EDITORIAL: The world has entered a highly volatile security environment, says British military think-tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, in its annual report, proclaiming that “the current military-security situation heralds what is likely to be a more dangerous decade, characterised by the brazen application by some of military power to pursue claims [a reference to Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine].”
Hence the “era of insecurity” is resetting the global defence-industrial landscape, with the United States and Europe ramping up production of missiles and ammunition after decades of underinvestment. The report, obviously, comes from a Western perspective.
The US-led Western countries are already engaged in hot and cold wars with old-new rivals via proxy in Ukraine, challenging China over Taiwan, whilst Israel pursues undeterred its genocidal campaign against the Gaza Palestinians in the strategic Middle East region.
To fund these confrontations last Tuesday the US Senate passed a $95 billion, $60 billion of which are earmarked for Ukraine so it can go on fighting a war of attrition with Russia and the rest is assigned for Israel and Taiwan to keep the power balance in America’s favour in the Middle East as well as the Asia-Pacific Region — renamed Indo-Pacific to include India among Quad members whose aim is to counter China’s growing military and political influence.
Faced with the possibility that the House of Representatives might reject the hefty aid package for Ukraine (the Republicans want that money to be spent on stopping the inflow of immigrants from Mexico rather than the war effort in Ukraine), President Joe Biden contended, “if we do not stand against tyrants who seek to conquer or carve up their neighbours’ territory [conveniently ignoring, of course, what a real tyrant is doing in Gaza] the consequences for America’s national security will be significant.” More to the point, he added, “our allies and adversaries alike will take notice.” This last sentence reveals what it is all about.
The great powers do not have a direct security threat from one another. But the balance of global power is changing with the rise of China, Russia reasserting its weight, and some other emerging states challenging Western dominance.
That worries the US and its European allies about losing their dominant status, from which they draw political influence, economic benefits, and the ability to control the global financial system. Fear of the status loss rather than any security-related issue is leading to what the present report’s authors call a new ‘era of insecurity’, prompting the US and Europe to ramp up production of missiles and ammunition, thus increasing the risk of conflict.
The world would be a much better place if instead of preparing for clash the big powers engaged in a healthy competition. Unfortunately, the urge for dominance is too strong for them to resist.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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