The American-Israeli attack on Iran is cowardly and a betrayal of diplomatic norms and practices. The assassination of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, reflects the American establishment’s policy of regime change through killing or abducting leadership. Donald Trump came to power to make America Great Again, but it seems his main concern is to protect the Israeli regime of Netanyahu, who destroyed Gaza and killed thousands of children there. An action of this kind by Russia in Ukraine would have rushed the so-called human rights defenders and hypocritical democracy lovers into singing choruses against Vladimir Putin. Russia can do the same with Ukraine. It can destroy Kyiv, but it has charted a very careful path. Americans, on the other hand, have often been careless about the “rules-based order” they speak so loudly about, along with their European allies. I am sorry to say that the crisis has grown vast due to the shameless surrender of European leadership. They remain deeply hypocritical.
One may not agree with everything about the Iranian regime, but that is a question the Iranian people have to resolve. Why should the West interfere so much in the name of democracy in Iran? How are gender rights defended by killing 150 schoolchildren, all of whom happened to be girls? Why is Iran being targeted? Is there any outrage over the brutal killing of these innocent schoolgirls in Iran?
Selective Outrage and the Politics of Intervention
In this era of American hegemony, Europe appears as a minor partner of American corporate politics. Democracy in the Western world is widely believed to be controlled by the deep state as well as powerful corporate lobbies. They influence the media, information, and narratives. Those who do not surrender to their agenda are targeted. You decide who is evil and who is a saint. They are experts in media propaganda and narrative-setting, as Vladimir Putin has said.
The irony is that the Muslim world itself has become a puppet of these hegemonists. Those who stood looking straight into the eyes of colonial powers were defamed. Popular leadership in Iraq and Libya was eliminated as it challenged American and Western hegemony. Ayatollah Khomeini has become a hero in the Global South, particularly in parts of the Islamic world, for not bowing to the US-led Western imperial order. He paid the price, but with his sacrifice, he united Iran, as can be seen in the massive protests happening not only in Iran but in other parts of the world.
The Muslim World, Resistance, and Regime Change
The question is: how can the Western world dictate terms at its whims and fancies? How can one kill anyone without being held accountable? The fact is that Donald Trump’s actions and the failure of European leadership have already isolated them from the rest of the world. Indian leadership remains shamelessly tame in countering and confronting the American-Israeli action against Iran.
Those who shout against Jawaharlal Nehru must remember that, despite Chinese pressure, Nehru allowed the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan refugees into India, gave them respect, and never compromised on the issue until the end. Today’s leadership has betrayed the cause of the Indian people and the Global South. Narendra Modi and his government have not been able to condemn the killing of the head of a sovereign nation that has always been friendly with India and supported it. Because some within the Sangh ecosystem hate Muslims, the Indian foreign policy establishment has allowed itself to be influenced by the street politics of the Sangh Parivar, thereby undermining our independent foreign policy.
India’s Foreign Policy and the Question of Moral Authority
With this act, will India really be able to claim a moral high ground to lead the BRICS nations? Would India prefer to remain in it or distance itself from it? India is going to host the BRICS summit this year, but given its current position, will BRICS leaders trust the present regime? The Indian government has also kept quiet on the issue of Venezuela and Cuba. It tried to play a balancing role in the Russia-Ukraine war. It cannot afford to antagonise Russia, and Russia knows this well. Vladimir Putin’s visit to India was more about signalling his global acceptability to the West than anything else.
The Crisis of Global Leadership and the Future of Multipolarity
We hope good sense will prevail. The UN must revive itself and take on the role of mediating disputes between countries. It is also time for the American people to reflect on why their system continues to betray the public interest. American democracy appears corporate-controlled, and it is time for a real pro-people party that truly represents Indigenous people, African Americans, minorities, and other communities. It is important to have a party outside corporate control that serves the interests of the American people.
The world is at a crossroads, and we need statesmen to handle such a crisis. India needs a Nehru more than ever — someone who commanded huge respect and had the moral authority to lead the Global South. The United States needed a Kennedy to handle matters with care and diplomacy. Sadly, the world’s largest democracies are controlled by crony corporations and leaders who have little understanding of the crisis and are more interested in event management than addressing the serious challenges their countries face.
Let us hope that peace returns. But will it be possible without asking uncomfortable questions about the American-Israeli idea of regime change through killing the heads of sovereign states? As long as Americans and the West enjoy impunity for their actions, there cannot be lasting peace. Will Russia or BRICS take a stand to protect the rights of the Global South?
