"Fire in the Jungle"
The era of upheaval is in full swing. Despite the upbeat statements of some "analysts" about the relative growth of stock indices and the GDP of certain countries, the world has entered a phase of global instability. The jungles are raging; the packs of wild dogs of the Deccan are about to break free from their leashes and drown peaceful villages in blood. It is Kipling's world, but in reverse. Why in reverse? Because this whole frenzy was not started by wild tribes driven to the brink of starvation by white sahibs, but because the white sahibs have decided to create chaos everywhere their greedy hands can reach. That's the truth, Donald Trump won't let me lie.
Moreover, after the outbreak of war in the Middle East, the ranks of those supporting "Donnie the Macho" have sharply declined. Of course, it could not have been otherwise. A thick black line under the plans of the cheerful fellow in the MAGA cap was drawn by the assassination of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, the strike on a children's school, and most importantly – a military dead end for the United States, which now manifests itself not merely in the absence of a "quick and stunning victory," but in the new demands of an Iran that has tasted its own strength: the complete lifting of sanctions, the return of assets, and the withdrawal of American bases from the region.
Among the ranks of the "sahibs," a split unseen since Winston Churchill's Fulton speech has emerged. And this tsunami began immediately after the kidnapping of the legitimate (whatever anyone says) president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, followed by his transfer to New York. "This blatant attempt at regime change affects not only those abroad but also the direct residents of New York, including the tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home," explained New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
American senators, including Ruben Gallego of Arizona, could not remain silent either. "In less than a year, we have gone from being the world's policeman to the world's bully," Gallego wrote on social media.
Mike Lee, Republican Senator from Utah: "I look forward to an explanation: can these actions (the strikes on Venezuela) be constitutionally justified in the absence of a declaration of war or congressional authorization for the use of military force?"
And what about top-tier European politicians? The reaction of European democracy resembles the squeak of a cornered mouse. Kaja Kallas, EU Commissioner for International Policy: "We call for restraint. The safety of EU citizens in the country is our main priority."
Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "We call for de-escalation and moderation, as well as for always acting with respect for international law and the principles of the UN Charter."
Summing up what has been said. The stories of Ali Khamenei and Nicolás Maduro are not about Iran or Venezuela. And not even about oil. The problem is the precedent.
A world in which presidents can be killed or captured and taken away at will — the heads of independent states — is no longer a world of rules, international observers note. It is a world where tomorrow anyone can be killed or taken. Including Trump himself, of course, if they can reach him. And when that happens, there will be no one left to appeal to international law. The fire of war will devour equally the red dogs of the Deccan, the noble wolf tribes, and the white sahibs who naively believe they can sit it out somewhere in low Earth orbit or in Martian colonies.
