Real Dimensions of the US War against Terrorism [Archives:2002/04/Focus]

Abdulmalik Ahmed Al-Kamali
Taiz
Following the post-World War II, new political and economic conflicts emerged between the former Soviet bloc which was known as the U.S.S.R and the Western bloc led by the USA. In this respect, the US during the Cold War has been seeking to direct its entire forces at all levels, politically, economically, militarily and in cooperation with its allies to defeat the U.S.S.R in different parts of the world and having the upper hand in the world. Everything has been achieved to the benefit of the US. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the Soviet bloc was completely broken up and the Cold War also ended. Since then the US has the upper-hand in the world and begins to apply new terms as that of the new world order. This new world order has enabled the US to redraw the world map according to its own interests. As a superpower, the US dreams begin to shatter. It believes that there are of course difficulties and hindrances blocking its way. One of these difficulties encountered by the US is the China’s emergence as an economical superpower in Asia and begins to expand its influence to a number of different countries of the world. The success of the economic bloc in Eastern Asia exceeds the American exports. In addition to this, the US fears are principally related to the issue of nuclear proliferation possessed by Pakistan and India and the US fears have greatly intensified. The emergence of Islam as powerful force, has an effect on the international and political arena and its influence on the European communities also has its critical importance in this respect. As a religion, thousands of Europeans have embraced Islam away from the Western materialism and searching for psychological stability.
Some countries have struggled to liberate from the new world order subservience and political dependency, such as, Iraq, Iran, and Libya. Consequently, the aforementioned reasons are the main obstacles to the US to achieve its ulterior motives. It has practiced all means of pressures and political and military provocation and it again has used the mottoes of the Cold War such as, (human rights and democracy). But this time its attempts failed and of no avail. Other alternatives have been experienced (American plane violated the Chinese airspace) and imposing embargo upon countries far away from the US continent such as, Iraq and Korea. All the US attempts to achieve its targets have also failed.
The US has viewed closely the world changes, the September 11 incidents have led the US to launch war against the so-called terrorism and seized the opportunity to achieve its targets.
As a result of this, the US has declared the war considering any Islamic group as terrorists. The term terrorism also applied to the states and countries such as, Palestine, Kashmir, South Lebanon, and Chechen-Ingush struggling for liberty and freedom. The first victim is Afghanistan, why Afghanistan? Because it is a shelter for most Arabs who have discordance with their rulers in their original countries. So, we wonder, in its war against terrorism, does the USA want to overthrow the Taliban Movement in Afghanistan or does the US has other political dimensions? The political observers see that the US-led war against terrorism is a temporary pretext and the main aim is to establish permanent military base in central Asia. It aims at holding sway over on these countries without rivals. Scrutinizing the international current changes especially after the collapse of the al-Qaeda movement, it is clear that the US-led war against the so-called terrorism represented by the following dimensions:
* The first dimension is represented by weakening China’s role as a strong economic superpower which is progressing by leaps and bounds. This is not only enough, China always seeking to be the first superpower in South-eastern Asian countries. In this respect, China has been seeking to develop its relations with the Arab countries and making trade contracts with them. These developments have irritated the US, which constitute a huge danger to the US interests in those countries.
* The second dimension is represented by the success of the Pakistani-Indian arms race and the possession of nuclear weapons and this also has disturbed the US and the countries which make joint defense pacts such as, Japan and Taiwan. The big problem is the Islamists themselves in Pakistan when they possesses such nuclear weapons and using it against the US interests or against the Jews in Palestine. Consequently, we see the US fears begin to disappear and this can be clearly seen through the current conflicts between Pakistan and India.
* The third dimension is clearly seen through the US dominance on the energy zones in the Caspian Sea which possess a huge oil wealth and preventing Russia to dominate other parts of the South-Eastern Asian countries. The US also aims at weakening Iran’s role and Iraq. These two countries have also irritates the US a lot.
* The fourth dimension is the US determination to weaken the Arab and Islamic decision to encounter the Zionist defiance and to prevent any sustainable relation between the Arab countries.
In addition to this, the US existence in several parts of the world such as, in Central Asia, Indian Ocean, Arabic Gulf, and the Red Sea constitute a political enfeeblement on the part of the Arab systems which oppose the US policies. The US also desires to preserve its oil interests in the Arab lands for fear that it may be used later by Arabs to threaten its interests there.
In the same context, political observers anticipate that the coming years will witness economic and political changes which may result in the lack of international equilibrium. Consequently, the US dreams may succeed in some parts and in some other parts it may fail. So, if the US has succeeded in the war launched against the so-called terrorism, who knows such war may no longer resist in front of these ups and downs. Everything on this earth is changeable. We will wait and see.

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