It seems that Britain wants to live in imagination, rather than face reality. It is true that the Sun never set in the British Empire. However, that is the past. Now, Britain has not only lost its world power status, it has even become an insignificant and marginalized power in Europe. Britain’s frustration at the way it was treated by the rest of Europe led to its frustration and eventual exit from the European Union. The rest of Europe feels that, unlike France and Germany, Britain has no independent policy and can only play a second fiddle to the US.                  

By Dr. Sawraj Singh – DESIBUZZCanada Columnist

It seems that Britain wants to live in imagination, rather than face reality. It is true that the Sun never set in the British Empire. However, that is the past. Now, Britain has not only lost its world power status, it has even become an insignificant and marginalized power in Europe. Britain’s frustration at the way it was treated by the rest of Europe led to its frustration and eventual exit from the European Union. The rest of Europe feels that, unlike France and Germany, Britain has no independent policy and can only play a second fiddle to the US.                                                                                                                                                                

Britain has accused Russia of a nerve attack on Sergei Skripal, a 66 years old former Russian spy who became a double agent for Britain, and his daughter Yulia. Britain claims that they were poisoned with Novichok (a series of nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 70s and 80s). Britain insists that this substance can only be manufactured in the highest grade state laboratories.                                               

The British accusations can be questioned on several accounts. In 2011, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Scientific Advisory Board noted that there was no peer-reviewed scientific paper on Novichok agents in the scientific literature. In 2013, the organization reported that it had insufficient information to comment on the existence or properties of the agents. Even if it is proved that such an agent was used, Britain has not provided any proof that the Russian state was involved.

Accusing Russia without a solid proof shows a mal-intention for such an act. America and Britain seem to leave no opportunity to blame and defame Russia. It seems that the biggest fault of Russia is that it opposes arrogant and hegemonic policies of the West. Another Russian fault can be that it has built superior weapons than the western countries. Still another Russian fault may be that it has defied the sanctions imposed by the western countries. It seems that the sanctions have hurt the western countries more than they have hurt Russia.                                                                                                                        

Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, is facing opposition at home on this policy. James Corbyn, British Labour Party Leader, questioned Prime Minister Theresa May about the Russian involvement and about any dialogue with Russia on this issue. However, instead of answering these questions, she slammed him when members of her party in the parliament shouted, “Shame, shame.”  

Some people think that the British allegations may have something to do with Russia hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Whenever, Russia gets any major sporting event, the western countries start maligning the Russia campaign. Whether it was the 1980 Summer Olympics or 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, the western countries did their utmost to undermine them. Even though athletes from many countries take performance-enhancing drugs, yet Olympic committees seem to selectively go after Russian athletes. The western countries have thoroughly politicized sports.                                                                                                     

The Novichok controversy also reminds us about the controversy in the Syrian war regarding use of chemical weapons. The western countries tried to blame Russia and the Syrian government for their use. However, if one thinks logically, then it would make more sense that the side which is losing the war is more likely to use these weapons.                                                                                                                                  

In 1978, at the time of the Soviet Union, an anti-communist Bulgarian defector, Georgi Markov, was killed in the famous umbrella assassination when somebody touched him with an umbrella and injected Ricin via a micro-engineered pellet on a London street. However, even when the British felt that this was a KGB job, Britain did not take any action against the Soviet Union. Now, without any evidence of Russian involvement, Britain and its western allies are taking drastic steps against Russia which can provoke a war with Russia. It is clear that they feel that Russia should be stopped from getting stronger so that it does not pose any threat to western domination and hegemony. The western countries want to use any excuse to contain Russia and China.                                                                                                                      

This western policy of containment is not going to succeed, and the West will be unable to change the two main trends of our time: Rise of the East and Decline of the West. Russia has chosen to put its plight with the East. Instead of confrontation with Russia, the West should have a dialogue with it so that we can prevent a confrontation with the East. The West can save the world by giving up its arrogance.

Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at sawrajsingh@hotmail.com.