A Fractured World Order | OP-ED | Security Lense | 30-April-2025
“When we are killed, do not say we are dead, for in fact, it is you who are dead.” — A Palestinian addressing the Muslim world.
We live in a time when the world is increasingly divided politically, morally, and ideologically. The recent India-Pakistan conflict and the unfolding Iran-Israel war are not isolated events, but rather symptoms of a broader and deeper world order. The norms and conventions that once loosely held the world order together are now being renegotiated or altogether discarded. Diplomacy has been reduced to a binary: submit or resist. Meanwhile, major powers seek to redraw alliances and secure influence through coercion, conflict, and control.
The United States, once the self-declared leader of the “free world,” now exhibits open contempt for global conventions. It has walked away from the Paris Climate Agreement, abandoned key nuclear treaties like the INF and the JCPOA, flouted WTO rules, and stood alone in vetoing a UN resolution that aimed to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The moral authority it once claimed has been replaced by a harsh, unilateralist posture that even many of its allies now view with unease.
The Western world’s leaders Starmer of the UK, Macron of France, and Merz of Germany have collectively turned a blind eye to civil unrest and protests within their own countries. Public calls for peace and justice, especially for Palestine, are ignored, as the West doubles down on its support for Israel and its policies. In Ukraine, a war of attrition continues under the false pretense of defending democracy, when in reality, it serves Western strategic ambitions to weaken Russia.
The international stage has become one where diplomacy is increasingly replaced by threat and war. Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance toward Iran, demanding total cessation of uranium enrichment in violation of international norms, epitomizes the new style of American diplomacy. Ukraine’s President Zelensky, buoyed by Western support, threatens nuclear Russia with rhetorical bravado, further stoking the fire of conflict.
Israel, meanwhile, continues to act with impunity. Founded on forcibly acquired Palestinian lands in 1948, Israel has long justified its expansionist aims through religious and historical claims, particularly the biblical idea of a “Promised Land.” Its flag’s blue stripes, representing the Nile and the Euphrates, reflect this vision of “Greater Israel” a dream pursued at the expense of regional peace and stability. Backed by the military and financial might of the United States, Israel has systematically destabilized neighboring countries through direct attacks or proxy wars. A major change in world order.
The Zionist influence, rooted in control over finance, media, and entertainment embodied in Wall Street, Hollywood, and major news outlets has ensured that U.S. policies overwhelmingly favor Israel. Former U.S. General Wesley Clark revealed that a post-9/11 plan aimed to topple seven Middle Eastern countries within five years. Though the plan’s timeline failed, the intent remains alive, driven by the same geopolitical calculations and ideological ambitions.
The conflict with Iran on June 13, 2025, is the latest step in this grand strategy. Despite India’s failed offensive against Pakistan in May intended to test and possibly dismantle Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent Israel proceeded with its assault on Iran. The attack, coming just a day after the IAEA accused Iran of non-compliance (despite three decades of certification), reveals the political nature of international institutions, often co-opted by U.S. and Israeli interests.
This attack also threatens to ignite a broader conflict. As U.S. military assets begin posturing in the Gulf, the risk of escalation into a global war involving China and Russia looms large. The Asia-Pacific Order, anchored by the Chinese-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), stands in opposition to the U.S.-led Trans-Atlantic system. These two blocs now represent competing models for global order: one based on coercion and regime change, the other on trade, development, and regional cooperation.
Pakistan, a key player in this geopolitical chessboard, is increasingly viewed as a threat to both Israel’s ambitions and the Trans-Atlantic Order. Its nuclear arsenal, strategic location, and deepening ties with China via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) place it squarely in the crosshairs. India’s aggressive posturing, coupled with Israeli involvement, has already tested Pakistan’s resolve.
Moving forward, Pakistan must act decisively. Its immediate priority is national unity and internal reform. Governance must be rooted in institutional strength, justice, education, and public welfare. The legitimacy of its leadership must flow from the people, not elite manipulation or foreign diktats. Only a cohesive and internally strong Pakistan can deter external aggression.
Moreover, Pakistan should work to position itself as a leader within the Muslim world. It must push for the formation of a regional consortium involving Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia, independent Islamic nations with the potential to resist foreign intervention. Such a bloc should be based not merely on ideology, but on mutual survival and shared strategic interests.
This article leaves us with several conclusions. First, Iran is likely to go nuclear, abandoning cooperation with the IAEA. Second, any sovereign nation that hopes to preserve its autonomy must develop a credible nuclear deterrent. Third, nations affected by U.S.-Israeli proxies must collaborate to counter insurgencies. Fourth, peace in the Middle East is unattainable without an independent and well-armed Palestinian state, or the dismantling of Israel’s expansionist agenda. Fifth, nations must develop mechanisms to resist regime change operations. Sixth, the Muslim world must unify to protect its collective interests.
Finally, BRICS must be expanded, excluding India and institutional mechanisms must be established to govern trade, finance, and defense among Asia-Pacific nations. Under Chinese leadership, this order offers the world an alternative to war and coercion: a pathway to peace, prosperity, and mutual respect.
Pakistan, with its strategic significance and growing credibility, must seize the moment. It must lead with vision, integrity, and unity before it finds itself the next victim on the altar of a fractured and brutal world order.
Connect with Security Lense
Leave a Reply