I read with interest the article “The big question” (Dec. 17) by Abdulateef Al-Mulhim. I fully agree with the views expressed by the writer. As a matter of fact, various problems that we are facing today are the result of the past and present clashes between superpowers of the world. We are paying the price of their conflicts and their struggle to increase their influence around the globe. The ongoing menace of terrorism is directly linked with the wrong moves made by superpowers. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent United States’ intervention kick-started a chain of events that continues to haunt the world.
These superpowers in their ruthless struggle to gain supremacy over each other blatantly violate all international laws and mercilessly crush the weaker nations for their own gains. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine and Syria are some examples. To better understand the evil nature of these superpowers, one should deeply study the plight of the Dark Continent. One would realize how brutally the rich continent is deprived of its natural riches and how its people are left to die.
The writer should have extended his argument to the role of colonialism. It all started with the colonization of the Middle East and other parts of the world. The colonizers gained and the colonies suffered at their hands. The present day developed countries had ugly pasts, which they are trying to hide by raising hollow slogans of human rights and freedom. Had they been true to their claims, they would have made arrangements to repatriate the wealth they had looted from their colonies.
The ongoing crises in the Middle East are nothing but an extension of the power struggle that had started decades ago. The establishment of an Islamic force headed by Saudi Arabia has emerged as a ray of hope in this gloomy situation. — Naba Hashmi, Jeddah
Unanswered questions
