The United States in its time as the global hegemon has learned to bully and intimidate the world. They want the world to accept their terms and conditions even though they do not bring anything to the table. They say that they will give their approval but who to catch hold of if they retreat from their position. A country that could somewhat sell its ally of 50 years in favour a new emerging power can do anything to protect its interests.

Regarding the case of China, the United States has the largest force based in the Pacific Command which they regard as their own backyard. Pacific Command includes a force numbering 325,000 that includes people of the armed forces as well as the civilians plus 1900 aircraft and 180 ships. Add to that the stationing of forces in Afghanistan, defence treaties with Taiwan, Philippines and other countries in the Pacific including Australia and New Zealand.

The hypocrisy of the United States extends to everywhere you look. The United States supports and arms dictators while calling for freedom and democracy in the countries with whose governments they do not agree with. After Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba in the revolution of 1959, the CIA with the approval of US government launched an invasion of the country in 1962 with disastrous results for the CIA. Another example would be its stand on Iran. It criticises Iran for its lack of implementation and violations of human rights while constantly supporting and providing the dictatorial, non-democratic regimes of many Arab countries with weapons. The US had been a major supporter of Meles Zenawi’s regime in Ethiopia, a regime that has been widely criticised for its human rights abuses.

Another point to be noted is the fact that the United States was one of the major advocates that pushed for the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What needs to be checked is the fact that this Universal Declaration only caters to what the West thinks should be and it does not respect any other culture or its tradition.

Getting back to China, in the past few decades, the Chinese have never shown any intention of any aggressive behaviour but this has only been conjured up by the American press and their so called specialists and experts. China is still following their policy of defending their sovereignty. What country doesn’t? For the United States, the issue of sovereignty does not only apply to the mainland but everywhere. If a power rises anywhere in the world, it is a threat to the United States National Security.

And in recent years, the war on terror initiated by the United States seems to be farce. Take for example the drone strikes in tribal areas of Pakistan. Terrorism is referred to as the use of violence to incite fear among the masses. The United States in doing just that in its use of drones in Pakistan. The people in those areas are terrified, and by people I refer to the civilian population of the country, fearing that they might be targeted next. Imagine living in a constant fear of death for no particular reason.

India must realise that United States is more of an opportunist than an ally and should treat the country as such. For the Chinese, the United States has no reason to tell them what they should and shouldn’t do. It is their country and their government. To end this opinion, I will just put across this example that if China wanted to bully its neighbours and project its military might in the South and East China Sea, it could have bought Aircraft Carriers or manufactured the same, for it had the resources to proceed but it didn’t. Need I say more?