War has always been considered a reprehensible phenomenon due to its material and non-material destructive effects and consequences, except in cases where it is a factor for defending human life and survival, society, public order, and security, confronting the aggressor, and preventing cruelty and injustice.
If the main criterion and criterion for facing war in decision-making centers, decision-makers, foreign policy, and even political and philosophical schools of Western countries is national interests and not human interests and human rights, it is a far more reprehensible phenomenon than war itself. The history of wars in contemporary international relations, especially the developments of recent decades, has shown well that the priority of Western countries in facing intra-regional and international wars has been mainly following national interests and focusing on the defense of a particular color and race. If this was not the case, the senior reporter of CBS News would not have repeated in one of his reports covering the Ukraine crisis that the war in Ukraine cannot be compared with Iraq and Afghanistan, because Ukraine is a European and civilized country!
When faced with social, political, and humanitarian issues and phenomena, the media usually reflect the hidden and hidden views of their politicians and statesmen. The presenter of the French BMFTV network emphasized in the live report that he was presenting on the war in Ukraine: “We are not talking about the Syrians who escaped from the bombing of the Syrian government supported by Putin. We are talking about Europeans who are fleeing, who look like us, who are fleeing in cars, fleeing so that we can save their lives!”
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Every day in Yemen, tens or even hundreds of civilians or ordinary citizens lose their lives, are injured, or suffer from poverty and famine due to war and conflict, but so far there has been no record of governmental institutions, political circles, media centers and think tanks. Westerners in Europe and America should act and take a stand against the war in Yemen and the relentless attacks of the Saudis on this country, as they have appeared today in the face of the war in Ukraine.
Almost 8 years have passed since the war in Yemen. During this period, more than 600 billion dollars of material damages have been inflicted on Yemen by the aggressor Saudi coalition. As a result of the military attacks of the Saudi coalition, 50,000 civilians have been killed and injured in Yemen. In addition, more than 600,000 residential units and more than 590,000 service and civilian centers have been destroyed or seriously damaged by the Saudi coalition!
Despite all these human and non-human losses, the Western countries, the United Nations, and especially the Security Council have not only taken any effective measures to stop Saudi Arabia’s war machine but also turned a blind eye to the shocking events that resulted from the siege and all-out attacks. In Yemen, and against the oppressed people of this country, in a way, they have become partners in the crimes of Saudi Arabia and the countries and forces under its command in Yemen as well.
At the same time, in many other regional wars, the reality of many false claims and policies of America, Europe, and international organizations regarding human rights has been exposed. The reaction of the United States and European countries to the war in Ukraine is completely opposite to the position of these countries in Yemen, where all areas and civilians, including children, women, schools, and medical centers, are among the operational targets of Saudi Arabia.
While all the western countries are talking about Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, they have subjected this country to numerous sanctions and they are issuing resolutions against it in the United Nations, but these countries are only silent and they have paid passive and sometimes biased behavior and support for Saudi!
There is no doubt that the war and military operations in Ukraine should be stopped and the resolution of existing tensions should be pursued through political and legal mechanisms, but the important point here is that why there is no such protest voice for the war in Yemen?! Why hasn’t any western country barred coalition member countries from participating in sports fields because of the crimes that are constantly being committed in Yemen?! Why don’t the athletes of any country show up in sports fields and competitions with clothes in the color of the Yemeni flag?! If the sports sanctions include even Russian disabled people who have been trying for months to participate in the Paralympic World Games!
Putting together the positions of the West towards Ukraine and Yemen shows that maintaining political domination and national interests is the most important red line of Western countries. Since this red line interferes with human lives and human rights, priority is given to national interests.
Insinuations like this, are that Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen are not civilized while on the other hand, European and white folks, are nothing but racist, selective, and discriminatory behaviors are perceived.
In the end, it should be emphasized that America, Europe, and the United Nations have never been successful in playing their role as deterrents, in war, and conflicts. For years, European and American countries have been using the tools of power they have in the international system as a cover for their illegal and inhumane actions and practices. More than war, which is a terrible phenomenon, the international system has suffered from discriminatory structures and racist behaviors, and warmongering and crisis-creating approaches that are the precursor to regional wars.
