Facilitating the Rise of HTS Is the Latest US Blunder

Via Shutterstock.

Once the world’s only superpower, the American empire is falling because of incompetence, corruption and brutality. Supporting the war in Ukraine, enabling the genocide against Palestinians and empowering terrorists to take over Syria have expedited America’s fall.

Syria is yet another demonstration of an American policy that is woefully out of date. Foreign adventurism has caused both immeasurable harm abroad and sapped American society at home.

The US emerged as the global superpower thanks to World War II. In 1945, Europe was in ruins. The war caused widespread destruction in Europe because of the bombing of cities and factories. European powers lost millions of people in the war. Being far from Europe and Japan, the US incurred a very low rate of civilian casualties. There was almost no destruction of US infrastructure, with the Japanese attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, as a notable exception. Naturally, the US emerged as the leader of the West. Although the Soviet Union was a US ally during the war, it competed with the US for global hegemony following the Allied victory, a period referred to as the Cold War.

During the Cold War, the US and its Western allies engaged in a brutal global competition with the Soviets and other communist states. Notable confrontations between these two power centers included the Korean War (1950–1953), the Vietnam War (1955–1975) and the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989). Using Soviet influence as an excuse, the US intervened in many countries, including Iran. At the behest of the UK, the US overthrew the first democratically elected government of Iran. Only 26 years after the infamous 1953 coup, the Iranian Revolution deposed the Shah and established Iran’s independence from both the US and the UK.

The US tacitly supported European imperial and colonial powers when they committed some of the worst genocides in human history. The most notable include the horrendous atrocities committed in Congo, Kenya and Algeria.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the world looked forward to years of peace and prosperity. Although the US proclaimed that this new era was one of peace, it began with the Rwandan Genocide (1994), the Bosnian Genocide (1995), to the present day with the US-backed Israeli genocide against Palestinians and the takeover of Syria by al-Qaeda’s affiliates.

The fall of the Soviet Union did not make the world more peaceful; it worsened it under unilateral US leadership. The fall produced a power vacuum that has yet to be filled. In particular, it released nationalistic, ethical, cultural and self-determination movements in the former Soviet states. It led to social unrest, organized crime, terrorism and corruption. The ripple effects of the fall will “continue to be felt for some time yet.”

After the Soviets were gone, the US no longer faced any serious challenges to its global hegemony. However, the US considered Iran’s independence from US influence a challenge to its global domination and has supported efforts to undermine the Islamic Republic of Iran. Presently, the US efforts that have unseated Assad of Syria were meant to undermine Iran’s dominance in the region. 

Recently, reporters saw US President Joe Biden leaving a bookstore with a copy of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi in his hand. The book describes the Palestinian struggle for their homeland. “Settler-colonial confrontations with indigenous peoples have only ended in one of three ways: with the elimination or full subjugation of the native population, as in North America; with the defeat and expulsion of the colonizer, as in Algeria, which is extremely rare; or with the abandonment of colonial supremacy, in the context of compromise and reconciliation, as in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ireland,” Khalidi writes. 

Hopefully, Biden will read this book and realize that instigating the war in Ukraine, enabling Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and aiding al-Qaeda affiliates are immoral.

The US’s prestige is falling worldwide, all it can do is slow the fall

The world is waking up thanks to Iran. The US’s decision to back Ukraine in the war and enable Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians has placed global attention on Iran. In particular, Iran’s support of the oppressed Palestinians has been a popular move. In the US, like around the world, young people stand with the oppressed Palestinians.

Iran has become so notable for its global standing as a supporter of the oppressed that its archenemy, Israel, admits it. On July 25, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against whom the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, addressed the US Congress.

Hearing the loud protest outside, he felt frustrated with the protesters, crying in his speech that “Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building.”

Led by Iran, worldwide, people realize the US is not what it claims to be. The US is not a promoter of democracy or peace but a brutal warmonger with no regard for human rights and international law. Internationally, it has used its veto power 49 times since 1970 against UN resolutions concerning Israel, with four in the last year. In November, it vetoed the latest UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Recently, it blundered by indirectly supporting the rise to power in Syria of Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) formerly part of al-Qaeda.

To stop the US’ destructive behaviors globally, China, Russia, Iran and some other countries have moved away from the US and formed the BRICS+ alliance. More countries are planning to do the same. Within the new alliance, China pushes for more collaboration between countries rather than subjugating them, as the US does.

No supporter of democracy, not even much of a democracy

Globally, people are becoming more aware that the US does not support democracy. Its ventures into other countries in the name of democracy are a ploy to access their resources and wealth. In pursuit of power and wealth, the US has destroyed lives. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are just a few known examples where millions of innocent people were killed and billions of dollars of infrastructure were destroyed by US-led aggression

The US is also a very flawed democracy itself. According to a poll from the Harris Poll and the Quincy Institute, around 70% of Americans want the US to pursue peace with Russia. Yet, the US continues arming Ukraine against Russia. Likewise, 57% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of the “Israel–Palestine conflict,” but Biden continues arming Israel. Biden is acting as a dictator, ignoring the will of the people. This is not unique to Biden. US presidents have been getting the US in wars since its inception. Despite its global proclamation as a beacon of democracy, the US has never been a true democracy.

The US presidential system is flawed. The winner of the majority of Electoral College votes wins. In 2000 and 2016, George W. Bush and Donald Trump lost the popular vote but still became presidents because they commanded a majority of Electoral College votes. Furthermore, the US is dominated by two main parties. Third parties are not even on the ballot in many states. Big money in politics also strengthens the hand of the two main political parties.

This means that American politics makes for the strangest of bedfellows. Christian evangelicals voted for Trump despite his chauvinism, infidelity, nepotism, racism and corruption. So did many working-class Americans as well as a majority of white women and Latino men voted for this celebrity billionaire who has given and plans to give tax cuts to the rich. On the other hand, Ivy League elites largely voted for Democrats even if they had misgivings about Kamala Harris.

Giving the rich tax breaks and spending too much on the military-industrial complex has led to the US suffering the highest poverty rate among industrial countries. The US ranks last in healthcare outcomes among the ten major developed countries despite spending nearly twice as much — about 18% of gross domestic product — on healthcare than the others. The suicide crisis is also worse than in other Western countries and the country has the highest homicide rate among high-income countries.

As is well known, American interventions in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and other countries led to the expansion of the military-industrial complex. Today, the US sends its poor to war who come back with post-traumatic stress disorder if not wounds or in body bags.

The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 killed thousands of innocents. Its intervention in Libya caused a civil war that continues to this day. Today, the US is inflicting similar misery on Syria. Together with Turkey and Israel, the US is supporting HTS. Note that HTS is an affiliate of al-Qaeda. The HTS fighters are nothing but terrorists who have beheaded innocents, including 12-year-olds and Americans. That is the reason why the US put a $10 million bounty on HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Yet today the US has supported HTS to get rid of the Assad family, legitimizing the very fighters it has designated as terrorists.

EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnJmBFLOtQg

Instead of continuing to support death and destruction, the US should support peace and harmony. First, Washington must stop threatening, invading and harming other countries. This includes stopping support for terrorists like al-Golani as well as dropping sanctions that hurt millions of innocents. Second, the US must stop its proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. A peace deal is in the interest of the entire world. Third, the US must support a free Palestine where Christians, Jews and Muslims can live together in peace.

By MEHDI ALAVI

Fair Observer originally published the article on December 19, 2024.

Related Reading

https://www.fairobserver.com/politics/scary-cia-mi6-coup-destroyed-iran-and-damaged-the-world/

https://www.fairobserver.com/politics/the-colossal-corruption-of-the-two-party-system/

https://www.fairobserver.com/american-news/is-the-us-presidency-actually-a-powerful-dictatorship/

https://www.fairobserver.com/history/french-genocide-in-algeria-time-for-introspection/

Read More

Can You See Why the UN Is Bad at Peace?

NEW YORK CITY – APRIL 14 2018: The UN Security Council held an emergency to debate & vote a Russian resolution condemning US & Allied aggression against Syria © a katz / shutterstock.com

In the period leading up to World War II, the major European powers competed with one another by expanding their empires. They invaded other nations to exploit their resources. They realized their mutual vulnerability when the war unfolded and collaborated to achieve victory. To expand their global hegemony, they embraced the concept of the United Nations.

The idea of peace in Europe goes back for centuries. Europeans made many agreements in pursuit of peace. The biggest impetus for what later became the United Nations was the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, mostly based on the previous peace agreements. Run by the UK, the US, France and Italy, thirty-two countries attended the conference. The Big Four used the Treaty as a reference to set up the UN foundation in the 1944 Dunbarton Oaks estate in Washington, DC.

The UN has been a nightmare. It is as dysfunctional as the League of Nations. The world has not seen peace even for a day since the UN’s inception in 1945. Delegates should have foreseen the UN’s failure in 1945. The organization came into existence for the UK, the US and the Soviets to expand their hegemony across the world. They projected peace for themselves, and not necessarily for the rest of the world.

How the Allies became the United Nations

On September 1, 1939, World War II started with Germany invading Poland. The United Kingdom (UK) and France declared war on Germany as allies. The Soviet Union (Soviets) invaded eastern Poland on September 17. In June 1941, the Soviets joined the Allies. The Big Three (the UK, the US and the Soviets) formed a united organization of nations to maintain their global peace and security. The Allied powers met and signed the Declaration of St.James Palace, pledging collaboration in fighting aggression. It proclaimed that “the only true basis of enduring peace is the willing cooperation of free peoples in a world in which, relieved of the menace of aggression, all may enjoy economic and social security.”

The US Constitution strictly limits the president’s power and rests the war declaration with Congress. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt short-circuited the Constitution, by authorizing the US to finance and arm the UK and France. In March 1941, Congress put this policy into law in the form of the Lend-Lease Act without the constitutional process of declaring war. Germany and its allies, Italy and Japan (the Axis Powers), of course, considered the US to be aiding the enemy in war. 

The US later entered the war formally. In December 1941, Japan’s air force attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, catching the US by surprise. Within days, that attack triggered the US to declare war on Germany. Within hours, Germany also declared war on the US. That month, China joined the Allies while resisting Japan’s expansion in China since 1937.

In August 1941, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter pledging to stop territorial expansion, engage in free trade, collaborate with other nations, have access to “high seas and oceans”, stop the use of force, and work for a world peace free of “fear and want”, where all individuals are free to choose their form of government and enjoy economic advancement and social security. In January 1942, about four weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Big Three (the UK, the US, and the Soviet Union) and China, along with 22 other countries, signed a document pledging to accept the Atlantic Charter, which is referred to as the Declaration by the United Nations.

During World War II, the devastating effect of that war encouraged the Big Three and China, (the Big Four), to put aside their differences and collaborate in the war. To avoid such a war in the future, they began planning for the world. As the discussion progressed, the idea of a united world organization emerged. In October 1943, the Big Four signed the Moscow Declaration, recognizing “the necessity of establishing at the earliest practicable date a general international organization, based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all peace-loving States, and open to membership by all such States, large and small, for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

In November- December 1943, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met for the first time in Tehran, Iran. They discussed the post-war arrangement and partitions. Roosevelt and Churchill assured Stalin that he could expand Soviet territory into Poland and Germany. President Roosevelt was so infatuated with Stalin that he called him Uncle Joe. “I began to tease Churchill,” the American President boasted, “… Winston got red and scowled and finally Stalin broke into a deep, hearty guffaw. It was then that I called him Uncle Joe.” This cavalier attitude of President Roosevelt regarding Eastern Europe is a typical example of a public servant intoxicated with power, and turning into a despot. Such a cavalier is responsible for the US presidents’ empowering the Zionist genocide against Palestinians and the takeover of Palestine. At the end of the Tehran meeting, they agreed on the Tehran Conference. They said: “We are sure that our concord will win an enduring peace. We recognize fully the supreme responsibility resting upon us and all the United Nations to make a peace which will command the goodwill of the overwhelming mass of the world's peoples and banish the scourge and terror of war for many generations.”

The victorious Allies founded the UN

In October 1944, the Big Four met at Dumbarton Oaks, in Washington, DC. They proposed a United Nations consisting of the following:

• A General Assembly, composed of all the member nations oversees an Economic and Social Council. Nowadays, it oversees other councils, too.
• A Security Council is composed of eleven members, five permanent and six chosen by the GA for two-year terms.
• An International Court of Justice.
• A United Nations Secretariat.

After the war, they all wanted to be in control of the global issues. The US had risen to the most powerful one among the Big Three but felt needed Soviet cooperation to finish the war. The Soviets did not trust the UK or the US. They insisted on restoring the old Russian Empire and succeeded. 

In April 1945, delegates from 46 nations attended the San Francisco Conference and discussed and approved the UN. They set up the UN objectives to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights…to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” 

On June 25, 1945, the delegates met in San Francisco. After days of meetings, they unanimously passed the UN Charter. The major debacle was the veto power of the Big Five (the UK, the US, France, the Soviets, and China). Less powerful nations feared that if a veto power threatened peace, the Security Council would lose its significance. They wanted more power distribution. Finally, they went along in the interest of global peace. 

On September 2, 1945, the war ended. The Big Three decided to expand the United Nations by inviting other nations to join it. 

The shortcomings of the victors’ peace

They planned the UN Security Council (UNSC) in the UN to ensure their global hegemony. The UK insisted on limiting the UNSC to the UK, the US and the Soviets. The US wanted China to be included because of its strong resistance against Japan, which freed the US to support Europe. The UK insisted on adding France to the Council to ensure Western control. That is how the Big Five surfaced. The Soviets felt outnumbered by the West and asked for veto power, which was granted to all permanent members. 

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the only organ in the UN in which all member nations vote. Regardless of size or population, each member nation has only one vote. A simple majority decides procedural questions while a simple majority or a two-thirds vote decides substantive ones, depending on importance. It is mainly a deliberative body empowered to make recommendations to the UN Security Council (UNSC) regarding international issues. 

In contrast, the UNSC is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It is an exclusive club. Nowadays, it has 15 members, 5 of whom are permanent members and endowed with veto power on every issue. The permanent members are the US, the UK, China, France, and Russia, also known as the Big Five. The GA chooses the other ten for two-year terms.

Like the League, the UN’s primary purpose has been to preserve peace and security. The UN members have promised not to use force except in self-defense and to use force collectively to preserve peace. In apparent violation of the UN Charter, the veto powers granted to certain member states have led to conflicts and wars, rather than preventing them. Until the fall of the Soviets in December 1991, the world faced two superpowers, the US and the Soviets, competing for global influence, a period known as the Cold War. They incited proxy wars nearly everywhere. 

Following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the US emerged as the world’s sole superpower. This shift in global dynamics has led to military interventions and interference in various countries, resulting in significant human suffering and destruction. Presently, the US is responsible for much of the global deaths and destruction, particularly in Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. The US complicity in the genocide against Palestinians is the talk of the world these days.

Given these ongoing challenges, it is clear that the current state of the UN is not conducive to achieving lasting global peace. Meaningful reform or even the dismantling of the organization may be necessary. Adding Brazil, Germany, India, Japan or another country is unlikely to address the fundamental issues.

By MEHDI ALAVI

Fair Observer originally published the article on December 2, 2024.

Read More

Can You See Peace in Ukraine?

KYIV, UKRAINE – Feb. 25, 2022: War of Russia against Ukraine. A residential building damaged by an enemy aircraft in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv © Drop of Light / shutterstock.com

Unwelcome intervention by the US and NATO in the Russo-Ukrainian War has angered Putin and delayed the end of the conflict. As the war approaches its third year, it is time for the US to initiate negotiations to achieve peace. NATO must also dissolve or reorient itself to prevent further violence.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine as concerns about Ukraine joining NATO grew. Over two years later, the war rages on and global powers continue to ignore pleas for negotiation even as the death toll mounts. With Russia now threatening the international community, the United States has a responsibility to engage in negotiations.

Ukraine, NATO and the Soviet Union

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not simply a territorial land grab. There is a long and complex history between the two countries that exist in the context of a tense global political climate. 

After Russia, Ukraine is the largest country in Europe. The two nations share deep cultural, economic, familial and political ties. But compared to Russia, Ukraine is a fledgling nation. Ukraine officially gained independence from the USSR in 1991, but has since had a difficult time escaping Russian influence and finding stability.

After WWII, the rivalrous Cold War began between the US and the Soviet Union, which at the time included Ukraine. Two years later, the US led the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to resist Soviet expansion. To balance the scale, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO), also known as the Warsaw Pact, in 1955.

In 1991, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact fell. There was no longer a need for NATO. However, NATO did not dissolve. Despite assurances from the US and NATO’s Secretary to limit expansion, NATO engaged in membership talks with numerous post-Soviet republics and satellite states, such as Ukraine. 

The US affirmed its support for Ukraine joining NATO with NATO’s 2009 Declaration to Complement the Charter. In the following years, the US channeled both political and financial support to Ukraine and began aiding the country with military supplies, becoming Ukraine's biggest defense partner. 

America’s place in the war

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been catastrophic, costing billions of dollars and resulting in nearly one million casualties. While US President Joe Biden has made it a point to show his support for Ukraine, some argue that international involvement in the war has been uncalled for and driven by political interests. 

While serving as vice president, Biden supported the termination of a top prosecutor in Ukraine. The prosecutor was investigating Burisma, a private energy company where Biden’s son Hunter served as a board member. During his time at the company, Hunter made one million dollars per year. Political opponents accused Biden of abusing his power as vice president to benefit his family’s personal financial benefit. 

On September 24 at the United Nations, Biden spoke proudly of American democracy. He dared to say “I’ve made the preservation of democracy the central cause of my presidency.” Yet his role in the Russia–Ukraine War says otherwise. While at least 70% of Americans want negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, Biden ignores the will of the people and brutally continues escalating the war by providing weapons and $175 billion in aid to Ukraine. 

However, the role of the US is not simply that of an individual actor. The US also leverages its immense power within NATO to influence the war strategically. 

NATO’s mistakes

In reality, NATO has been a disaster for the world. The organization and its allies have stockpiled biological, radiological, chemical and nuclear weaponry. Led by the US, NATO member states have aided and armed belligerent nations, such as Israel against the Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians. They armed and provided intelligence to Saudi Arabia against Yemenis. They instigated civil wars in Libya and Syria. The US alone has a military presence in many nations and participates in military alliances, often in support of NATO members. A recent example is the US involvement in Niger in support of France, but now, both countries are arguing on how to deal with the junta that overthrew the president. 

The Russia–Ukraine war and the bloodbath caused by Israel in Palestine are testimonies to NATO members’ destructive behaviors, which violate the organization’s commitment to the UN to support global peace and security.

As for the situation in Ukraine, NATO continued expanding east despite Russia’s persistent objections. In December 2021, Russia gave its last official warning to NATO to cease this expansion. Russia demanded, among other things, that NATO bar any military activity in Ukraine. Putin also referenced alleged genocide being carried out in eastern regions of the country and the need to denazify a fascist, Western-leaning Ukraine to further justify the invasion. 

If Ukraine had joined NATO, Russia could have had US offensive nuclear missiles right at its borders. By permitting Ukraine to stay neutral, NATO could have prevented the catastrophic war. But, as usual, the US-led NATO ignored the warnings. 

Unable to resolve the concerns through negotiation, Russia deemed itself forced to invade Ukraine. For Americans to understand Russian concerns about Ukraine joining NATO, they might see a parallel with the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when the Soviets installed some of their offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba. If the Soviets had not withdrawn those missiles, it could have resulted in another world war. Regrettably, Biden has not demonstrated the same circumspection that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev did when he decided not to provoke his adversary further.

As a result, the Russia–Ukraine war has gone on and has been one of the deadliest European wars in history. As of September, Russia incurred over 610,000 casualties and Ukraine around 480,000. All that could have been prevented if the US-led NATO opted for negotiation. 

The world is wising up. Many nations do not support US-led NATO action against Russia and reject efforts to isolate Russia, instead favoring peace. 

Negotiating peace is the right thing to do

As in the Cuban Missile Crisis, negotiation has been the only way to resolve these issues effectively. Escalation may ultimately lead to nuclear war, threatening the existence not only of the US and Russia but the entire world. Many nations would like to see a ceasefire and meaningful negotiations, especially regional powers that are sympathetic to Russia such as China, India and Iran.

To stop further destruction, NATO must allow Ukraine to remain a neutral country outside of the organization. But suppose that does not mitigate the Russian security concerns. In that case, NATO may have to withdraw the membership of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to support further neutrality. Before his death, political scientist Henry A. Kissinger even suggested that NATO allies push Ukraine to give up territory to stop the war. 

Yet, a far better solution for global peace would be the dissolution of NATO itself. A US-led NATO interfering in the affairs of other countries has caused much pain and suffering across the globe. It is time for the organization to be tethered or dissolved for good.

Achieving peace requires that all parties come to the table and negotiate, give up something they want and atone for past wrongs. As hundreds continue to die each day, it is high time for the US to recognize these truths and take steps toward achieving peace. 

By MEHDI ALAVI

Fair Observer originally published the article on October 6, 2024.

Read More

French Genocide in Algeria: Time for Introspection

 

During the colonial era, France routinely committed ethnic cleansing and genocide in Algeria. However, France has yet to offer an apology or reparations. In a time when it has empowered genocide in Palestine, France could gain some respect by apologizing to the people of Algeria, paying reparations to the millions who suffered and bringing officials to justice.

In 2017, Emmanuel Macron admitted that French colonization was a “crime against humanity” while campaigning for the French presidency. However, Algeria expected France to officially apologize for these crimes. France has yet to do so. In fact, President Macron dared to question if Algeria would have existed if it had not been for the “French colonizers.”

In the Algerian War of Independence from 1954 to 1962, France committed unimaginable atrocities against Algerians in both Algeria and France. Algerians who cooperated with French forces were often captured and killed by their countrymen fighting for independence. Many escaped and sought asylum in France, where they were then put in camps and denied basic human rights and access to education. Those in Algeria fighting against the French were subject to horrific crimes such as systematic torture, which often resulted in deaths that were labeled as suicides.

In 1961, a year before Algeria gained independence, thousands of Algerians peacefully protested in Paris. In this event that became known as the Paris Massacre, French police killed over 100 of the demonstrators, shooting some and throwing others into the river. The French government covered up such atrocities by censoring the media and destroying archival evidence.

On September 20, 2021, President Macron condemned the “massacre of Algerians in Paris.” He issued an apology to the Algerians who fought alongside the French forces and to the families of those whom the Algerians captured as traitors and killed during the fight for independence. 

Over the course of the conflict, the French colonization of Algeria is estimated to have cost up to 1.5 million Algerian lives. In 1962, an agreement was finally reached calling for a cease-fire, and Algeria gained independence after 132 years of French rule.

The shaping of Algeria

For the last five hundred years, Algeria has had a turbulent past. Around the turn of the seventh century, Arabs first conquered the region today known as Algeria. At the time, it was home to an indigenous group called the Berbers, known for their bravery and independence. However, that conquest was short-lived, and upon a second attempt, the Arabs were defeated by a Berber warrior queen named Kahinah.

In 705, the conquest finally succeeded. Arabs settled in the region and Berbers gradually became Muslims, adopting Arabic as their language. In 711, Berbers joined the Arabs in the conquest of Al-Andalus, present-day Spain and Portugal.

In 742, the Muslim Berbers rebelled against Arab rule and succeeded. By 907, much of North Africa came under the control of the Fatimids, a Shia sect. Over time, local rulers began to follow Sunni Islam and from that event to the 15th century, the area lived in turmoil.

Then, the Europeans arrived. In 1471, the colonization of Africa began with the Portuguese taking some of the Moroccan coastlines. In the early 16th century, Algeria came under the Ottoman Empire.

Although Algeria was under the Ottomans, that did not stop colonists from attacking it. The French invaded Algeria in 1682, the Dutch in 1715, the Spanish in 1775 and the US in 1815, to name a few. In 1830, the French conquered Algeria and it eventually became a French colony.

The colonization of Algeria

When the French invaded again in 1830, it took them nearly 20 years to conquer Algeria. The occupation was bloody and brutal, resulting in a substantial reduction in the local population. Some even consider the conquest genocide.

As the French struggled to gain control, they deliberately killed, raped, tortured, and buried unarmed civilians alive. Out of a population of three million, French forces caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Algerians, some occurring as the result of disease and famine. Around two million civilians were kept in prison camps. French officer Lucien de Montagnac, who was sent to assist in the colonization effort, wrote that the French must “annihilate all that will not crawl beneath our feet like dogs.”

The legacy of colonization in Algeria goes far beyond mass killings. The French stole religious endowments, restricted movement and confiscated fertile lands which they then gave to settlers. The French also plundered gold, iron, coal and other minerals, some of which are still in France.

Over the next century, France struggled to maintain control of Algeria. In 1911, a group of upper-class Muslims labeled themselves “Young Algerians” and demanded representation in the French National Assembly, which was duly declined. Not long after, when France began drafting Muslims to fight the Germans in WWI, many Algerian Muslims took up arms and resisted the law. In the following decades, tensions continued to boil over between Algerians and the French.

The Algerian War

By 1945, encouraged by the 1941 Atlantic Charter, Algerians demanded full independence. When Nazi Germany accepted defeat, Algerians gathered in large numbers to not only celebrate the fall of the Nazi regime but also to garner attention during the United Nations Conference in San Francisco. They wanted the delegates to know that Algeria existed and was ready to be an independent nation. In May, after the conference commenced, mass protests broke out in cities across Algeria.

Like all other mass protests, some violence occurred. The French reacted with aggression, and by the end of June had massacred several thousand Algerians. Many of those Algerians had fought side-by-side with France against Germany.

From their experience in 1945, Algerian patriots realized the only way to gain their freedom was through armed struggle. In 1954, unable to make progress, young Algerian patriots formed the Revolutionary Committee of Unity and Action (CRUA). They tried to unite the Algerians to fight the French and liberate their country. The CRUA created the National Liberation Front (FLN) to direct the Algerian War of Independence, which in turn created the National Liberation Army (ALN). So began the Algerian War.

Protests continued throughout the country, and as France suppressed uprisings, violence broke out. French brutality angered more peaceful civilians to join the revolutionaries, and the movement grew.

In 1958, France offered Algerian Muslims an opportunity to become equal with the French settlers. After so much bloodshed, it was too late, and revolutionaries rejected the offer and asked for independence. By March 1962, the French agreed to grant independence after the 132-year struggle.

Make wrongs right

Despite admitting their atrocities, the French maintain that they will not offer any “repentance or apologies.” To regain some respect, France could acknowledge, apologize and make reparations for the crimes against humanity they committed during colonial times. Importantly, reparation payments should go directly to victims and their descendants, not to the coffers of the Algerian government. To compensate for the ravages of colonization, the French could additionally allocate a sum for education and infrastructure.

Support should also be offered by organizations like the UN. Despite its mission to support peace and security, the UN has consistently failed to stop genocide, prevent ethnic cleansing or sufficiently support victims such as those in Algeria. Consider the ongoing example of the innocent Palestinian men, women and children being butchered daily by US-backed Israel. From Cambodia to Sudan, the UN has let down countries and communities across the world.

In the case of Algeria, the UN heard the cries but failed to provide justice. Even with denials and cover-ups, evidence of the French atrocities were overwhelming. To right these wrongs, a UN-organized International Tribunal for Algeria (ITA) would be a good first start. Just as victims of the Holocaust have been compensated, Algerians must also receive compensation.

While no sum of money can ever erase the suffering of Algerians, reparations are an important step. First, victims get justice. Second, poor countries and victims get valuable financial support. Third, they set an important precedent for holding colonizers accountable. France must take responsibility and action to rectify the country’s dark history in Algeria.

By MEHDI ALAVI

Fair Observer originally published this article on September 20, 2024.

Read More

The Wondrous Life and Strong Policies of President Ebrahim Raisi

 

Tehran, Iran – May 22, 2024: Ebrahim Raisi, president of Iran, Amir Abdollahian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, and two others on a billboard after their death in a helicopter crash near Tabriz.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was recently killed in a helicopter disaster. He was the people’s president, constantly working for his citizens’ best interests. Raisi has been mourned by many world leaders and over a million Iranians.

he Bell 212 helicopter tragedy on May 19, 2024, killed several important political figures: Iranian President Sayyid Ehrahin Raisi-Sadati, aka Ebrahim Raisi; foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian; Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati; and Supreme Leader Representative Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashim. The head of the president’s security team, two pilots and a flight crew also perished. The preliminary investigation showed “no evidence of foul play or attack.” Poor weather caused the accident, as fog impaired the pilot’s visibility.

The day after the crash, on May 20, Raisi was pronounced dead. I wish to honor the president’s passing by presenting his most valuable contributions to Iranian society. Such a hard-working, influential man deserves nothing less.

Raisi’s life and achievements

Ebrahim Raisi was born in Mashhad, Iran in 1960. He lost his father at age 5, causing his family to struggle financially. At age 15, he joined the seminary in the city of Qum. At age 20, he joined Iran’s new judiciary following the conclusion of Iran’s 1979 Revolution. In 1983, he married Jamileh Alamalhoda, daughter of Mashad’s Friday prayer Imam Ahmad Alamolhoda. They had two daughters together.

From here, he was appointed to several important positions. In 1988, he stood as a member of a judicial committee overseeing political prisoners, including the members of the Mujahideen-e Khalq terror organization. A year later, he became the prosecutor of Iran’s capital city of Tehran. In 2004, he was appointed as first deputy chief justice. In 2006, he was elected to the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body appointing the Supreme Leader. In 2012, Raisi earned his PhD in law from Shahid Motahari University. He was appointed Prosecutor General of Iran in 2014 and chair of the Astan Quds Razavi, one of Iran’s biggest religious endowments, in 2016.

His political career did not stop there. Raisi ran in the 2017 presidential election as a critic of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The incumbent president Hassan Rouhani, who invested much of his reelection campaign in the JCPOA, ultimately won. In 2019, Raisi was appointed as Iran’s chief justice. He ran again in the 2020 presidential election and won in 2021. He earned 62% of the popular vote, though the turnout was around 49%. This was over three years after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA.

Finally, on May 19, 2024, Raisi died in the aforementioned helicopter crash in the mountainous region of Azerbaijan. His funeral processes were held in Tabriz, Tehran, Ray, Qum and Mashhad, with over a million attendees.

Raisi was the people’s president. He worked seven days a week, traveling across the country, visiting every province and talking to people from all walks of life. He sat with villagers as if he were one of them, listening and trying to address their issues. In government, he developed positive relations with Iran’s judicial and legislative branches. He enjoyed good relations with the military and religious authorities.

Raisi took the focus away from Iran’s unsuccessful approach with the West, instead turning attention to neighboring countries and the East. He improved relations with Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Uzbekistan. In particular, he solidified Iran’s friendship with Russia and China. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman speaking on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping said Raisi made “positive efforts to consolidate and expand the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Iran.”

In February 2023, Raisi finalized the 25-year “strategic cooperation pact,” with China. The two countries signed numerous other bilateral cooperation documents. In April 2023, Raisi led Iran to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic and security organization. He led Iran to sign an agreement with Iraq to construct a railway from the Iranian city of Shalamcheh to the Iraqi city of Basra.

In May 2023, Raisi signed an agreement with Russia to build a 170-kilometer railway connecting the Iranian city of Rasht to the Azerbaijani city of Astara. In November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Gaza and Israel’s barbaric response to it, Raisi participated in a Saudi summit. This meeting condemned Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

In January 2024, Raisi led Iran to join Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), an intergovernmental organization promoting non-interference, equality and collaboration. In May 2024, he signed several agreements with Pakistan to strengthen “bilateral relations across political, economic, trade, and cultural domains.” That included increasing the bilateral trade to $10 billion.

During Raisi’s tenure, Iran increased its crude oil exports from 0.6 million barrels per day in June 2021 to over 1.6 million in April 2024. The country achieved this over 200% increase despite the draconian sanctions the US implemented in 2018.

Official condolences from world leaders

Iran was showered with condolences from countries worldwide honoring Raisi and the other officials. “I send condolences upon the deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and all who perished in yesterday’s helicopter crash,” Pope Francis wrote to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was “deeply saddened” by Raisi’s passing. “His dedication to justice, peace, and the upliftment of the ummah [the Islamic community] was truly inspiring. We committed ourselves to bolstering Malaysia-Iran relations, working together for the betterment of our peoples and the Muslim world. Our pledge will be fulfilled,” Ibrahim said.

Even the US, Iran’s worst adversary, sent Iran a message regarding his death: “As Iran selects a new president, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Iran declared five days of mourning for Raisi and the other officials’ deaths. Lebanon and Syria followed with three days while India and Iraq took one. On May 21, the UN lowered its flag to half-mast in honor of the late president. The UN Security Council atomic watchdog observed a minute of silence to honor him.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and members of the Security Council extended “sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and to the Government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Iran’s policy will not change

Iran’s democracy must continue without Raisi. According to Article 131 of the Iranian Constitution, “The Council…is obliged to arrange for a new President to be elected within a maximum period of fifty days.” Iran has already scheduled the popular presidential election for June 28.

The deaths of Raisi and others will not alter Iran’s foreign policy. After such large public attendance at his funerals in five different cities, any loyal follower is obliged to enforce his policies: to strengthen relations with neighboring countries, collaborate further with China and Russia and support oppressed people worldwide. Specifically, Iran would continue supporting the oppressed Palestinians until they can restore Palestine.

Raisi was a great man. We must never forget nor devalue his policies that brought our world one step closer to peace.

BY  MEHDI ALAVI

The article was originally published by Fair Observer on June 12, 2024.

Read More

How Do You See Iran’s Attacks on Israel?

  

 

Fired missiles fly to the target. Missiles at the sky at sunset with Iran flag. Missile defense, a system of salvo fire. © Hamara / shutterstock.com

Despite deep animosity over Israel’s decades-long mistreatment of Palestinians, Iran has shown considerable restraint. Nevertheless, Israel lashed out, killing three senior Iranian officers and six other Iranians in an illegal air strike in Damascus. Iran’s reply was a responsible and moderated strike on Israel that killed no one. Yet it cost Israel and its allies billions and gained Iran a valuable advantage.

Article 154 of its constitution requires Iran to support oppressed peoples. Palestinians continue to endure significant oppression. Thus, Iran stands with the Palestinian people and works to promote their liberation. (Encouragingly, an increasing number of Americans are also aligning themselves with the plight of the oppressed Palestinians.) Iran has thus supported Hamas, earning the ire of this Palestinian group’s arch-foe, the US-backed Israel.

Iran’s leadership demonstrates sagacity rather than acting capriciously. It has no desire to provoke an unnecessary war with Israel. However, when Israel assassinated senior Iranian officials in Damascus via an airstrike on April 1, 2024, Iran needed to respond. On April 14, Iran responded with a drone and rocket attack that targeted Israeli territory but caused no deaths.

In the aftermath of Iran’s attack, the US has made efforts to rein in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and prevent escalation. However, this endeavor has proven to be challenging. Netanyahu believes that the US Congress would compel the US to support Israel in a potential conflict with Iran. Presently, he finds himself surrounded by fellow hardline extremists who, like him, fail to recognize the shifting attitudes of the American populace towards Israel. Notably, among the younger generation of Americans, only 14% express sympathy towards Israel, a stark decline from 64% in 2023. These Americans are unwilling to commit to armed conflict or sacrifice their lives for Israel.

Once again, the US intervened to support Netanyahu, entreating Iran to permit a symbolic Israeli strike. Iran, of course, refused, but on April 19, Israel carried out an air strike in Iran’s Esfahan province. There were no casualties. For the moment, this seems to be the end of the exchange.

Netanyahu is cognizant that his political career is effectively over after the Israel–Hamas war, and thus his mandate as well, ends. He faces prosecution for personal corruption and mismanagement, particularly concerning dealings with Hamas. He thus has a personal incentive to prolong the war, perhaps banking on US intervention to safeguard Israel.

Should Israel or the US mount another offensive resulting in casualties or significant damage, hell would break loose in the Middle East. Such a war could destroy US influence in the region and even imperil the very existence of Israel.

A century of struggle and suffering in Palestine

Let’s back up a bit and consider why Gaza is such a sensitive topic for Iran.

In the early 20th century, Jews fled persecution in Christendom and migrated to Palestine. Palestinians initially welcomed them, providing sanctuary. Palestinian hospitality encouraged Zionist-minded Jews to settle in Palestine. By 1930, tensions escalated as the newcomers perpetrated violence against Palestinians. This violence peaked between 1947 and 1948, resulting in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians known as the Nakba.

Since then, Israel, with the support of the US-led West, has continued to marginalize Palestinians and push them into smaller and smaller plots of land. Israel split Palestine into two territories: the larger West Bank in the east, and the tiny Gaza Strip, only 365 square kilometers, to the south. After Palestinians voted for Hamas in 2006, the militant group assumed control of the Gaza Strip. Israel (and Egypt) responded by blockading the territory, creating what is frequently called an open-air prison, with two million people crammed into an area the size of the US Virgin Islands (home to 87,000 people).

Since the outbreak of the present Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Israel has not only killed over 34,000 people in its land and air assault on the Gaza Strip but intensified its blockade, at times even restricting the inflow of drinking water, and put the territory’s population on the brink of starvation.

Founded in a revolution against an oppressive secular government backed by Western powers, the Islamic Republic of Iran sees itself as the protector of the Islamic world against oppression and imperialism. For Iranians, Palestine is the prime case of a suffering Muslim people. So, naturally, whatever happens in Gaza reverberates in Iran.

Iran’s commitment to standing with the oppressed finds its origins in the nation’s majority Shia Islamic faith. Wherever Shia Muslims reside, they draw inspiration from Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet of Islam, who sacrificed his life and those of his loved ones in defense of justice. “In the face of oppression,” Imam Hussein declared, “I choose to stand with courage and uphold the banner of justice.” Shias align themselves with the oppressed and advocate for justice. They do not discriminate based on race, religion, ethnicity, or any other criteria. Presently, Shias in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and various other nations unite in solidarity with Palestinians, even though most Palestinians are Sunni Muslims rather than Shia. What matters most for Iranians is solidarity with the Muslim community and with oppressed peoples across the globe.

Israel’s actions have provoked anger worldwide, even in the West. What is true in the rest of the world is true in Iran tenfold. Iranians are deeply angry. Yet it is a testament to the restraint and prudence of Iran’s leadership that it has so far not let this righteous outrage tempt it into a war.

Iran’s strategic calculations in the face of Israeli provocations

Although Iran rejects aggression, Israel nearly drew it into war anyway by striking its officers. On April 1, 2024, Israel breached Syrian and Iranian sovereignties by bombing the Iranian consulate compound in Damascus, Syria, resulting in the death of 16 individuals. Among the casualties were three senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force — Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, General Hossein Aminollahi and General Mohammad Hadi Haj Rahimi — and six other Revolutionary Guard members.

The US promptly announced that it had nothing to do with Israel’s bombing of Iran’s consulate in Syria. However, the US administration refrained from condemning it. As usual, its media empire repeated the US assertions by downplaying the Israeli assault on the consulate. Incapable of independent thought, the US and its media still keep persistently echoing Israel’s lies, propaganda and unverified rumors.

For years, Iran’s Supreme Leader has exercised patience in response to Israel’s provocations, including sabotage of its endeavors in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs as well as targeted killings of Iranian scientists and military personnel. Following Israel’s bombing of Iran’s consulate in Syria on April 1, military action was withheld initially, with Iran appealing to the UN Security Council to denounce the violations.

After the UN failed to condemn Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader declared Iran’s intention to retaliate against Israel, approximately ten days before the attacks. Demonstrating an exemplary degree of responsibility, Iran issued a warning to Israel, the US, the UK, France, and other supporters, prompting them to prepare for defense. Approximately 72 hours before the attacks, Iran notified both its regional neighbors and Western powers of its imminent intentions. This deliberate choice allowed Israel and its allies time to prepare for defensive measures. Symbolically, Iran sought to showcase its capabilities to its adversaries while assessing their strengths and vulnerabilities.

On April 14, Iran executed its attacks on Israel utilizing outdated, sluggish drones and missiles. The journey spanned three to five hours before reaching their intended targets.

By international law and moral standards, Iran’s response was appropriate. Unlike Israel, which follows the Western model by indiscriminately targeting innocent men, women and children, Iran’s objective from the outset was to minimize casualties. Notably, the attacks resulted in no deaths and only one unintentional injury.

Through the operation, Iran successfully achieved its objectives. The strikes seriously damaged at least two Israeli bases, including the highly sensitive Nevatim Airbase, previously utilized by Israel to target Iran’s consulate. Notably, Israel’s purportedly top-tier defense infrastructure faltered during this operation. While British, French and other Western forces participated, the US conducted the bulk of the interceptions.

To Iranians, the attacks served as significant experimental endeavors. Remarkably, the financial cost to Iran amounted to less than $2 million, whereas its adversaries had to spend $3 billion to counter the attack. Perhaps more importantly, the exercise afforded Iran a deeper understanding of its adversaries’ capabilities.

On April 19, Israel launched rockets toward the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Esfahan province, Iran. Reports indicate that Iran intercepted all incoming projectiles, with some debris landing in Iraq. Iran has not retaliated.

The ever-pro-Israeli US press, led by The New York Times, sought to ignore or downplay Iran’s success and paint the exchange as a mere distraction. Americans should exercise discernment and not take such propaganda at face value. Instead, they should seek out independent sources, such as Fair Observer, for a more realistic perspective.

A call to reform US policy on Israel

It is time for Americans to shake off the passivity they have indulged in for too long. The US, after all, is supposed to be a democracy. Yet a significant majority, exceeding 60% of Americans, disapprove of Israel’s actions in Gaza, while Congress approves $26 billion in more aid for Israel. To reclaim the nation’s integrity, Americans must conscientiously vote out representatives who support such allocations in future elections.

As an American committed to safeguarding the nation’s long-term interests, I advocate for constructive engagement with Palestinians to facilitate the cessation of Israeli colonization and the restoration of the Palestinian state. This endeavor should ensure equal rights for all Palestinian Christians, Jews and Muslims. Additionally, individuals of Jewish descent without historical ties to Palestine should be permitted to repatriate to their ancestral lands or other countries, provided they have not been complicit in crimes against humanity.

True Christians and Jews must actively follow their religious teachings by promoting brotherhood and peace. They must not permit political and religious demagogues to encourage or engage in atrocities such as those in Palestine in their names. Additionally, they should acknowledge that Israel is no friend of the US, but rather an adversary, one which has even fired upon the US Navy with apparent impunity.

Under President Joe Biden — a self-declared Zionist — achieving a peaceful solution in Palestine appears unlikely. Nevertheless, it remains certain that each individual will be held accountable for the suffering they cause, whether directly or indirectly, upon others. Before they are held accountable before God, let us hold them accountable at the ballot box, and perhaps save their souls or, at least, our own.

BY   MEHDI ALAVI

The article was originally published by Fair Observer on May 3, 2024.

Read More