The number of Covid-19 infections and deaths in the United States of America is the highest in the world, constituting almost one third and one quarter of global statistics, respectively. Sadly, rather than joining the broad movement towards compassion and collaboration, the American government has chosen to respond with increased aggression and hate speech instead. These include continued enforcement of debilitating sanctions; intensified military presence in other countries; the hi-jacking of medical equipment; with the pinnacle of heartlessness being the announcement to withhold funds from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In the past, calls for the lifting of sanctions against countries like Iran, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were informed by the devastating impact that it had on their economies and the quality of life of their citizens. The onset of Covid-19 has exacerbated the general humanitarian crises in those countries, impeding their capabilities to optimally manage the impact of the virus. The people of Iran, for example, are experiencing inhumane punishment through these sanctions as the country battles to curtail the pandemic, which is now heading towards eighty thousand infections and five thousand deaths. The government of America has been steadfastly verbose in defending the continued imposition of sanctions, turning a deaf ear to the global outcry, even from Europe, for trade restrictions against these countries to be lifted or at least reduced.
Not content with its unbridled economic crippling of others, America still manages to find resources to intensify regime change activities in places such as Syria and Venezuela. The USA increased its number of troops and logistical supplies in Syria over the past two months; thereby strengthening its support of continued attacks by Turkey and extremist insurgents on the Syrian people. With regards to Venezuela, the USA has, in addition to concocting a story about narcotics trafficking by the Maduro government, increased its presence of naval warships in the Caribbean sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in preparation for a possible military offensive.
While most people of conscience are still baffled by why the USA is focusing on destabilising other countries at a time when the world is grappling with managing a pandemic, the withholding of WHO funding comes as a new blow. Instead of recognising and addressing its own inertia in responding to the pandemic, it is using China as a scapegoat, and holding everyone to ransom by trying to paralyse the WHO.
In a letter to WHO director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, dated April 9, 2020, the USA government states, “WHO is no longer serving the needs of the world and is instead taking its cues from China.” This preposterous allegation is made purely because Dr Ghebreyesus is refusing to be bullied by them and insists on exercising his role in a non-partisan manner. On April 15, President Trump announced that the USA is halting its funding to the WHO pending an outcome of a review of its conduct.
The action seeks to deflect attention from the failure of the Trump administration to decisively intervene and protect USA citizens, thereby freeing him from taking responsibility for the genocide of his people. The consequences of this political charade however are insurmountable. The USA currently has more than 675,000 infections and more than 34,500 deaths and the figures rise daily as the President continues to advocate that portions of the country should consider resuming full economic activity. Furthermore, funding from the USA to the WHO exceeds $400 million per annum. The withholding of funding will severely hamper the WHOs ability to provide much needed data analyses, advice, country support, and the facilitation and deployment of expertise.
Focusing on attacking China is the wrong approach. Instead lessons should be drawn from its swift construction of hospitals; bolstered manufacturing of medical and personal protective equipment; effective implementation of social isolation and use of technology in that regard; and massive roll-out of socio-economic support to its citizens. While the USA hijacks medical supplies meant for countries like Germany and France, China is sending medical experts and material across the world including to countries like Italy and Japan. As at March 31, the Chinese government has given medical advice and material assistance to 120 countries and four international organisations.
The government of the USA must shatter its delusion of benevolence. It’s bully tactics are not helpful. It should also reflect on its determination to make an enemy out of all and sundry. If it is not spewing hatred towards Muslims, then its neighbouring Mexicans or socialists are the targets. This desperate determination to aggressively assert global hegemony, while dragging its citizens along, is indicative of a failure to internalise that the Cold War has long ended and that global attention has shifted to development and environmental sustainability. Instead of swimming against the tide, it should appreciate and participate in the current focus on health and the wholistic management of the spread and impact of Covid-19.
Now is not the time for making enemies. Now is also not the time to be flexing muscle and throwing about weight. The devastating impact of USA arrogance evokes pain and concern as we watch death tolls rising, including in their country. As the world faces a possible extension of President Trump’s term we cannot help but wonder how many more must perish before this evil ends. We can merely hope that an awakening will occur at some point, and that the USA will realise that humility and cooperation is not only beneficial to humanity in general, but that it is beneficial to them too. It needs friends, not more enemies, in its fight against Covid-19.
* Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security and is currently based in Damascus, Syria.
** The views expressed here are not ecessarily those of IOL.