European Leaders Should Stop Kowtowing to US Bullying: American Analyst

“European leaders should stop kowtowing to Washington's bullying and stand up for the interests of their own citizens,” Rick Sterling from San Francisco Bay said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency.

“Washington's economic wars on Iran, Russia and China are hurting not helping their interests,” the analyst added.  

Sterling is a retired aerospace engineer who now writes about international issues. As a member of the Syria Solidarity Movement and a prominent analyst, his works and interviews have appeared in media outlets around the world.

The following is the full text of the interview:

Tasnim: International developments are full of examples of how regional and trans-regional countries have successfully adopted strategies of resistance against oppression and unilateralism that have borne good results. As you know, countries like Iran, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, and Palestine have protected their national sovereignty against foreign threats and achieved many gains through this strategy. In contrast, some countries have adopted a strategy of appeasement or reconciliation when being hectored and bullied by world powers. Given the experiences of these resistance countries, what do you think about their approach and the concept of resistance?

Sterling: Resistance requires flexibility but firmness on principle. We have seen what happens when there is compromise without guarantees. In the early 1990s, the Soviet Union acceded to the West believing the promises that the standard of living would improve and NATO would not expand. Instead, the Russian economy collapsed, oligarchs flourished and NATO increasingly threatens Russia. It's only since Russia charted an independent course that their economy improved and foreign policy was restored. The Palestinian Liberation Organization offers another example. Under the Oslo Agreements, the PLO dropped resistance and recognized the state of Israel. They expected mutual recognition, but instead Israel broke its promises and commitments. 

Despite the broken promises, resistance to domination by the US and allies is growing. Western domination of Russia has failed. Israel has failed to crush Palestine. Saudi Arabia has failed to conquer Yemen. The US has failed to topple the popular governments of Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua or Cuba. After 8 years of effort and bloodshed, the US and allies have failed to defeat Syria and its allies. The US, NATO, Israel and Saudi Arabia wanted to crush the "axis of resistance" but instead they have made it stronger.

Tasnim: Do you think countries that currently toe the line of major powers like the US ought to emulate these experiences of resistance countries to protect their independence and stand against unilateralism?

Sterling: When the US interferes or dominates another country, it's always bad for the people there. Iran experienced this directly after the 1953 coup. More recently, the 2009 coup in Honduras has resulted in enormous corruption and violence. In Colombia, the US-dominated government has overseen death squads and the collapse of the peace process. In Brazil, the new US-friendly right wing government is reducing health care while encouraging environmental destruction and indigenous massacres. With shocking international silence and complicity, the US has subverted international law, the UN Charter and international bodies such as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. It is crucially important for all people, including those living in the US, to stop US global bullying and restore international law and the UN Charter.

Tasnim: In an op-ed article written for Tasnim, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, warned the European countries of the risks of inaction regarding the US administration’s unilateral policies, saying the current EU leaders will be held accountable for Europe’s future challenges. Shamkhani criticized Europe for becoming an unimportant and passive actor that accepts humiliation at the hands of the US and has to live with the destructive effects of Washington’s unilateralism that have affected several international treaties. What is your take on that? Isn’t it better for the EU to stand up to US bullying and unilateralism?

Sterling: European leaders should stop kowtowing to Washington's bullying and stand up for the interests of their own citizens. Washington's economic wars on Iran, Russia and China are hurting not helping their interests. In addition, the Trump administration is demanding that all NATO countries increase military spending to 2% of their GDP. These are huge sums of money which can only be done by increasing taxes and reducing social services. It will make war and violence in Europe more likely. The US administration evidently wants European countries to follow its example: a government which primarily serves an economic elite and military industrial complex. The sad truth is that in the US, there are about 670 billionaires alongside MILLIONS of people who have no housing or healthcare and millions more in prison. Instead of following the USA, Europe should look out for its own interests and people. It is the USA which needs to become a "normal" nation again.