Mohammad Mahdi Abbasi, researcher in the field of American Studies
Today, it is rare to find an individual in
the US and the West without a conscience, allowing them to remain
silent and indifferent to one of the worst atrocities of the past
century — a tragedy that has claimed over 32,000 lives in Gaza so far.
According to a United Nations official, the kill rates in Gaza is the highest in the world since the Rwandan genocide. Now, individuals are expressing their opposition: one by self-immolation in front of the Zionist regime's embassy and protesting their country’s involvement in the genocide, another by resigning
from a key position in the US State Department, and yet another by
participating in weeks of anti-war protests in the streets of
Washington, New York, and San Francisco.
However, on the other side, we have the stage of the US government. This administration, against the desires of most Americans, has entangled itself in the brutal massacre of the people of Gaza by the Zionist regime, plunging itself into a deep crisis.
Just a few days ago, in his speech on the first day of the Iranian New Year in 1403 AHS (March 20, 2024), the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khamenei, provided a precise analysis of the US administration’s approach to the Gaza crisis, labeling it as “choosing the worst stance on the Gaza issue,” and outlined three of the dire consequences of their misguided decision.
1. The real nature of American human rights has been exposed to the world
In the early days of the conflict, Joe Biden made a trip to Tel Aviv to pledge support for the Zionist regime, and shortly after, the US Congress swiftly passed its initial bill to greenlight a package of aid to Israel. Presently, the US administration is pushing for another $14 billion aid package to assist the Zionist regime. Additionally, The Washington Post recently stirred controversy with a report revealing that since the Gaza war began on October 7, the US has quietly approved over 100 separate military and arms sales to Israel! Several US senators, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, have also openly highlighted the US administration’s role in the ongoing Gaza crisis.
Consequently, nobody in the world can hide the ongoing involvement of the US in the atrocious crimes of the Zionist regime. This collaboration has revealed the true essence of American human rights to the world and has morally bankrupted the nation.
In his address on the occasion of the Iranian New Year, Imam Khamenei emphasized the importance of Palestinian Resistance and the resilience of Gaza's people in exposing and refuting the West's assertions of civilization and human rights: “The tragedies in Gaza have unveiled the prevalent injustice and darkness in the world. This Western world, frequently praised as civilized and advocates of human rights, has demonstrated the darkness that dictates their lives, thoughts, and actions.”
2. US reputation took a nosedive globally and in the region
In recent months, cities worldwide have seen widespread protests and demonstrations condemning the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza and the United States' involvement in them. These protests even reached the heart of the US, including Washington D.C. and inside the US Congress building. Interestingly, this widespread dissatisfaction with the US administeration spilled over into the US elections. For instance, during the Democratic Party presidential primaries in crucial states like Michigan, over 100,000 people opted for "Uncommitted" as a way to protest against the Biden administration's policies regarding Gaza.
In recent months, opposition to the US among regional governments and public resentment toward the country in Islamic nations have significantly increased. CNN reported that the Biden administration has received grave warnings from American diplomats across Arab nations, cautioning that US support for Israel's deadly military campaign in Gaza will alienate an entire generation of Arab people from the US. A recent poll by the Washington Institute validates this concern, revealing that only 7% of the population in these Arab countries believe that the US played a positive role in the Gaza conflict. Furthermore, the chairman of the board of directors of Egypt's renowned newspaper Al-Ahram explicitly stated in a recent editorial that the US is the Arab world’s No. 1 enemy. The negative reactions of regional countries to recent resolutions by the US and its allies at the United Nations further reinforce this sentiment.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution analyzed the United States’ considerable decline in the region and its actions regarding Gaza as follows:
The US chose the worst situation in the Gazan region. What it did has made it despised throughout the entire world. Those who take part in pro-Palestinian protests in the streets of London, Paris, and other European countries, and the US itself are in fact expressing their hatred toward the US. The US has become despised in the world. It was already despised in the region, and this hatred has now increased tenfold.
3. US Plans and Strategies in the Region Disrupted
The Gaza conflict has starkly demonstrated that the US and its policies no longer wield significant influence in the West Asia region. Perhaps the primary and most ambitious of the US plans, thwarted by the Resistance, was the normalization of relations between Arab and Islamic nations with the Zionist regime. Recent data indicates a strong public opposition in the Arab world toward recognizing the Zionist regime. For example, in a recent survey, 89% of Arab respondents expressed opposition to recognizing the state of Israel. This statistic not only reflects nearly unanimous resistance to normalization within the Arab world but also highlights a 5% increase in opposition to the Zionist regime compared to a 2022 survey, where 84% opposed recognizing Israel.
Western intellectuals and political thinkers have also acknowledged the failure of this plan in recent months. For example, Fred Kempe, the president and chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council, said in an interview a few weeks ago: “I think a big victim is the efforts at Saudi Arabia and Israel normalization. ... There was a prospect of a deal; people were giving it a 50/50 chance. Right now, you have to give it zero chance.” Similarly, Zineb Riboua, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute in the US, believes that the primary achievement of Hamas and the Axis of Resistance from the recent conflict is the halt of normalization of relations between Arabs and the Zionist regime.
Moreover, the main surrogate of the US in the region, namely the Zionist regime, has also suffered significant setbacks in recent months. Today, in addition to the military casualties and substantial economic costs of the Gaza war, the Zionist regime is grappling with widespread internal tensions and divisions.
Imam Khamenei explained the impact of the Resistance Front's actions on the US in the region, stating, "The Resistance has revealed its authentic presence, abilities, and situation to the world, illustrating the essence of true resistance. They have disrupted all of Washington’s calculations."
In summary, the US is now grappling with the severe repercussions of its misguided approach to the Gaza crisis. With each minute that passes in this conflict, the Biden administration finds itself more entangled in domestic dissatisfaction, hastening the US’s decline on the global stage.
(The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of ABNA24.com)
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