Prospects of a Third World War

UN photo

By

Irfan Khan

The world has witnessed two catastrophic and disgraceful events, the so called world-wars. Once Russia headed to Afghanistan, they made a historic and diplomatic blunder. But the country fought with the US, was defeated and disintegrated. The episode of such war did not end however, hence two more bloody wars were fought over the land of Afghanistan, the second starting after the 9/11 attack against Al-Qaeda, considered a terrorist organization. US and NATO forces were sedentary over the land of Afghanistan and the US army still to this day occupies the land.

During US engagement in Afghanistan, China and Russia once again engulfed themselves as a developing country in the region. Meanwhile, another parallel war was started by the US and its allies over the land of Iraq, accusing the President of Iraq Saddam Hussain of engineering weapons of mass destruction. Mysteriously, he was hanged to death. Wait a minute, just on the last day of World War II, the US attacked the two cities of Japan, killing humanity on a large scale and inflicted the sensation of fear into the vworld. But the international agencies found no evidence of weapons, for which Saddam was wiped out and the land of Iraq was devastated and destructed.

The story did not end of course, and the war was then shifted to Syria which is today a provoking land on the earth between US, IS, Russia and Syria. The people of Syria are becoming homeless and helpless and seeking shelter.

Hamas

In the current scenario, the United Nations have issued a resolution aiming to condemn Hamas. 87 countries voted in favor of the resolution, 57 countries against it and 33 abstaining against voting. So, it did not get a two thirds majority as the bloc of Muslims and its alliance voted against it. The majority of votes, 38, defending Hamas were Muslim-majority countries including, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Libya, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Gambia, Niger, Comoros, Guinea and Djibouti. In addition, there were another five votes from Muslim-minority countries including Mauritius, Suriname, Nigeria, Congo and Mozambique, making 43 out of 57.

The useful increment of 6 in the figure of 43 was then made by two emerging Asian countries, Russia and China, along with their allies including Belarus, Latvia, Mongolia and Laos. Both China and Russia have a huge Muslim minority of 20 million and 10 million respectively, so their support in backing Hamas seems reasonable.

It means 84% (49/57) of the mandate in favour of Hamas arises from a Muslim majority and Muslim minority countries. Only one majority-Muslim country, Albania, and four minority-Muslim countries, Eritrea, Malawi, Singapore and Macedonia, voted against Hamas.

Zionism

Zionism is a movement of world Jewry that arose late in the 19th century with the aim of creating a Jewish state in Palestine. Until 1948, the primary goals of Zionism were the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, ingathering of the exiles, and liberation of Jews from the anti-Semitic discrimination and persecution that they experienced during their diaspora. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Zionism continues primarily to advocate on behalf of Israel and to address threats to its continued existence and security.

In view of the current time perspective, Israel are attempting tooth and nail to strengthen the roots of Zionism and are highly backed by the savvy America. America has also engaged itself in Syria and Iraq, abolishing Hamas. Recently, American President Trump declared his decision of calling back the American troops from Syria and Iraq. This is not the first time of course, as fickle America asked many times before to quit Syria.

It is crucial to note that both rival movements, Hamas and Zionism, are backed by countries which have sophisticated militaries and weapons. Asia being the largest continent, including fifty countries, has been the remaining zone of continuously shifted wars within it since World War II. These vitriolic facts dictate that Asia may be the next land for the Third World War in the grassroots of religion. The rest, God knows well. May God forgive me.

Irfan Khan

I write in Daily Time, Eurasia Review, Modern Diplomacy and others, on Asian Politics, Human Rights and Islamic and Jewish theology. Email:[email protected]