The danger of war grows as U.S. power wanes

The world is on the edge of the abyss; Dr. William Briggs warns that independence and sovereignty must be fought for if we are to live in peace and security as capitalism disintegrates.

THE FACTORY WORKER in Tehran, the shopkeeper in Beirut, the taxi driver in Tel Aviv, they all share the same desire. They all want a chance to live in peace, and yet this simple wish is denied.

These workers, their families, and the billions of people like them around the world should not have to live in fear. Their immediate futures and lives are under the domination of other forces. Everyone wants the ceasefire to turn into a lasting peace, but the Middle East is unlikely to know lasting peace, or at least not until fundamental change occurs.

Whether the world is good or bad, and certainly the balance is on the bad side, the economic rules of capitalism continue to prevail. Economies must expand, economic strength must be maintained, and profits must increase. National economies depend on globally connected companies. In such a world, security comes from applying pressure, exercising power, and keeping rivals at bay. None of this is good news for any of us, especially if you live in or around the oil-producing Middle East.

Economic power, strategic interests, and great power competition are focused on the region, and have been for decades. Whoever controls the oil? Regional geography also controls the world. Thoughts have not changed, but things have changed. It is no longer possible for capitalism to exist in an ever-expanding economic universe of its own creation. The economic crisis affects the entire global market. Economic blocs compete with each other to survive. As the crisis deepens, economic pressure and military threat become more evident.

And at the heart of this is the steady decline of US power as the star of its arch-rival and rival China rises.

In happier, more stable days, the United States could be assured of being safely orbiting an important region like the Middle East, but not anymore. While the world was struggling to control natural resources, the USA defined China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as countries. authoritarian axisThis is George W. Bush’s ‘axis of evil‘.

Iran sells oil to China, China sends money to North Korea, and North Korea sends weapons to Russia. This is undoubtedly the case, but the United States and its allies have always acted this way. This is called global trade, or rather international relations, or a link in the “authoritarian” chain, which is unacceptable when it comes to an “enemy”.

For the Middle East, this meant for the United States the need to strangle Iran and thus cut off global interactions between its designated enemies at the source.

It led to war. The war was pre-planned and unprovoked. The Iranian regime is reprehensible in every respect, but change can only come from within, not from the smoking barrels of American guns or missile strikes.

War, like all wars, is about power, control and economic power. The war, like all wars, encourages nationalist reactions. The region is now more displaced than ever before, and all old truths are shown to be shattered.

This particular outburst of imperial anger did not arise from the weather. There is an absolute need for the USA and Israel serving in its place; This is to stop the loss of American dominance in the region and its shift from global hegemonic power.

This obvious fact, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubiospeaking earlier this year to declare that what is at stake is a struggle Revival of Western civilization. This call for a renewed imperialist and colonialist world order found terrible resonance when Trump declared:a civilization will die‘ When he threatens Iran.

This apocalyptic vision has yet to come true, but Rubio’s call for the revival of Western civilization remains relevant. In effect, this means the continuation of the US-dominated capitalist order, where vassal states are challenged and national sovereignty fades.

Although Canute demands that the tide not rise, the truth is capitalism is in crisis and the great struggle between rival capitalist superpowers continues to determine who will briefly prevail. The tide is still rising.

Israel, which plays an increasingly important role in maintaining US power in the region, is becoming increasingly isolated and surviving thanks to its military power and the power of its American sponsor.

What should be clear to everyone who can see is that the status quo in the Middle East cannot continue. The genocide in Gaza, the destruction of the West Bank, the barbaric attacks on Lebanon will never achieve peace. Those who state unequivocally that Israel has the right to exist are right, as long as every state has the right to exist. Whether a state will exist forever is another matter. How it is managed is another matter.

The Israeli regime cannot sustain the current state of permanent war. What seems impossible today may now become a necessity. This possibility is for a democratic, secular state that recognizes the equal participation of all, including the Palestinian people. Security and peace for all require a multi-ethnic state. The United States, which demands a strong and aggressive ally in the region to act as a sub-imperialist power, will never accept this, but things have changed and are changing.

Survival and self-interest, or submission to the dictates of a fading imperial power. Independence or subjugation. These should not be choices. A better way is possible. None of this can alleviate the crisis plaguing capitalism; However, American capitalism will not collapse if it tries to reach a fair agreement first with its allies and then with its rivals. Of course this is a fantasy.

Capitalism is not about sharing. Global power is not about working for the common good. The problems surrounding capitalist relations in the 21st century led to war in Iran. The same problems bring with them the danger of a regional war turning into a global war. These problems lead to the constant development of weapons industries and the presence of enemies where they are not. It stimulates a war mentality that will drag Australia into an American war against China.

What should be done then? The call should be: no war, no US-inspired wars, no economic enslavement. The local, national and global call to strive for national independence and mutual benefit for peace, stability and security must be heeded.

The factory worker in Tehran, the shopkeeper in Beirut, the taxi driver in Tel Aviv are no different from their Australian counterparts. We all share a common humanity and a common enemy. Capitalism will continue to tear itself and the world apart, but we can and must demand the right to a decent life and future.

Dr William Briggs is a political economist. His particular interests are political theory and international political economy. He has variously been a teacher, journalist and political activist.

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