Washington, Ever More Isolated, Disgraced; Now Is the Time for Citizen Leadership

April 20—Strong reactions of disdain for the United States are coming forth internationally for the shameful sole vote the U.S. cast at the UN Security Council April 18, against the resolution for the State of Palestine to join the UN as a member nation, backed by 12 of the 15 Security Council members (with the U.K. and Switzerland abstaining). This was a special ministerial session, and leaders of over 40 nations from around the world came in person to speak, most all of whom gave perspectives on how moving on Palestinian statehood will contribute to the conditions for ending the carnage in Gaza, open the way for development, and finally provide security in the region. Already, 140 nations are on record for recognizing Palestinian.

But Washington said, No.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian yesterday said of the U.S. veto, “History and people of the world will not forget this unconscionable act.”

There are many similar statements. Even before the April 18 vote, Indian senior diplomat (retired) M.K. Bhadrakumar said, “The international community understands full well the hypocrisy and the notorious doublespeak that characterizes American diplomacy.” He referred specifically to the U.S. attempt to get other nations to sign on to a joint statement against Iran, for attacking—not retaliating against—Israel. The statement had only 47 other nations besides the U.S. and Israel, when released April 17, and had no nations at all from Africa or from Central and Southeast Asia.

Then today, came another shameful, and very dangerous U.S. vote. The House of Representatives voted up approval of $95 billion of military and related U.S. funding for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and a fourth bill, authorizing many things, from sanctions on Iran, to banning U.S. money for UNRWA, to reauthorizing the infamous Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act—the Big Brother domestic control mechanism.

The breakdown is $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific, and the rest for the other “national security” bill. The Senate will now take up these measures on April 23—maybe even in an all-for-one vote, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) after today’s House action.

Both President Biden for the Democrats and House Speaker Mike Johnson for the Republicans, immediately, ecstatically praised today’s House vote—pending for many months, in the most bullet-headed, dissociated way. Biden said the vote “answers history’s call.” It is a “clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage.” Johnson extolled the House vote, for following what he called “an old military adage”: “Send bullets to conflict zones overseas, rather than boys—our own troops.”

Johnson smugly added that 80% of the new U.S. funding for Ukraine will be spent at home, replenishing military stockpiles. He said of the government spending, “It will stay here.”

What does “stay here” mean for the U.S. economy? It means blood-profits for the military-financial complex, and destruction of the means of existence for the population. Take any state, and you will find the same thing. In Iowa, a leading agricultural state, the one and only boom sector is the Army Munitions Factory near Burlington, whose expansion has been funded by the Defense Department to ramp up making 155mm ammunition. Farm income is expected to be down 40% in 2024. Iowa hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions are in trouble, and shutting down; schools can’t find teachers; bridges are in disrepair; electricity is over half wind-power and unreliable. This week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill approving teachers and administrators in public schools to pack guns for protection.

The bullet-heads have to go. “There is a limit to the tyrants’ power.” Now is the time for citizen leadership for statesmanship and culture, and there are initiatives of all kinds, from the activation on campuses across the U.S., to the economic protests by farmers in Europe.

Today, in Israel, overlapping rallies took place at up to 55 locations, including in Tel Aviv, Be’er Sheva, Caesarea and Haifa, some demanding early elections to unseat Netanyahu, others insisting he strike a deal to bring the hostages home. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said today he will “reconsider” continuing relations with the United States.

Yesterday in Istanbul, hundreds of people from many countries met to make final plans for the “Freedom Flotilla” of aid to Gaza that is planned to embark from Türkiye next week. Their press release said yesterday, it “aims to break Israel’s unlawful siege of Gaza and demand an immediate ceasefire to save the lives of thousands of Palestinians.”

In the United Nations, the precedent and mechanism exists to take needed policy measures into the General Assembly, when the UN Security Council is subverted the way the United States is doing. With more nations functioning as part of the Global Majority, conditions can be created for international collaboration, even in the UN. Given the danger of conflict turning into regional, general and nuclear war, the action of every individual is urgently needed.

Join with the International Peace Coalition, initiated 10 months ago by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, leader of the Schiller Institute, for the “Oasis Plan” approach for the peace-through-development perspective.