The West’s Selfish Agenda
Okaz, Saudi Arabia, April 28
The West continues to push a unilateral agenda through its media outlets, claiming to support freedom of opinion while simultaneously suppressing any voices that challenge its own narrative. It has banned Russian channels and fueled hatred against anything Russian, as evidenced by the racist comments of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Moreover, this racism has extended to culture and sports. Despite all this, the West continues to champion the concepts of freedom and democracy, yet in reality, it is pursuing its own interests at the expense of the rest of the world. The Israeli occupation, which has been backed by the West, and the wars fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Libya, and other countries across the globe are all examples of Western imperialism. A burning question remains in the minds of those who have been subjected to a single Western view and double standards: Is it not time for the West to relinquish its extreme selfishness? Despite its numerous faults, the West has had a significant impact on human history, both in terms of achievements and atrocities. It is time for Western thinkers and policymakers to reevaluate their imperialist doctrines and ambitions of dominating the world and its resources for their own gain at the expense of others. The Munich Security Conference, which is being held this year amid a global crisis in energy and food, demonstrates the extent to which the West’s unilateral discourse has peaked, and its attempt to isolate those who disagree with them. In short, the Munich Security Conference did not bring anything new to the table. The West seems almost unable to accept reality and change. It has abandoned press freedom, frozen individuals’ funds without judicial rulings, violated international agreements and suspended them unilaterally, and engaged in other unilateral actions. Dialogue is the only way to achieve peace. This is what the Saudi foreign minister said during a dialogue session at the Munich Security Conference: “We continue to engage in dialogue with Ukraine and Russia in order to find opportunities for a solution.” The world is calling on the West to listen to reason and reject selfishness, control, and exploitation of resources from developing countries. This includes ceasing the manipulation of political systems through coups, election interference, and other forms of political bullying. Granting visas to Russian diplomats to attend the winter session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe was a positive step. Nevertheless, the members of the Russian delegation were not permitted to lay flowers at the monument of the Soviet soldiers. The West’s unilateralism and hypersensitivity to non-Western cultures have led to political suicide in Europe and the weakening of the US dollar, as well as fueling conflicts worldwide. Consequently, the world is looking to end the West’s divisive discourse and its colonialist mentality that has lasted for centuries. A multipolar world is the only way to guarantee dignity and prosperity for all, regardless of geographical location or cultural background, instead of the West claiming it has a right to be right and others to be wrong. —Osama Yamani (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
