How strategic vacuum is destabilising the world order.

Never ever in the contemporary era, such a grave strategic vacuum existed as it does today. Leadership vacuum is deepening despite the presence of the UN Security Council's permanent members and several power groups ranging from G-7 to G-20, NATO, BRICS, SCO and EU. As the global order is facing serious threats because of recent violent events in Gaza and the Ukraine war, the absence of strategic leadership to manage dangerous crises reflects irresponsible and imprudent approach to prevent the world from drifting into a major armed conflict.

Strategic vacuum means a situation when there is an absence of prudent leadership to deal with a dangerous crisis having the potential to destabilise things. When mediocre and below mediocre leadership at the international level exists and is incapable of dealing with issues threatening the present and future of the world, it means how vulnerable the 8 billion people living on this planet are from the periodic outbreak of crises.

US President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Israel as a show of solidarity with the Jewish state against what they call barbaric rocket attacks by Hamas and physical incursion killing more than 1,400 people. But, they lacked the courage and conscience to condemn the genocide of more than 4,000 Palestinians, including 1,200 children, from the Israeli retaliatory attacks in Gaza. The world reaction to the situation reflects two realities: first, the West, particularly the US, the UK, France and Italy, stand firmly alongside Israel; and second, the Arab-Muslim world along with some other countries have failed to go beyond condemnation.

The US and the UK the other day vetoed resolutions in the UNSC which had called for ceasefire and provision of humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered 2.3 million population of Gaza. While the US sustained its military supplies to Israel, no Arab country, including Egypt, the neighbour of Gaza, rendered any practical support to the millions of Palestinians facing the wrath of Israel.

Strategic vacuum in terms of global, regional and national leadership to prevent acts of cruelty and genocide is not a new phenomenon. When genocide and ethnic cleansing took place in Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Myanmar (against Rohingyas) and Indian-occupied Kashmir, the world remained indifferent. Global and regional organisations like the UN, EU, NATO, OIC, Arab League, G7 and G20 failed to prevent aggression, occupation and genocide...