To understand why US is so zealous
to preserve its dominance as the sole power of the world by engaging itself in
spying activities, we have to revisit again the Huntington’s Clash of
Civilizations theory.
Since the September 11, 2001,
Samuel P. Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations theory has become vital to
analyse the pattern of global conflicts and issues involving international
relations. The collapse of communism and the dismantling of Eastern bloc left a
vacuum and impeccably the United States of America which is representing the
West become the sole superpower of the world. Since then, the West revived the
old rivalries between Western and Eastern civilizations.
The argument that Huntington put
forward in his theory understandably is one fouled by Western viewpoints. There
is no concrete consideration given to Eastern values. The refutable explanations
given in his article are clearly undermining the basic concept of the Eastern values.
The negative picture, which has been portrayed, rather damages the basic requirements
to preserve global peace and security.
Huntington wants the West to know
the ‘enemy’ in order to safeguard the interests of the West on global affairs.
The fear that he has further can be observed in his argument that Eastern
Civilizations will collaborate together and eventually go against with the West
in future. These negative projections are obviously a collective and well
devised plan of the West with the intention of undermining east.
Edward Snowden and Julian Assange
is the end product of Huntington’s theory. Both of them originated from West
and had depth knowledge of the West using various methods and modes to infringe
the fundamental rights of the people not only in West also the other part of
the world.
Snowden, who worked for US
National Security Agency revealed that the US is using surveillance program to
collected emails, chat logs and other data from notable software companies.
Assange, the founder of
anti-secrecy group Wikileakes, exposed various government documents especially
from US that indicated unauthorized surveillance activities.
Huntington’s theory is based on
imperialism. Edward Said in his book, Orientalism, said that the West has
different view on East. The West always sees East as threat to the dominance of
West on world affairs. Therefore the West will do whatever possible to contain
the advancement of East on global stage.
The issue of morality and ethical
expectations in handling of Snowden and Assange are not under consideration of
the West. By compelling other countries to extradite both of them to US had
showed the mind of the imperialist. In hypothetically if someone has done
espionage work for West especially for US that person will be protected in the
name of human rights. In 2004, Rabinder Singh an Indian intelligence officer
who has identified as the spy was on the payroll of CIA and now under the
protection program of US even though India had requested for his extradition.
This shows that the legality and
notion of the freedom of people and the countries under the surveillance of the
US is immaterial for them. In name national security and determination to
control the global affairs, US can infringe the basic fundamental rights of
people and ignored the consensus on international norms to safeguard their sole
interest. Their act is the reflection of the Huntington’s where to maintain
their dominance of the world affairs they do any means even though it had
adverse implications on mankind and geopolitics. These acts will undermine the
sovereignty of the countries and fundamental rights of the people as the whole.
Therefore the imperialist of mind
of US is no longer suitable in dealing with the issues concerning international
relations and must be made redundant because their own citizens no longer
subscribe to such notions any longer.
Kuala Lumpur.
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