Third World Countries Oppose West

The USA will have to pay attention to Non-Aligned Movement some day

The events around Iraq show, who the master in the house is. The number of adversaries of the war does not actually matter: they can not virtually oppose anything to the American administration’s aspiration to overthrow Saddam with the use of the military force. As a matter of fact, there is no secret about it. The war on Iraq will start sooner or later, there are almost no doubts about that. However, it might become a very powerful incentive for so-called third world countries to unite, taking into consideration the fact that those countries have their own organization - the Non-Aligned Movement.

As a matter of fact, this notion – the third world – has become out of date already. It was actual during the opposition between the USSR and the USA. The Non-Aligned Movement was established as an alternative to those two systems. The organization appeared in 1961. It has a lot of members – the absolute majority of countries. When the organization was established, it tried to take an observing position, it did not have a wish to interfere in the opposition of the two superpowers. This position predetermined the point of its existence, basically.

It goes without saying that the Non-Aligned Movement suffered from the ideological crisis after the collapse of the USSR and after the formal end of the competition between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. It just so happened that the members of the organization did not align with the USA only. The situation was aggravated even more after the beginning of the civil war in Yugoslavia. This country always played one of the leading role in the organization. Argentina pulled out from the Non-Aligned Movement in 1991. Several other countries of Latin America were ready to follow its example, for they did not see any point in the activity of the organization.

Anyway, the search for new ideological dogmas was over rather quickly. For the time being, the Non-Aligned Movement stands for the development of cooperation between developing countries, first and foremost. It goes about the countries, which play the role of an attachment for America, Europe and Japan. Nowadays, the movement takes a more active stand regarding the review of the UN Security Council’s role. They suggest the UN Security Council should be subordinated to the UN General Assembly, where Non-Aligned Movement members comprise the majority.

Malaysia is the country that chairs the organization at present moment. This fact might give an impression of the movement’s attitude to a possible war in Iraq. Malaysia is known for its successive anti-war position, while the majority of the Non-Aligned members agree with such a stand.

In general, Muslim countries start playing a more important role in the movement. However, there is nothing surprising about that fact. Fundamentalists enjoy the peak of their popularity in almost all Islamic countries, which accuse the West of the anti-Muslim aggression. Since radicals can access authorities easily, why not shifting their ideology upon the Non-Aligned Movement. Nevertheless, it would be too simple at present moment to make a conclusion concerning Muslim countries’ increasing role in the organization. At the end of the day, there is the Arab League, Islamic Conference Organization, and so on. To crown it all, India and Latin American countries play a very important role in the activity of the Non-Aligned Movement as well. On the other hand, the growing influence that Muslim countries exert on the ideology of the organization, is almost inevitable. However, it is not known, if the leaders of other country-members are going to like it. Will the Non-Aligned Movement suffer from another crisis on account of that?

However that may be, developing countries prove that their energy is gathering steam. The West will have to do with that energy sooner or later, taking into consideration the fact that developing countries never complained of the lack of their ambition. Yet, it is hard to say, when this moment is coming. At any rate, the USA has enough forces and funds for disregarding Non-Aligned Movement’s attacks. Is it going to last long?

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov