These days, these terms are very popular.
On January 20th, Mr. Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, started his speech in Davos by mentioning how the rules-based order is fading. He then continued—and I quote:
“Intermediate powers are not powerless. They have the capacity to build a new order that encompasses our values: human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of states.”
He cited a piece from The Power of the Powerless, written by Václav Havel, and mentioned:
“We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false. That the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient. That, trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And we knew that international law applied with varying rigor depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.
As a result, many countries are drawing the same conclusion:
they must develop greater strategic autonomy.
Because when the rules no longer protect you,
you must protect yourself.”
And many other political leaders agreed with the message his speech delivered.
But only six weeks later, in the middle of a very promising round of negotiations between Iran and the United States, diplomacy was once again betrayed. The United States supported its long-standing partner-in-crime and started an illegal war on Iran.
And as if bombing a sovereign country was not bad enough, they managed to break their own record in committing atrocities against humanity—by bombing a primary school with 170 students between the ages of 6 and 11, in a small city called Minab, within the first hours.
They bombed this school not once, but twice, within ten minutes.
Just to make sure that the children who survived the first strike—who had sought shelter in the school’s prayer room—were killed in the second strike.
165 students, and several teachers, were killed.
Seeing the drastic shift among the world’s leaders, and the awakening wave flowing through people and societies, one would hope that political leaders would finally take the correct stance.
That they would act differently now than they did eight months ago.
After all, they claimed they would no longer play by the old rules.
They themselves admitted that international law was applied depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.
But the very same politicians—one after another—started supporting the illegal attack on Iran by their allies, while condemning the victim: Iran. Why?
Because Iran learned long before they did that when the rules no longer protect you, you must protect yourself
Only a few of these leaders had the courage to stay within the limits of their ethical boundaries—an asset that others do not seem to find within themselves.
And once more, we learned that international law seems to have different editions depending on whom it concerns.
This reminds me of the very famous sentence from George Orwell’s Animal Farm:
“We are all equal, but some of us are more equal.”
But I would like to mention: A good story can work in both directions.
For you—the powerful.
And for us—the so-called powerless- the people.
While you support each other in crimes and atrocities, we, the people, won’t stay silent. We’ll stand by what is right—because we have maintained our moral boundaries.
We are here, united, to raise our voices against this unjust and illegal war. And we ask you to stand with us. Use your power—while you still have it—and do the right thing: stop the war on Iran.
And as a final message, I would like to remind you:
So far it was Iraq. Afghanistan. Libya. Syria. Gaza. Lebanon.
You might think these countries are all in the Middle East—far away from us here.
But remember:
Yesterday it was Venezuela.
Today it is Iran.
Tomorrow it might be Greenland.
Or you.
Sometimes, all it takes is saying no to the bully.
