US/EU - hypocrisy and double standards

• There is no 'humanitarian reason' behind attacks/invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and so on. 
• Oil is the one and only reason for their invasion of other sovereign states. Oil may be slippery but let us not slip our foot and get dragged into supporting their hypocrisy and double standards.
• US and its allies need not ‘export’ democracy to other countries. People across the globe know what they want and can get what they want, as is evident from Egypt and Tunisia.

Weltanschauung

The U.S. government's 21 October 2002 Sudan Peace Act accused Sudan of genocide in the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983–2005), which has cost more than two million lives and has displaced more than four million people.

The U.S. has listed Sudan as a State Sponsor of Terrorism since 1993. U.S. firms have been barred from doing business in Sudan since 1997. 

Yet, US did not bomb Sudan on 'humanitarian grounds'. This is because of China's involvement in Sudan. Sudan has extensive economic relations with China. China gets ten percent of its oil from Sudan. And, China is Sudan’s largest supplier of arms.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir had warned UN peacekeeping force not to enter Sudan, denouncing any such mission as "colonial forces". Are people of Sudan less important than those of Iraq and Libya? Why double standards? Is it because they can't stand China? Or is it because there would not be much oil left, after serving China's needs?

And, nearly 3000 people were killed in The Tiananmen square protest of 1989. What was the US doing?

109,366 - is the body count since Iraq invasion.  Are these lives any less precious than those killed by Saddam?

The U.S., with 5 percent of Earth’s population and no enemies on its borders, spends about as much on “defence” as the rest of the world combined. 

There is no moral consistency to the U.S. government’s decisions about which brutal dictators to challenge, which to leave alone and which to support as allies. While justifying the war on 'humanitarian grounds', they ignore what their allies do, such as Gabon, Syria and Saudi Arabia, that are guilty of similar crimes.

Until the global recession, Libya's GDP was more than those of Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Spain and New Zealand. 79% of the oil produced in Libya is exported to Italy, France, Britain and Germany.  EU does not want to lose control over oil reserves - hence France and Britain sought US help to 'invade' Libya.

In India's case, Manishankar Iyer was the petroleum minister who was keen on Iran's gas supply. US did not like it and made sure Murali Deora is replaced Manishankar Iyer. US does not want India-Pak-Iran ties to strengthen. While this is a political reason, there is economic reason as well. They want to sell their Uranium to us!

We can see a shift of industrialisation from oil-base to gas-base across the world. The focus of super power and its allies is shifting from the middle east to the gas-rich Africa, Latin America and Asia. One may call it 'pre-soviet thinking' but we must see the 'safeguarding democracy' crusades of the west in this light!  After all, what better has the 'post-soviet thinking' done?

As ‘The Hindu’ says in its editorial on 22^nd March, Libyans are dying to get Nicolas Sarkozy re-elected.  Iraqis and Afghanis have died to get Bush and Blair re-elected. Many Muslims and Hindus have died to get Modi re-elected. It is painful but sadly true! Noble peace prize was given to Tony Blair and Barack Obama! Indians need not worry such prize was not given to MK Gandhi.

And, the role of the universal police will cost the west dearly. It would only result in more support for Jihadi groups.

- Srisail Reddy Panjugula

srisail@gmail.com