Expanding War in Gaza: Global Implications due to Western Support on Genocide | VT Foreign Policy
VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel
$ 280 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation; $ 150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contractsSource: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State.
by retired Brig. Gen. Asif Haroon Raja
All links have been added by VT author Fabio G.C. Carisio during the managing of editing.
Till recently the leading narrative of the US led western world in support of Israel was that Israel has the right to defend itself. The Palestinians, struggling to get their right of self-determination in their view are terrorists, and hence have no right of self-defence.
The above narrative has changed in the wake of the genocidal war perpetrated by Israel since 07 Oct 2023 in retaliation to the three pronged attacks by the Hamas fighters.
The people of the whole world are condemning Israel and urging their respective Govts to put an end to the Israeli barbarism. For the first time the Americans and the Europeans are censuring Israel and terming Netanyahu and his war cabinet as human eating monsters.
European Govts support Israel Immunity on War Crimes an Genocide
In complete disregard of the aspirations and sentiments of the people, more and more European govts are saying in defence of Israel’s tyranny that the international law on genocide is not applicable to Israel since the Israelis have been victims of genocide at the hands of Nazis in Germany.
They say that Israelis have legal and moral immunity for any war crimes, even a genocide. They say that it is morally wrong to accuse Israel of genocide and that any decision given by the ICJ disfavoring Israel would be rejected.
The need for manufacturing this cockeyed narrative has been felt after South Africa moved a case in the ICJ accusing Israel of war crimes, and the mounting world pressure.
It is no longer possible for the war mongers and war abettors deriving pleasure in wars, conflicts and ethnic cleansing to befool the world since their crimes against humanity in Gaza have been seen by the world.
In Oct 2001, The US-NATO forces were given complete immunity from accountability to destroy Muslim countries and kill the Muslims mercilessly. All kinds of sophisticated weapons including depleted uranium, chemical weapons, cluster bombs and drones were employed ruthlessly for two decades.
The inhuman torture dens like Guantanamo Bay, Abu Gharaib and Bagram jail were legalized. All the Islamic freedom movements were put in the category of terrorism. The harborers and abettors were punished.
These concessions were granted to the invaders under the plea of freeing the world from the menace of terrorism and to make the world peaceful.
However, the Zionist controlled predators never wanted peace. They used terrorism as a war tool to achieve their geostrategic and geo economic ambitions. They made the world more unsafe and insecure and created a dozen flashpoints. Terrorism spread to all nooks and corners of the world.
The two darlings of the sole super power – Israel and India – played a lead role in making the world chaotic.
While the US aspires for an unchallenged global monopoly, Israel desires Greater Israel, and India wishes to create mythical Mahabharata.
The Dream of Greater Israel
The US enfeebled all the economically and militarily strong Muslim States in the Middle East from 2003 onwards to pave the way for the establishment of Greater Israel. Now Israel is focussed on eliminating the Gaza Strip and the West Bank so as to achieve its dream.
Israel and its western supporters could never imagine that such a resolute resistance would be put up by the Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Owing to increased war casualties, Israel has been forced to pull out a division size force from Gaza. It has neither been able to wipe out Hamas, nor could push out 2.3 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. It has failed to overawe and subdue the resistance forces.
The Hamas and Islamic Jihad are fighting the intruders and drawing their blood. There is no letup in their resistance in spite of 28500 deaths, including 12050 children, 6150 women, 245 health workers and 105 journalists. More than 60, 000 are wounded, thousands are missing under the rubble, 1.5 million are homeless because of destruction of 70% homes and infrastructure.
Humanitarian aid, food, water, fuel and medicines are cut off. Many are dying out of starvation, thirst, cold winter and lack of medicine and healthcare facilities.
The Houtis War in the Red Sea
While the Hamas-Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah are attacking the two flanks of Israel with rockets and missiles, the Yemeni Houthis have come to the rescue of the besieged and marooned Gazans in a big way by posing a threat to the commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
They have threatened to block the entry of Israeli ships and any ship sailing to Israel through the Strait of Bab Al Mandab into the Red Sea and have struck several ships with guided missiles and drones. This restriction is not applicable to other countries. Their sole demand is that Israel should ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
It is the first time that Yemeni Houthis have undertaken this daring step of posing a military threat to the commercial ships in the Red Sea through which 15% of the global trade pass. This option was not exercised when they were subjected to air and ground wars by the Saudi led Arab coalition from March 2015 to 2023.
The Houthis have been firing missiles on Israel and have now threatened to strike the Israeli port of Eilat. Houthis militarism has posed a big threat to Israel’s economy and would also impact its military stamina if the military supplies from the West slow down.
The turning tide of the expanding war in Gaza impelled Biden’s administration to declare war against Yemen. A coalition of more than 20 countries was announced to launch ‘Op Prosperity Guardian’ to defend international shipping and to teach the Houthis a lesson.
Since the Houthis threat was Israel specific and not for friendly countries, majority of the nominated States didn’t join the coalition. Only the UK joined the US naval armada and is supported by Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Bahrain.
The US and the UK carried out 73 military strikes against the Yemen capital city of Sanaa and other targets on 12 Jan from the Red Sea and airbase in Cyprus to deter the Houthis. They failed to destroy the missile launching pads and radars. Their offensive has not deterred the Houthis and they are continuing to hit back with guided missiles and have hit several ships.
The Israeli ships and the supporting ships have stopped using the Red Sea route and are going around the African continent through the Cape of Good Hope, which is much longer, time consuming and expensive.
The difference of approach of the US-UK alliance Viz the Houthis is visible. The former is stubbornly supporting the genocidal war and war crimes of Israel, and using veto power to block the UNSC ceasefire resolutions. Biden wants to give ample time to Israel to flush out 2.3 million Palestinians from Gaza.
Paradoxically, in the US myopic view, Iran backed militias, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Syria are illegal, but the American backed proxies are moderates, and Israeli genocidal war is legal.
The US economic interests have been sacrificed by successive presidents of the USA for the sake of Israel and in the process have made the US the most hated nation.
On the other hand, the Houthis have put their security at stake for the sake of the Palestinians and are confronting the war mongers to force them to compel Israel to ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to the Gazans. For them, the US and the UK are now legitimate targets. The us military bases in the Persian Gulf are now vulnerable to Houthis missile/ drone attacks.
The Axis of Resistance against Israel
The Hamas and Al-Jihad in Gaza, the Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen form the ‘Axis of Resistance’ against Israel and its backers.
Following the deaths of Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri and other Hamas leaders in Beirut on 2 Jan, followed by the deaths of some Hezbollah leaders in Syria, and the twin blasts in Iran, the Axis of Resistance sprang into action to avenge Israeli aggressive acts.
Hezbollah pounded Israel’s Meron air surveillance base with 62 rockets. The Iraq based pro-Iran resistance group attacked the US airbases in Syria and Iraq. Israeli city of Haifa was hit with long range cruise missiles. Iran captured an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.
Missile strikes in Panjgur (Pakistan) on 16 Jan could be part of the overall scheme to project Iran as a formidable force in the whole region encompassing the Middle East and South Asia.
IRGC that was blacklisted by the USA in 2018, is the mastermind behind the network of militant groups that have been laced with missiles, rockets, drones and other sophisticated weapons. These geographically well placed groups act as the perimeter of security for Iran and help it to keep the US and Israel at bay from its mainland.
However, irrespective of the heavy influence of the IRGC over these militant groups, they are wedded together because of the commonality of interests and common enemies. Their survival lies in unity. For them, fighting with Israel amounts to fighting with the US indirectly. They will continue fighting Israel even if IRGC decides to withdraw its arms support.
Mercifully, the military standoff between Iran and Pakistan has defused after Pakistan gave a befitting response on 18 Jan. The situation is fast returning to normalcy.
The Nuclear Nightmare after Middle East Escalations
However, the situation in the Middle East is getting from bad to worst since adamant Netanyahu is not ready to stop the war in Gaza. Although the war in Ukraine which started in Feb 2022 has stalemated, it is still simmering and has the potential to trigger again. It has become a big drain upon the economies of the USA and Europe.
The 2007/08 economic crunch, followed by the COVID, and then the Ukraine war are responsible for shrinking the global economy, disrupting supply chains, and shooting up inflation and price indexes. Escalating Gaza war would further impact the global economy and add to the socio-economic problems.
Faced with the US-Israel threats, Iran has speeded up its nuclear enrichment program, and sooner than later it will become the second Muslim country in possession of a nuclear bomb.
The militarized Korean Peninsula is getting hotter due to the jingoism of nuclearized North Korea, aligned with China and Russia, and shadow boxing between the two Koreas.
Japan for the first time is developing weapons, and has supplied laser guided missiles to the US on its demand. Taiwan front, South China Sea and Pacific Ocean are also getting murkier.
The Indo-Pakistan and Indo-China antagonism hasn’t scaled down. Speculations are ripe that India might attempt another false flag operation in the wake of the coming elections in India in May this year.
There is no relief for the Kashmiris locked up in the biggest open jail in Indian occupied Kashmir, bereft of human rights. They are being treated as animals by the Indian booted brutes and the fascist and racist regime of BJP.
With so many flashpoints, military standoffs and wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and the seven nuclear states in possession of huge stockpiles of nukes and ICBMs, the world is sitting on a powder keg ready to explode. The third world war is in the making. Some crazy leader has just to light a matchstick.
The war mongering Biden, Netanyahu and Modi are more worried about the elections in 2024 and their imperialist designs than in the world peace. They are paying no heed to the suggestions made by China and Russia to make the world peaceful, since peace is in conflict with imperialism and capitalism.
The elites of the imperialist countries have multiplied their fortunes manifolds because of the wars, conflicts and proxy wars stoked by the Zionists and the US industrial military complex. Their lust for wealth and profit making has impoverished the deprived classes all over the world.
Pakistan is walking on a tight rope owing to multiple internal and external challenges. Current set of domestic crises were never experienced in the past. It is faced with political, economic, social, judicial and constitutional crises. Civil-military relations are tense and far from ideal.
Externally, it has hostile Eastern and NorthWestern fronts and a troublesome southern front. Its West Asian neighborhood is caught up in the vortex of instability. It is putting up with double-dealing USA. The only redeeming factor is trustworthy friendship of China. Elections on 08 Feb will be held under such insalubrious conditions.
by retired Pakistani Brig. Gen. Asif Haroon Raja
VT Editor NOTE
All links have been added by VT author Fabio G.C. Carisio during the managing of editing
Asif Haroon Raja, retired Brig Gen of Pakistan Army, the largest army of the Muslim world. War veteran, took part in epic battle of Hilli in the 1971 War with India, defence & security analyst, international columnist,, author of five books, his sixth book under publication, Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, Member CWC PESS & Think Tank.
He is a defense analyst, columnist and writes articles on security, defense, political matters. He served as Defense Attaché Egypt and Sudan and Dean of Corps of Military Attaches in Cairo. He commanded infantry brigade in Kashmir, served as Director Psychological Operations, commanded North Zone NLC and National Guards Sector.
Brig. General Asif Haroon Raja is on the board of advisors for Opinion Maker. He holds an MSc war studies degree. A second-generation officer, he fought the epic battle of Hilli in northwest East Bengal during 1971 war,
He served as Directing Staff Command & Staff College, Defence Attaché Egypt, and Sudan and Dean of Corps of Military Attaches in Cairo. He commanded the heaviest brigade in Kashmir. He is tri-lingual and speaks English, Pashto, and Punjabi fluently.
Currently, he is a defense analyst and columnist and writes articles on security, defense, and political matters for numerous international/national publications. He is chairman at the Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, & Member CWC PESS & Veterans Think Tank
He is also the author of many books; ‘Battle of Hilli’, ‘1948, 1965 & 1971 Kashmir Battles and Freedom Struggle’, ‘Muhammad bin Qasim to Gen Musharraf’, and Roots of 1971 Tragedy’. His latest book is ‘Tangled knot of Kashmir : Indo-Pakistan antagonism: vol. 1 and vol. 2″
ATTENTION READERS
We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully InformedIn fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.
About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.
No comments:
Post a Comment