Last of two parts
THE postponement of the attack on Iran that United States President Donald Trump had indicated as imminent betrays the current uncertainty in America to score a clear victory. But the increasing number of F-35 jets and warships heading to the Middle East means a massive assault is still being considered.
This anticipated attack, supposedly because of the Islamic republic’s human rights violations in the wake of the recent protests there, are ignoring the killings being committed on a much larger scale in Gaza by Israel. Using Iran’s nuclear-weapon intentions as an excuse is not credible, since US inspections — which the Iranians have repeatedly allowed — have not indicated such plans, while Israel is widely known to have hundreds of nuclear warheads and has refuses inspections.
It may even be correct to say these all have some connection to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which has now impacted many of the world’s elites allied with the West and is now clearly and furiously being covered up. Human rights?
The US repeatedly declaring its intentions to take over Greenland and its resources has so alarmed the European Union that its normally docile leaders have declared a joint agreement to fight the US if the latter tries to annex the Danish territory. Of course, this situation is like a mouse fighting a cat, but it is now daring to speak — squeak? — up against America. What unprecedented boldness.
But the US military’s decline is much more visible now — in the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s combined might failing to prevent or stop Russia from invading Ukraine, in majority of the US’ own simulations showing that it cannot stop China from taking over Taiwan if that happens. Even in scientific, technological, military and educational institutions, the US cannot stop China’s advance.
More respected now is Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, who pushed back at the US in his speech in last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in the face of the US’ utter disrespect in saying that Canada relies on the US for its existence, that it would become the 51st US state, and that its major industries should move to the US, not to mention the tariffs imposed on its energy, aluminum and steel, among others.
Carney is the first Western leader who admitted publicly that the so-called rules-based economic order never existed and was selectively used and abused by Western powers. He has called on “middle powers,” including Canada, European nations, and other regional powers, to resist economic coercion by the great powers and not rely on historic allies, as systems have broken down.
Canada under Carney has become very productive and widely admired, instead of being laughed at under previous governments. He has asked Canadians to accept some blows to their gross domestic product so it can gain economic sovereignty and expansion in return.
He moved quickly to sign major agreements with countries that Canada used to ignore. He even obtained relief in China purchasing canola oil and investing more in Canada in return for lowered electric-vehicle tariffs for a limited quantity, despite US public threats. Carney also sold oil outside of US, entered into a free trade deal with Indonesia, obtained $70 billion in investments from the United Arab Emirates, signed a deal on collaborating with South Korea on entertainment and a comprehensive strategic partnership with Mexico. Engagements with India and South American countries are also being scheduled.
In summary, the cracks in the US financial, technical, business, and military spheres are not only showing, but also their decline is now underway, causing the country to use a panicked, random approach to reassert control by coercion and invasion, rather than by the natural workings of economics and society. As predicted, this is already leading to expanding violence and war.
To those studying the rise and fall of great powers, this may not signal the fall of the US, but it definitely shows a clear decline as others grow more independent. If not managed, it could become a chaotic collapse or another outright world war. The Philippines should have more mature leaders and policies. But how would this be achieved under the current gridlocks of low intelligence, lack of focus, interlocking favors and corruption, blocking longed-for developments? We need a drastic and thorough cultural redesign.
New Worlds by the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) aims to present frameworks based on a balance of economic theory, historical realities, ground success in real business and communities, and attempts at the common good, culture and spirituality. We welcome logical feedback and possibly working together with compatible frameworks.
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