The Politics of War

Vinod Mishra

War is nothing but the continuation of political process by other means

– Karl von Clausewitz.

After the cold war, when Fukuyama was declaring the ‘End of history’, he perhaps could not even dream that history would resume its course so soon.

Already it is about a month since the Gulf War started. George Bush feels that this is the last war after which a new international order will be established. In the eyes of Saddam Hussain this is the mother of all wars which will result in the resuscitation of the Arab countries and the liberation of Palestine. What will happen is yet to be seen, but it is certain that the motive behind this war is not merely the liberation of Kuwait. This war is the reflection of the present world contradictions and alliances and at the same time also the medium for realignment of relations.

The new international order advocated by George Bush simply means US domination over its resources. In the proposed US defence budget for 1991, the allocation on account of the controversial ‘Star Wars’ has been raised to 4.8 billion dollar from 2.9 billion dollar last year. The budget statement refers to the reduction of nuclear threat from Soviet Russia, but justifies this enhancement on the plea of probable missile attacks by third world countries.

From this American perspective of the new international order, it is quite natural that the USA would not tolerate aggression on Kuwait by Iraq. Countries like the USA and the UK consider the right to West Asian oil their birthright. The fall of the USagent, the Sheikh of Kuwait, coupled with the rise of Iraq again as a strong country and its dominance over 20% of oil resources were indeed direct blows to the new international order. America was only too eager for a war and certainly it was a fine commentary on the unipolar world that the Security Council of the United Nations behaved like a slave of the USA. Barring some small countries like Yemen and Cuba, none raised a voice of protest against America. In spite of all these however, Iraq had decided to fight.

The war has been going on with all its cruelty. Iraq now faces the most horrible bombing in history and this has laid bare the ugly face of Western civilisation. All the remnants of the centuriesold Mesopotemian civilisation between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, historic cities like Baghdad and Basra and holy places of the Islamic civilisation several centuries old are being razed to the ground. Hundreds of children, women and ordinary citizens are being killed. The West’s fascination for high-tech has made this devastation a thrilling game on the television screen. The unseemly talk of US leaders and the language of the Western media clearly reflect their attitude of apartheid – an attitude of nothing but contempt for the aspirations, civilisation and culture of the impoverished countries of the Third World.

On the whole, this is the picture of the unipolar world America has been dreaming of.

However, a dream is after all only a dream. The American generals who had earlier claimed that the victory would be theirs within six days have not yet mustered the courage to launch the ground attack. There have been reports of a high tide in mass demonstrations in many countries of the world in support of Saddam and against the USA. One country after another is being compelled to change its position and the rift within the multinational alliance is widening.

Saddam Hussain may very well be defeated in the war, but he has to a large extent been successful in linking up the Palestinian issue with that of Kuwait. Now any peace proposal shall have to consider the Palestinian problem. Even if Saddam were to be defeated, the Arabic nationalism aroused by him will continue to haunt America even in the days to come. Basing on this, France and other European countries will go in for independent political initiatives, which are bound to come in conflict with the US interests. And the antiAmerican wave which is now sweeping the third world countries will definitely assume a new political complexion.

Whatever may be the outcome of the war it is definite that the US dream of a unipolar world will be buried in the Persian Gulf itself.

[Excerpts from an article written by Comrade Vinod Mishra in April 1991 issue of Liberation]

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