A tinder box

For decades Uncle Sam has remained the root cause of political turmoil in the Middle East and South Asia. Iran is fuming over the killings of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis by the US. The conflict in the region is impacting the international market. Oil prices have gone up and international stock markets are crashing. Unfortunately, the US has no remorse for what it has done to disrupt the peace in Iran and Iraq. The addition of 3500 more US troops in Kuwait will surely increase tensions in the area. Pakistan and India are already at the brink of conflict. The Persian Gulf has become a tinder box, as any slight mishap in the region may result in colossal violence. .

The dishonest behaviour of the Trump administration has worsened things. The US’s former position as ‘policeman of the world’ reveals its hypocrisy as the nation has severely threatened world peace with little consequences. Sadly, the internal divisions of many Muslim states have weakened their ability to take a unanimous stand against the US. Furthermore, the UN has become an additional source of influence for the world’s most powerful countries. Muslim countries must prove themselves to be Iran’s allies during these testing times and must show solidarity with the oppressed. Pakistan has warned that its land will not be used for any aggression: a befitting stance in the wake of rising tension.

Iftikhar Mirza

Islamabad