War overshadows G20’s economic aims

Source:Global Times Published: 2013-9-6 0:23:01

The G20 Summit was convened in St. Petersburg Thursday. The two-day session, which should have focused on economic issues such as economic growth and employment, has unfortunately been clouded by  possible air strikes launched by the US.

New emerging nations are competitive in terms of economy, but when it comes to politics, they become no match for US hegemony. Hyping up its plan to bypass the UN and launch strikes on Syria before the G20 Summit, Washington is showing off its domination of global politics.

The Syrian government has a good hand in its civil war, which, coupled with the ongoing Egypt crisis, has dealt a blow to the "Arab Spring." Washington wants to meddle in Syria's domestic affairs, reversing the situation.

Air strikes on Syria will further shape up the model that Washington has been using in some carefully selected small countries - aiding the opposition in the name of democracy, and using air strikes to help them wrest  away political power. The US and its allies managed to apply this model to Libya, and it is trying to duplicate this strategy in Syria. The purpose of this strategy is to get rid of Washington's geopolitical enemies, which will further throw world politics out of balance.

The "Arab Spring" has not helped the Middle East address its problems of democracy. But in the short term, it has diluted social resentment, which targets the US and its allies. Washington has no intention of turning the Arab world into a democratic community. On the contrary, it is making trouble in their domestic affairs, trying to prevent anti-US or even anti-West sentiment from gaining momentum.

As the host of this G20 Summit, Russia sees this as its last chance to reduce Washington's confidence in launching strikes. However, it's a long shot. It is probable that the final conclusion of the Syria issue will be made on the battlefield. It depends on how tenacious the Assad regime is. Syria may become the second Libya, or it may not.

New emerging nations have no effective countermeasures to prevent Washington from abusing its military force. But it does not mean they can give up striving for moral legitimacy. In the long run, this is the path that will restrain the US from being so abusive - it is hard but necessary. Washington should note that excessive use of force will make it responsible for the chaos.

This chaos can be seen in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, which were all struck by Washington. The bad impression prompted the UK to pull out of the air strike alliance. Washington's "united front" is shrinking, and its resolve to launch a war is starting to waver.

The G20 Summit should follow its established pace instead of being misled by Washington's aggressiveness. Voices from China should also take responsibility in condemning Washington's misdeeds. This is the fundamental benchmark where both world peace and China's geopolitical interests can be well protected.



Posted in: Editorial

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