Raqif Makhdoomi
There was a time when the United States claimed to “attack” countries to protect “democracy.” Many believed it—until it became clear that democracy was never under threat. Oil was.
In the name of oil, the United States has attacked nearly 25 per cent of the world, yet it has never been labelled a terrorist nation. It moves across continents, enters sovereign countries, and often leaves them in ruins. Even today, there is hardly a United Nations General Assembly resolution, convention, or human rights mandate that Israel has not violated—yet Washington sees no “threat to democracy.” The reason is simple: Palestine has no oil. Had it possessed oil reserves, the crisis of democracy would have been urgently discovered.
Israel’s repeated violations of international law invite no military action. Saddam Hussein, however, faced a full coalition of world powers for allegedly possessing weapons of mass destruction—weapons that were never found. The real motive behind the US invasion of Iraq was control over Iraqi resources. Iraq was exploited and destroyed, yet the United States is never called a sponsor of terror.
In March 2003, the US and its allies launched an invasion of Iraq. The operation included carpet bombing of residential areas, entirely unrelated to the so-called weapons of mass destruction. Has the US ever been held accountable? The answer remains a firm no.
Iraq was not an exception. The United States has carried out military interventions in China (1945–46), Syria (1949), Korea (1950–53), China again (1950–53), Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Tibet (1955–70s), Indonesia (1958), Cuba (1959), Kuwait (1991), and Libya (1986 and again in 2011), among others. In total, the US has attacked or intervened in 48 countries. Out of 195 nations worldwide, this amounts to nearly 24.6 per cent—yet no US president has ever been branded an extremist, radical, or terrorist.
Saddam Hussein, by contrast, was swiftly labelled and ultimately hanged. The United States pushed the United Nations to authorise action against him. Why was Iraq left in ruins? The answer is straightforward: Saddam sought to strengthen his country, and the US does not tolerate emerging powers that could challenge its supremacy.
Today, the US faces growing challenges from China and Russia—but avoids direct confrontation because both are powerful enough to respond.
Between 2003 and 2011, nearly half a million people died in Iraq due to war-related causes. This estimate, based on randomized household surveys by researchers from the US, Canada, and Iraq, includes not only violent deaths but also fatalities resulting from infrastructure collapse after the invasion. The figure far exceeds the 112,000 violent deaths recorded by Iraq Body Count.
George W. Bush ordered and led these attacks, yet he is never portrayed as a threat to humanity or democracy. In fact, it is difficult to recall a single US president who has not bombed or invaded another country—yet none have ever appeared on any terror list.
Recently, the US arrested the President of Venezuela and openly flaunted the act. Ironically, Washington once justified attacking Iraq on the charge that it had violated Kuwait’s sovereignty. Today, it has no hesitation in violating the sovereignty of another nation itself.
Venezuela is facing a severe crisis. Protests are ongoing, and basic facilities are scarce—but this situation is largely the result of US-imposed sanctions. The pattern is familiar: impose sanctions, trigger economic collapse, then issue statements expressing concern.
The same strategy is being applied to Iran. Protests are being fuelled under the pretext of hijab laws. This has little to do with women’s rights and much to do with destabilisation. Iran, however, remains well equipped to withstand such pressure.
Over time, the reality behind Venezuela became clear. The country is now set to supply oil to the United States. Former US President Donald Trump stated that Venezuela would turn over 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil, to be sold at market prices. These barrels represent only the first tranche, with shipments expected to continue indefinitely. In return, US sanctions are being selectively rolled back.
Once again, sanctions were imposed for one reason alone: oil. The United States is stockpiling resources because it knows that a time will come when oil runs out—and when that happens, the world will be forced to rely on it.
One conclusion is unavoidable: the United States of America has never truly cared about democracy. Where it sees oil, it finds a crisis—and where there is no oil, there is no outrage.
(Note: Raqif Makhdoomi is a law student and human rights activist.)
