By Frank Mulekwa
According to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2131, it is illegal and a violation of the fundamental principles of customary international law for one country to decide that it does not like the government of another and then deploy coercive means aimed at undermining the territorial integrity or political independence of that state.
Yet the world continues to witness the arrogance of the CIA and the American military establishment. Their modus operandi has often been aggressive, ruthless, and destabilizing, leading to endless cycles of violence through attempts to overthrow sovereign governments.
Iranians have been trying for more than fifteen years to negotiate with the United States. In fact, about ten years ago they reached an agreement with the world through the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
That agreement involved the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany, the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany. It was later unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council.
However, Donald Trump ripped it up in 2018. The reality is that the United States and Israel do not appear interested in genuine peace. What they pursue is global supremacy and strategic dominance.
Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, a state such as Iran has the right to use proportionate force in response to aggression or armed attack by another state.
The United States claims to care about humanity and the Iranian people, yet its real interest appears to be oil resources and military control over the Middle East.
The United States has often behaved as a power drunk with arrogance, willing to project military force across the globe in pursuit of dominance.
The historical record frequently cited by critics is long. The United States invaded Iraq and overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003. That country has struggled with instability ever since.
The United States also participated in the overthrow of the Libyan government, and Libya has experienced years of conflict and instability since then.
In Syria, attempts to overthrow the government beginning in 2011 led to prolonged war and devastation that has lasted for more than a decade.
Sudan also experienced severe instability following political upheavals that eventually resulted in the emergence of two separate conflicts, one in Sudan and another in the breakaway country of South Sudan.
When these examples are examined together, the record appears as a long trail of bloodshed and destabilization.
Observers now warn that the ongoing confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran risks intensifying violence across the Middle East and beyond. Military escalation can easily spill over into a wider regional conflict.
For this reason many analysts argue that genuine negotiations and respect for the sovereignty of nations remain the only path to preventing a longer and more destructive war.
The author is an NRM City Councilor and Media Activist.
