The year 2020 got off to a bang on the international scene as the US and Iran came to the brink of open war. But after the murder of a top general and the bombing of a few bases we have gone back to a state of covert war.
This covert war now finds the Americans — who are also pressuring the victims’ families to follow suit — aiming to sue the Iranian state for the downing of a civilian aircraft which Iran first denied shooting down and then belatedly admitted to its downing.
Now, while I find what the Americans are doing to be despicable, I find it sadder still that nations and people have fallen into line with this line of thinking without taking it to its logical conclusion. We see and hear people coming out saying that the state did this action and as such it should be held to account and made to repay the families. Despicable (as the actions were accidental and forced) but very hard to argue against, so instead of arguing against I say embrace it and let it wash over you like a dip in the river.
Let us have suits against the Iranians for the shooting down of the airliner and hold the planners and executors accountable, people were killed after all. Let us extend it, however, to other parties and nations that have committed crimes of this magnitude and think they can get away with it. As a person who holds Bajan citizenship through my mother, I say let us get justice for Cubana flight 455 which was shot down over Bajan waters, killing Bajans, Cubans and other nationalities. Let us see a suit against the US for that incident and let us see payment since this is the stance we are taking.
While we are at it, let us in the region bring a case against the US for their handling (or mishandling) of the drug war. It is, after all, common knowledge that the CIA and other arms of the US State created, funded, protected and used the drug dealers and the drug money in their ‘sacred war against communism’ while we the people of the region either became hooked on the drugs or victims of the gangs trying to protect their turf and product.
Let the Iraqis bring the coalition of the willing to justice. In case we forgot, 17 years ago it was they who defied the UN General Assembly and its charter as they sashayed into that nation on spurious and made up grounds leaving a broken but functioning country a hellhole.
Let Venezuela bring the UK to court for what amounts to the theft of their gold reserves and let the rest of the world bring suit against them (the UK) as they, with that action alone, destroyed the confidence in international banking and gold reserve holding. And while we are at it, let us have the people of Okinawa sue the US state and its armed forces for the continual occupation, pollution and rape of that province and its people against their will.
It may sound tongue in cheek, but I assure you I am dead serious. Why should the arena of litigation be solely ceded to the Americans? Why should we as people who believe that we hold the moral high ground, which is critical in shaping moral opinions, allow our moral inferiors to dominate these issues? Let the people of the Donbas take the Americans and EU to the ICC for funding fascists and the ideological offspring of literal Nazis, maybe then the point would be driven home that we the people of the poorer parts of the world refuse to be used as pawns in a doomed game of retaining sole hegemonic power.
That those few who have wronged and continue to wrong us dare us to use international courts to find justice should not be lost on us, even if it was said in the throes of hypocrisy and the drive for regime change. They have said it, so bring the case, but also keep the case against the US brought by the Afghans for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Let the UK abide by not just their courts ruling but also the UN ruling which says Chagos islanders must go home and that the US base there used for its wars in the Middle East should be shuttered.
Will taking these nations to court change anything in the short term? Probably not, but enough pressure, with enough cases, would eventually meet upon a weak government in those aggressor nations. And just as Europe was forced to free Africa due to mounting pressure and pliable governments elected by a citizenry which has been worn down by said pressure, so too can we hasten the process of justice and a final dismantling of imperialism.
The Chinese believe in the heavenly mandate, bestowed upon leaders and their house, so they may rule. This heavenly mandate in the end is wrenched from one house to another as the previous ruler is no longer in heavenly graces. It is very similar to the biblical tale of King Saul, mandated by God to lead only to lose it to David when he fell out of heavenly favour.
The Americans, just as the British before them and the French before them, have lost their imperial mandate and like all who lose that mandate, they pander hypocritically and bully in order to maintain it.
Just as the British empire died in large part because of two wars for ‘freedom, liberty and an end to barbarism”, which led to the colonies (whose sons filled the ranks in each war) to demand freedom, like the example of the ‘mother country’ the American empire will die on the mantle of ‘democracy’ such as in Iraq where the democratic government (which they ushered in) has demanded that they leave.
One way that the Demos (the ) can use their Kratos (power or strength) is to take up the offer of a date in court. Charge Iran, they have done nasty things to their people. But while there with those lawyers and judges let’s go one better and lay charges against the powerful nations which forced these actions and enabled this theocracy to come to power. Let’s charge the nations who have destroyed every democratic movement in the third world that they could in order to keep us in an unimaginable hell with those crimes
Funnily enough, the mandate is shown to have been lost when the people rebel, and rebel successfully. We see the rebellions, we see the failures, but we also see the successes, and the resistance slowly but surely wears down the empire to the point of collapse.
Let us show them they have lost the mandate, there is no better place to show this than in a court (the place every American feels most at home). Bring suits, shame them with their quantities and light the touch-paper forcing the people who are now silent to rise up and demand a new world. With this green light to go to court the Americans have truly scored an own goal which they will, in short order, regret especially as the Afghan trials wrap up.
