Self-Defeating US Unilateralism

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

In discussing Bush/Cheney's post-9/11 unilateralist path, the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) earlier called it self-defeating by shifting US global engagement after WW II to a go-it-alone approach that contributed significantly to the country's decline on the world stage, angering allies, alienating others.

International Security editor-in-chief Steven Miller earlier warned that this approach by Washington "denigrat(es) alliances and institutions that may be helpful in the future."

Though US unilateralism isn't new, it escalated post-9/11 — notably by Bush/Cheney and Trump by abandoning international treaties, conventions and agreements, inventing one enemy after another to attack unjustifiably, threatening first-strike use of nuclear weapons, and demanding allies and adversaries alike bend to its hegemonic will — even when it harms their own interests.

According to Professor of International Politics Kazuto Suzuki, Trump's hostility toward Iran is politically driven, including with "supporters who are mostly anti-Iran/pro-Israel" in mind.

He's less concerned about his policy's effectiveness, largely focusing on maintaining support from his base, Suzuki believes, especially ahead of US November elections.

Years of his regime's "maximum pressure" on Iran failed because of Iran's effectiveness in countering it and failure to build international consensus against the country and its ruling authorities — notably with regard to the JCPOA nuclear deal.

Russia, China, EU countries and most others want it preserved, isolating the US on this issue — except for Israel, a few Gulf states, and a few others.

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif will meet with his Russian counterpart in Moscow.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry official Zamir kabulov, Zarif and Sergey Lavrov "will discuss the usual issues — bilateral relations, Syria, the JCPOA, other regional issues, and what follows when the UN arms embargo is lifted next month.

Russia's Foreign Ministry also debunked the notion of snapback sanctions on Iran by a nation no longer part of the landmark agreement, giving no say over its implementation.

On Sunday, Zarif tweeted the following:

"The issue with mythomaniacsm (in the US) — who just can't help themselves in their pathological lying — is that they actually get lost in their own web of deceit."

"The world says NO Security Council sanctions were restored." 

"But Mr. "We lied, We cheated, We stole" threatens to punish a world that refuses to live in his parallel universe."

"@realDonaldTrump should change tack before @SecPompeo further turns #MAGA into (more of) a global laughing stock (than already)."

Iran's Press TV quoted President Rouhani, saying the following:

"Although the enemy has been able to create obstacles for us in the economic field, it has failed regarding political and legal issues." 

"It has faced at least three major historical defeats in recent months."

Other than virtual US colony the Dominican Republic, "(n)o UN Security Council member accompanied the US in its snapback push."

The Trump regime is isolated on the world stage for its war on Iran by other means, notably on the JCPOA, snapback, and expiring UN arms embargo.

Despite imposing its "toughest ever" sanctions on Iran unilaterally and illegally, the Islamic Republic "keeps humming and is getting back on its feet," Press TV reported.

According to Iran's Aerospace Force commander General Amir Ali Hajizadeh on Monday, lifting the UN arms embargo next month will be a political victory for the country and will let its government export weapons.

On Sunday, Iran's Defense Minister General Amir Hatami said expiration of the UN arms embargo in a few weeks will mark another humiliating US defeat internationally, adding:

Iran will supply allies with arms, technology, and other products valued for their high quality and affordability.

On Sunday, Russia's Foreign Ministry slammed the Trump regime, saying:

It "continues to mislead the international community by speculating that the UN Security Council conducted some sort of procedures to restore the effect of UNSC resolutions on Iran sanctions, which were cancelled after the signing of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)."

"The facts are that the UN Security Council did not take any action that would lead to the restoration of old sanctions against Iran." 

"All that Washington does is nothing more than a theatrical performance staged in order to subordinate the Security Council to its policy of 'maximum pressure' on Iran and turn this authoritative body into its handy tool" without accomplishing anything by its hostile actions.

The more Washington acts unilaterally on the world stage, the more rapidly its influence declines internationally.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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