THROUGHOUT modern history, powerful nations have repeatedly unleashed devastation across the globe under the pretext of defending freedom, promoting democracy or protecting international security.
But behind these noble claims lies a much darker truth: the relentless pursuit of control, resource extraction and military supremacy, no matter the human cost. The United States and its allies, in particular, have led interventions that violated the sovereignty of nations, shattered societies, displaced millions and left deep scars.
In Afghanistan during the 1980s, global powers waged a proxy war against the Soviet Union by funding and arming militant factions under the banner of fighting communism. Once their goals were met, they abandoned the region. What followed was instability and the rise of extremist groups that the same powers would later declare enemies. In Iraq, a sovereign nation was invaded under the false claim of weapons of mass destruction. That war claimed over a million lives and plunged the country into sectarian chaos—no weapons were found.
In Libya, a NATO-led intervention toppled Muammar Gaddafi in the name of humanitarian protection. What followed was militia warfare, lawlessness and human trafficking. Syria became a theater of power games with weapons and fighters poured in by rival nations. Civilians bore the brunt as their homeland turned into rubble. And then there is Palestine. The repeated bombardment and blockade of Gaza, backed politically and militarily by Western powers, has killed tens of thousands, many of them women and children. The occupying power invokes its right to self-defence, while Palestinians are denied their right to live. The global response, at best, is silence; at worst, complicity.
Iran is the next target. Years of sanctions, assassinations and threats have been justified as preventing a nuclear-armed Iran—even as nuclear powers with aggressive histories go unchecked. US figures, including President Donald Trump, have openly advocated strikes, reinforcing a culture of militarism. This is not new. In 1945, the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands. It remains the only country to have used nuclear weapons in war. In Vietnam, millions died under chemical bombings. Today, Ukraine is another battleground where powers pour in weapons, prolonging war while civilians suffer.
A painful aspect is the role of larger Muslim nations. In pursuit of regime security or economic favor, they have often remained silent. But history shows that collaboration makes them vulnerable to the same coercion and aggression. Modernization promised peace. It brought propaganda, selective morality and efficient weapons. Those claiming to lead the world have led it into disaster—speaking of rights while backing abusive regimes.
Now is the time to awaken the global conscience. Peace-loving people must break their silence. These wars target homes, hospitals and schools. Silence is complicity. If we don’t act, we betray the oppressed—and may one day be victims ourselves. What remains is not leadership, but domination; not justice, but brute force. The weapons have changed. The cruelty has not.
—The writer is Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public, Usman Law Professional Corporation, based in Canada.
