History is a very interesting subject, in fact it’s a story full of lessons for those who want to learn because it tells about actions and consequences of people who ruled and lived before us. Interestingly, history tells us that power follows similar patterns. History also reveals that biggest and mortal weakness of a powerful is his use of excessive and ruthless force against the week. This use of force creates immunity and destroys the fear-factor in weak and the weak gets courage to challenge the strong.
1991 was an important year in many ways. It was the year when Great Soviet Empire collapsed and an era of bipolarity ended. It was also the year when 35 nations joined hands and attacked Iraq to free Kuwait under the leadership of sole superpower, which survived Cold war.
It was in this war when the USA displayed its overwhelming power and global reach to the world, so that allies and enemy states take note , not to come in way of American global interests. US planes flew from their home bases, bombed Iraq and came back on their base after completing a complete circle without touching the ground[i] .
The US power and influence increased but elite of the US wanted more ‘freedom of action’, to grab more and hence more show and use of power. Robert Kagan in his book "OF PARADISE AND POWER" ‘explains American thinking by giving example of a man who has some work to do in Jungle where a ferocious beast dwells. Kagan says if that man has a knife he will go to jungle but will try to avoid the bear but if same man has an automatic weapon he will first kill the bear and then finish his work. Kagan observes that first case is with Europe and it’s because it has no overwhelming power but US has power and reach and that’s why it first neutralizes the threats and then proceeds.
There is an old story, once a young lamb and a tiger were drinking water from the same stream. Tiger became greedy and started bullying the lamb that he was polluting the water, lamb told politely that tiger was on high place and water was coming to him after passing the tiger. Tiger then accused that lamb had abused him a year back on which lamb replied he was only 6 month old on which tiger roared and attacked the lamb that lamb was calling him liar and it was his mother who cursed him. Moral of this story is that Power doesn’t need excuses, it creates excuses at will.
After the end of cold war, neoconservatives and hawks in American Elites started dreaming PAX AMERICANA. One of the most influential think tank Project for New American Century published an important paper under the heading of Re-Building Americas Defenses in which it was suggested.
The process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbor. Domestic politics and industrial policy will shape the pace and content of transformation as much as the requirements of current missions[ii].
September 11,2001 attacks proved to be the catastrophic events and Hawkish elements of US elite found excuse to use force and implement their old dream of Pax Americana and within few hours of these terrorist attacks some of the most influential US officials like Sen. Mac Cain started advocating that Iraq ,Syria and Iran should be neutralized[iii].
It has been nearly 12 years of war on Terrorism which started after the September 11 attacks. The US has shown its weakness that it is addicted to use of power and will kill in anticipation without any regret or remorse. After the attacks on its soil, the US attacked Afghanistan and ousted the Taliban regime. Although it was able to make Al-Qaeda on the run but in Process created a situation where major ethnic group in Afghanistan became the enemy and hence the Taliban, which was a religious movement became Pashtun ethnic Struggle against occupation and the minority alliance, called Northern Alliance, which was on forefront in war against the Taliban and which found it convenient to settle old scores against Pashtun Majority..
Similarly on the base of ‘War on Terror’, Iraq was invaded, nearly "1,455,590" Iraqis were killed[iv] and a developing and prosperous country was ruined. At present Iraq is a divided society where Sunnies, Kurds and Shia’s are fighting each other for dominance.
Henry Kissinger, former US secretary of State writes in his book DIPLOMACY that ‘Defence and Safe guard of Israel’ is one of the important foreign policy objective of American foreign Policy.
American Middle East policy is especially based on 2 factors:
1. Israeli defense
2. Energy security
Whatever American does in Middle East, its due to one of the above two reasons. From Arab Springs to Hostility against Iran, from Emerging Kurdish Spring to Sectarian strife and militancy amongst Middle East, we can observe a delicate Balance of Power is being tried to be maintained and by Divide and rule commercial and Strategic interests are being secured. But is not 1991… its 2012, new powers are emerging , which are challenging the sole super power. China with its strong economy is modernizing its forces. Russia under Vladimir Putin is trying to retake its place in the world politics.