The United States Empire is Losing Its Grip

By David Starr

 

At this time in history, major events are reshaping the world where the current world order will probably be discarded and a new, multi-polar world will take its place.

 

The United States, as an empire, has largely failed historically as it continues its attempts to impose its imperial foreign policy on other nations, especially in the Global South. It’s true that the U.S. has had its victories but usually at what cost? It is also true that the U.S.’s participation in WWII helped to defeat Nazism and Fascism, but it was the Soviet Union that usually bore the brunt of Nazi Germany’s aggression, given the latter’s attempted invasion of the USSR. 

 

The United States has had a degree of democracy but that hasn’t been too evident within its foreign policy maneuvers in the Global South. And now the Global South is waking up…and it is fed up with U.S./Western hegemony.

 

Venezuela is the latest example of a nation in the Global South that has rebelled against the current world order. And unlike its past where leaders usually kowtowed to U.S. imperialism, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is proving that he has a political spine in defying the United States.

 

Despite the Trump regime sending war ships and about 4,000 marines into waters near the Venezuelan coastline, most Venezuelans have stood up and said “Enough!” The population is mobilizing with about 4 million people joining or being in militias. That combines with the regular military. Venezuelan sovereignty is to be protected against U.S. provocations and potential conflict.

 

A crucial factor for Venezuela is the support its receiving, particularly from China and Russia. Other countries have expressed their support for the South American nation. But China and Russia have provided technology to beef up Venezuela’s right to self-defense, among other advances economically.

 

And there is the potential for most, if not all, Latin American and the Caribbean nations to side with China and Russia. Given the hostility, arrogance, hypocrisy, exceptionalism, etc. of U.S. foreign policy historically and now, especially now with the Trump regime, many nations in the Global South may find it necessary to side with its “enemies.” 

 

Times New World showed a segment where there is the Venezuelan support for China because of the latter’s open defiance toward the U. S. empire and the West in general. But what are China’s motives? So far, China has not dictated its goals to the Global South. Rather, it has helped to modernize various countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials have called for a “win-win” situation in its relations with other countries. China has emphasized diplomacy and peace while the United States has tried to impose provocations and threats of war. 

 

It should be mentioned, however, that no country is exempt from criticism. 

 

The U.S. empire is losing its grip on being the dominant force in the world. Political economist Richard Wolff knows this well. Wolff has analyzed the pattern of decline of the empire. He sees the contradictions associated with not only the slow (but sure) decay of U.S. society, but also with the inherent nature of capitalism with its profiteering at all costs. 

 

BRICS has increasingly become more viable and assertive in its goal of establishing a multi-polar world, in the face of a current world order that has been led by the U.S. empire. And BRICS can only get more stronger with other nations joining it.

 

Nations that have recently joined are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Uzbekistan. This was followed by Vietnam and Indonesia. An increasing number of countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS or already have joined.

 

So, the U.S. empire is indeed losing its grip on power. Historically, it and other Western nations have enjoyed taking advantage of an unequal relationship with the Global South. But it looks like that it’s becoming a thing of the past. 

 

Recently, however, the Trump regime has eight war ships near Venezuela. A small, harmless Venezuelan boat was destroyed by the U.S. military, because Trump claims it carried a lot of “drugs.” On Secular Talk, Kyle Kuliniski gives details.

 

Despite the Nazi-like hostility coming from the U.S. empire, many people in the Global South are standing up.