Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The Mujahideen Movement: The two were killed along with dozens of others from their family in a cowardly Zionist assassination that targeted the Sabra neighborhood today
The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement mourns the martyrdom of its Secretary-General, Asaad Attiya Abu Sharia "Abu Al-Sheikh", along with his brother Ahmad
Abu Zaid: I believe that the Iranian operation was multi-layered, combining cyber and electronic attacks with coordinated on-the-ground infiltrations by agents
Abu Zaid: Usually, archives of such sensitivity are typically protected by a full-scale security system, but it appears that Iranian intelligence managed to make use of a gap in it
Strategic military expert Nidal Abu Zaid: Iran has stripped "Israel" of the superiority and deterrence long boasted by its security minister, chief of staff, and other top officials
Fallahpour: Iran may use these documents in its battle with the United States and Western countries over its nuclear program
Fallahpour: Iran may have obtained additional documents related to "Israel's" regional projects, not just its nuclear program
Fallahpour: The coming weeks will be full of surprises, as Iran has forced Israeli intelligence agencies into a state of psychological exhaustion
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Tehran, Siavash Fallahpour: Iran has redefined the concept of deterrence, shifting it away from traditional military balance toward a new strategic framework
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Number of documents so great that merely studying them, along with accompanying images and footage will require a great deal of time.

Why does Western foreign policy need to change?

  • Natalie Jones Natalie Jones
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 12 Mar 2023 16:34
  • 3 Shares
6 Min Read

Instead of urging Ukraine to negotiate a peace settlement and focusing on the burdening problems in their own countries, the West is committed to arming Ukraine.

  • x
  • Why does Western foreign policy need to change?

Across the past number of decades, the West has engaged in catastrophic interventions across the globe. The West’s military involvements, in particular, have caused devastation and destruction, not only to the countries themselves, but in a different way, they have caused numerous problems for the citizens of their own countries. For instance, the West contravened international law with its removal of both Saddam Hussein in 2003 and Ghaddafi later in 2015. These interventions, in particular, have caused the current migrant crisis that we are seeing today, leading to cultural, social, and economic problems across Europe as a result of the mass influx of migrants from Africa/the Middle East. Now, the West is committed and determined that Ukraine will defeat Russia. Instead of urging Ukraine to negotiate a peace settlement and focusing on the burdening problems in their own countries, it is committed to arming Ukraine. Continuing to supply Ukraine with weapons will lead to prolonged suffering of the Ukrainian people and loss of life. The war in Ukraine and the West’s continuing reluctance to negotiate with Russia is affecting the West’s own population: with increased fuel and energy costs, Russia being a principal producer of key consumables. Such a dramatic increase in the price of these consumables will lead effectively to the de-industrialization of European countries, with the Western industry being unable to compete price-wise against emerging Asian economies that benefit from lower costs of production.  Such countries are benefiting from friendly relations with Russia and therefore lower costs for the energy they require for their businesses.

Where the West has not engaged in military interventions, it has in other cases, imposed unilateral economic sanctions on countries as a means to pressurize leaders. As an example, it placed economic sanctions on Venezuela, refusing to recognize the current leader Nicolas Maduro, hoping that sanctions would render his position as leader of Venezuela untenable. Such sanctions, according to some, have increased the mortality rate in Venezuela and worsened widespread hunger in the country.

The West now has a significant list of countries it has imposed sanctions on. Currently, for instance, these nations include Cuba, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, and North Korea. It also places sanctions on individuals/bodies within countries, for example, the US in anticipating placing sanctions on the Turkish Ministry of Defense following its potential purchase of S-400s from Russia. However, the methods the West uses to condemn and pressurize countries appear to be now backfiring and leading to countries forming alliances outside the sphere and influence of the West. Such alliances, if they continue to strengthen and grow, could completely undermine the effectiveness of Western control. 

Related News

A free Syria can’t exist without a free Palestine

How MI6 helped HTS seize Syria

For instance, Russia and China, which are now considered pariah states by the West, have a strong strategic alliance. Russia and India, in addition, have healthy relations, with India benefiting from Russia diverting gas supplies it previously had planned to deliver to Europe. Russia has also developed better relations with Iran and is now in the process of developing prosperous economic, as well as in some cases military relations with members of BRICS. Furthermore, China is now developing better economic and military relations with Saudi Arabia, a close US ally. The developments of friendly relations outside the West appear to be endless, and the West is critically missing out on developing strong economic and political ties with such countries through how it conducts relations with countries outside its sphere.

It is in my view, therefore, that the West must rethink its entire approach to countries outside its own expanse. This must be based on respect for each country's sovereignty, culture, and political system. The West, in many aspects, could learn from other countries in order to improve the lives of people in their own country. For instance, in the UK, there are no rules regarding foreign investment in the country. Therefore, companies in the UK can be bought by any foreign investor. Some companies are completely sold off to foreign investors, rendering jobs in the UK at risk. In addition, key infrastructure in the UK has also been sold off to foreign investment, leading to a deterioration of services that negatively affects the British public. For example, Britain’s nuclear power is 100% foreign-owned and Britain’s gas pipe network is 89% foreign-owned. Yet, in a country like China, all foreign investment is categorized, and the government uses a system of negative lists to control foreign investment in prohibited sectors. Such regulation of foreign investment could be an approach that the UK could adopt for the benefit of its own country and people.

Ultimately, to ensure peace and stability, as well as the prosperity of each individual and nation, relations between countries must be based on mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty, culture, and political system. This will foster peace and harmony across the globe while protecting the sovereignty of each nation and allowing countries to trade economically as they see fit, in order to develop prosperity and improve living standards globally. One should be able to look at the best practices across the globe as points for improvement within one’s own nation. One country or collection of countries does not have the right to dictate how other countries should govern or conduct their business. If criticism of human rights, for instance, needs to be dispensed, in my view, this should be bestowed by a completely independent and impartial body, which has no ties to any particular country. As the West encourages its own population to be tolerant and inclusive, so too should Western leaders be tolerant of other nations. If the West fails to do this, it may find itself in the position of being excluded, rather than dictating which countries should be ostracized.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • Syria
  • Foreign Policy
  • Russia
  • West
  • Venezuela
  • China
  • Ukraine
  • Ukraine war
  • North Korea
  • Cuba
  • Iran
Natalie Jones

Natalie Jones

Independent journalist based in the UK

Most Read

All
It may well be due to the longstanding relationship between MI6 and HTS, via Inter Mediate, that Britain was the first Western country to recognise their assumption of government in Syria. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

How MI6 helped HTS seize Syria

  • Opinion
  • 31 May 2025
The two countries need to sit down and resolve the crisis with maturity, to consider carefully that they could be being manipulated to be easily dominated. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Algeria and Mali, divided and almost conquered

  • Opinion
  • 25 May 2025
Trump and Biden both pretended to be fighting Netanyahu

Trump and Biden both pretended to be fighting Netanyahu

  • Analysis
  • 28 May 2025
Why I hate Zionism and will never forgive its disciples

Why I hate Zionism and will never forgive its disciples

  • Blog
  • 5 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

More from this writer

All
Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Kim Jong Un: Impact on global politics

Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Kim Jong Un: Impact on global politics

Why should the decision of the British government to send depleted uranium to Ukraine be condemned?

Why should the decision of the British government to send depleted uranium to Ukraine be condemned?

How has global influence in the Middle East shifted?

How has global influence in the Middle East shifted?

Have Western sanctions ruined Russia’s economy?

Have Western sanctions ruined Russia’s economy?

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS