Unknown
to most people, the United States has embarked on an exercise to divide
the world into two blocks – “democracies” and “authoritarian” states.
What’s
more, the US defines “authoritarian” as any country that refuses to
follow the prescriptions of the West with regard to the political system
it adopts.
Yet the United Nations Charter, signed in 1945, did
not mention the word democracy – because it is each nation’s sovereign
right to pursue its own political system. And a nation’s choice is
legitimised solely by its people.
America’s divisive exercise –
the Summit for Democracy, to be held on December 9, 2021, in Washington –
goes against the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Of
the 101 countries invited, 28 per cent are categorised as “partly free”,
while 3 per cent are considered “not free”. There is no “alternative
political system” category. Thirty-nine European countries were invited,
but only 17 African countries, four from South and Central Asia, and
two from the Middle East. Notably, China is absent, and as a main theme
of the summit is “Defending against authoritarianism” – this is thinly
veiled belligerence on an international scale.
This means that of
the 193 countries in the world, the US believes 92 are undeserving of
its definition of international recognition and are essentially pariah
states. That is almost half the world. But the world possesses a
diversity of political systems that we must all learn to accept and work
with to make multilateral cooperation more effective. Dividing the
world into two camps is limiting, regressive, and a reflection of a Cold
War mentality that is counter-productive.
Ultimately, this
summit is yet another American attempt to curtail the rise of China and
demonise it: post-summit, it is likely that countries will be expected
to take action “in support of democracy”. Given the proximity of the
Beijing Winter Olympics to the summit, we can expect to hear threats of
boycotts and read scathing statements from Western politicians and
commentators on China – some are already calling it the “Genocide
Olympics”. This is part of a wider strategy to impose a pax Americana
world order by weaponising the noble notion of democracy, bolstering
Washington’s declining stature and hegemonic global influence.
This
approach is not new. It is the age-old “with us or against us”
strategy, and delivers all the consequences that a hegemon can inflict
upon non-compliant states, including sanctions on the weak and the poor.
Yet the more the West attempts to convince the world that China is the
threat, the more it isolates itself in its own echo-chamber of Cold
War-esque narratives.
The strategy is guaranteed to fail as most of the world does not see China as the over-arching global threat.
Anonymous
US Regrets Arrogant Treatment of Equatorial Guinea as Beijing Plans 1st Atlantic Military Base
ReplyDeleteAlarm bells are ringing at the White House and Pentagon as American intelligence reports suggest Beijing intends to establish its first permanent military presence on the Atlantic Ocean in the tiny Central African country of Equatorial Guinea, raising the prospect that Chinese warships would be able to rearm and refit opposite the East Coast of the US.
Equatorial Guinea is a former Spanish colony with a population of 1.4 million and had secured independence in 1968.
In Equatorial Guinea, the Chinese likely have an eye on Bata, the largest city on the mainland section of the country, which already has a Chinese-built deep-water commercial port on the Gulf of Guinea. In the past two decades, Chinese companies have built 100 commercial ports around Africa.
In October, US officials tried to persuade President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and his son and heir apparent, Vice President Teodoro “Teodorin” Nguema Obiang Mangue, to reject China’s overtures. President Obiang has ruled the country since 1979.
However, the US knows it's challenging to get Equatorial Guinea’s favor as it is seeking help from a country it has pointedly criticized. The US has accused the Obiang regime of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture and other abuses.
In 2004, US Senate committee issued a report criticizing a Washington-based bank for turning “a blind eye to evidence suggesting the bank was handling the proceeds of foreign corruption” in accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in deposits controlled by Mr. Obiang, his wife and other relatives.
The US also pursued the allegedly ill-gotten gains of the president’s son Mr. Obiang Mangue, accusing him of amassing a fortune of more than $300 million “through corruption and money laundering” while earning less than $100,000 a year as minister of agriculture and forestry. Mr. Obiang Mangue called the U.S. ambassador asking for help clearing his name against what he said were unfair allegations surfacing in the press. He said he had earned his riches by winning legitimate government contracts during the country’s oil-fueled infrastructure boom. Discovery of huge offshore gas and oil reserves in 1996 allowed members of President Obiang's family to spend lavishly on exotic cars, mansions and other luxuries
Shortly after Principal deputy U.S. national security adviser Jon Finer visited Equatorial Guinea in October, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with President Obiang, after which Beijing put out a statement highlighting that “Equatorial Guinea has always regarded China as its most important strategic partner.”
China helps train and arm the Equatorial Guinean police.
A survey done months ago indicated, ironically, that the biggest threat to peace and democracy was the USA, not China or Russia.
ReplyDeleteHow are the rest of the world going to reconcile their thinking against the reality by attending that summit?
By their attendance at the summit conducted by the biggest threat to democracy, does it mean that their attendance will make the USA become less of a threat to democracy and be replaced by China and Russia?
That the summit will fail big time is already proven. The attendees will be present just to talk cock and sing songs. Those with no cocks just lay eggs.
In Animal Farm, when the Pigs say something logical or otherwise, the other animals will have to say bravo, ye, ye, ye. That will be the scenario at the democracy summit.
ReplyDeleteSnowball and Napoleon even had attack dogs to hound those who do not obey. Humans are more like animals in behavior. Nothing more nothing less. Just animals in motion.
Satan is convening a meeting of his followers to talk about love and support for Christianity.
ReplyDeleteBelieve in Satan and your sins will be forgiven. As simple as that!