TO begin with, I would like to quote an inspirational verse from the Holy Bible because, while taking the oath of office as President, Donald Trump placed his hands on two Bibles, one presented to him by his family and the other containing the original scriptures. The Bible reads: “For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own life and the lives of others?”
A few weeks ago, a large number of Americans, including children, took to the streets holding placards bearing slogans such as, “Don’t chop up the human community; give peace back to mankind.” American political philosopher Michael Walzer aptly observed that when the US goes about killing people, we usually know who will be targeted, where the battlefield will be and what will follow, because it does not understand legal ethics and political realities.
French author Thierry Meyssan, in his book The Frightening Fraud, reveals that the US often plans aggression against weaker nations on flimsy pretexts and demands that they surrender their weapons, while continuing to manufacture weapons itself. Instead, the US has increased its defence budget to enormous levels, exceeding the combined defence budgets of major European powers such as France and Britain.
According to a military affairs official, the Pentagon has developed a series of highly accurate and powerful new weapons. US experts are working round the clock on precision-guided munitions known as JDAMs, which can cause enormous destruction during wars. The US also intends to launch psychological operations against hostile countries. Its BLU-118/B thermobaric bomb is capable of consuming oxygen within an enclosed space, among other devastating effects. It is a bitter truth that the US has established a powerful position in human history and seeks to make the global community live according to its vision.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has reported that, in its bid to act as the global community’s big brother, the US is putting privacy and liberty at risk, while a significant proportion of its population faces acute economic and social problems. US Senator James M. Jeffords stated: “I fear that the Trump Administration is perhaps pushing us willingly into a miserable cycle of waging wars that will isolate our nation internationally and stir up hatred for Americans.” He warned that the US economy was in poor shape, yet Trump was involving the country in wars.
Currently, the war with Iran is horribly increasing suffering of all kinds, both financial and moral. This war is creating hostility and a desire for revenge against Americans. It will bring the US nothing but losses in the years to come. US policy planning, based on the concept of a “New World Order” and the rapid application of the rule of might, will exact a heavy price in the form of hatred from those subjected to this approach.
The US Constitution guarantees individual freedom, economic growth, social progress and respect for all faiths. However, Trump’s policies have faced criticism, including from members of the armed forces and within the US policy establishment, particularly regarding the Middle East and South Asia. President Trump and his predecessors have claimed that they undertake wars anywhere in the world as a “civilizing mission” and in the name of peace and prosperity for all humanity. However, the global community often perceives these actions as business ventures.
Before concluding, I would not hesitate to acknowledge the undeniable truth that disunity and divisions within the Muslim community have provided opportunities for hostile non-Muslim countries to divide Muslims and destabilize their states. This is a point that the entire Muslim community must ponder. As the proverb goes, “Unity is a powerful policy.
—The writer is a senior columnist, based in Germany.