By Aly Kamadia, Editor-In-Chief, iDose

Is it not both humbling and tragic to consider that the wrong person’s breath can permanently steal your heartbeat? 

If Covid-19 has reminded us about how fragile human life is, the Russian-Ukraine war has highlighted how flimsy our so-called ‘international order’ remains.

Despite many scholars, intellectuals and practitioners constantly reminding us about how strong our ‘global order’ is (or was just a few years ago), the fact is that our planet shelters many civilizations whose foundations sit atop a layer of thinly cracked ice.

While being mindful of our delicate ‘global order’, one very brief article that I chose to feature this week is by His Royal Highness, Turki bin Faisal al-Saud (HH), who was the Director General of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence agency from 1977 to 2001.

The piece elicited mixed emotions within me.

Much of HH’s analysis is correct.

The popular mood of our time is defined by enhanced rage, and is filled with radical forms of “nationalism, populism, Islamophobia”, in addition to other forms of bigotry.

The fact that the structure of the United Nations (UN) and its operations are in need of serious reform is a welcome reminder.

And only a fool would deny HH’s statement that:

“As the Middle East has gone from one war to another, from one catastrophe to another, and from one UN resolution to another, justice has continuously eluded it. Every time an Arab, Muslim, or Middle Eastern issue comes up, the hypocrisy of the great powers that lead the international order becomes crystal clear.”

Though even if the UN instituted meaningful reforms, would they fundamentally alter the way human affairs unfold? Would they save humanity from geopolitical upheavals that wreak havoc on countless lives?

Addressing this question elicits glowing skepticism within me.

While this author doesn’t deny that UN reforms are merited and would lead to constructive outcomes on number of important issues, international affairs will continue to be defined most prominently by raw military might and economic power.

The dire reality is that if any country wishes to attain maximum security (e.g., deter potential military invasions) and influence the behavior of other countries, at least beyond the short term, the gold standard remains possessing nuclear weapons, a strong military and a vibrant economy that is constantly being fed.  

Morality and justice will continue to take a back seat when they clash with the interests of great powers, regardless of any UN reforms.

A point that I’d speculate HH is well aware of.      

Stay safe,