, led by the USA, foiled the initiative when UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Kyiv after the Russia-Ukraine peace talk and Zelensky withdrew from the peace deal. This is how the ego of a declining power causes further trouble.
In the issue of Palestine, the USA is taking sides with Israel against international law and rule-based order which they always talk about. The US has threatened to impose sanctions on ICC for its process of the arrest warrant against Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister. This is an expression of the ill-temper of a falling power.
The US has criticized and condemned the ICJ ruling of January 2024 and May 2024 where the court ordered Israel to take effective measures to prevent the destruction of evidence related to allegations of acts of genocide within the scope of Genocide Convection. Last week, the court ordered Israel to immediately halt military offensive and any other action in Rafah.
Though the US supports the two-state theory in their official statement, it imposed a veto not to recognize Palestine as a member state in the UN. This is state mischief. More so, the high-handedness of police and establishment against the protesters in educational institutions looks like any undignified authoritarian state action.
This is imploding from within, and drifting away from The Declaration of Independence, liberty, freedom, and free speech. This is an indication that the patience, due diligence, and democratic stamina of polyarchy are spiraling down. Possibly this is what happens once an empire falls from grace and loses its “moral authority.”
Lt Gen (Retd) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, PhD is a former Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Email: [email protected]
