BRICS Summit Could Spell the End for Neocon Fantasies!

The recent BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia, represents a pivotal moment, potentially ending the Neoconservative fantasies highlighted in the subtitle of Zbigniew Brzezinski’s 1997 publication, The Global Chessboard: American Primacy and its Geostrategic Imperatives. Since the 1990s, the United States has pursued a foreign policy centered on global domination. The preferred tools for achieving this have included warfare, regime changes, and imposing unilateral sanctions.

At the summit, 35 nations, representing over half of the global population, convened to express their rejection of U.S. intimidation and their resistance to U.S. claims of global dominance. The Kazan Declaration outlined the emergence of new power centers and economic growth areas, advocating for a more democratic, just, and balanced multipolar world order. The declaration emphasized the importance of adapting international relations to reflect current global realities and affirmed a commitment to multilateralism and adherence to international law, particularly the principles outlined in the United Nations (UN) Charter. It specifically criticized the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies, denouncing these measures as detrimental to the UN Charter, global trade, sustainable development, and environmental accords.

The era of neoconservative illusions and U.S.-led wars of choice is over.

The neoconservative drive for global supremacy has historical roots deeply embedded in the American psyche, notably through the notion of American exceptionalism. In 1630, John Winthrop described the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a “City upon a Hill,” watched by the world. The 19th-century doctrine of Manifest Destiny justified the conquest of North America, often at the expense of indigenous peoples. During World War II, the idea of the “American Century” emerged, positing that the U.S. would assume global leadership post-war.

These aspirations were amplified with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, leaving the U.S. as the sole superpower. Neocons believed in a new world order under U.S. leadership, using military interventions and regime changes as their strategies. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, neocons planned to topple governments across the Islamic world, starting with Iraq and potentially extending to Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. Former NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark revealed plans to win these conflicts within five years. However, more than two decades later, these wars persist, with none of the intended hegemonic goals achieved.

In the 1990s, neocons assumed no nation would challenge U.S. supremacy. Brzezinski argued that Russia would have to accept U.S.-led NATO expansion and align with Western Europe. However, he was profoundly mistaken, and his misjudgments contributed to the crisis in Ukraine. Russia strongly opposed NATO’s expansion to Ukraine and engaged in military conflict to thwart these plans, leading to significant casualties and asserting its stance against U.S. hegemony.

The message from Kazan is clear: global majority does not endorse U.S. supremacy and is ready to counteract U.S. dominance. Furthermore, the U.S. no longer wields the economic, financial, or military influence to enforce its will globally.

The nations represented at the Kazan summit, including the nine BRICS countries along with 27 potential members, account for 57 percent of the global populace and 47 percent of the world’s economic output (measured in purchasing power parity). In comparison, the U.S. represents a mere 4.1 percent of the world’s population and 15 percent of its economic output. When including U.S. allies, this figure only rises to 15 percent of the global population.

While the BRICS nations are gaining in economic influence, technological advancement, and military strength, they do not seek to replace the U.S. as the new global hegemon. Instead, they advocate for a realistic shift towards multipolarity, not seeking dominance but equitable global cooperation.

American policymakers should consider the positive implications of the developments in Kazan. The failed neoconservative pursuit of global dominance has been costly, resulting in prolonged conflicts, economic instability, mass displacement, and escalating nuclear threats. An inclusive and fair multipolar world order presents a viable solution, offering benefits not only to the U.S. and its allies but also to the nations participating in the BRICS summit.

The ascension of the BRICS countries is not just a challenge to U.S. authority but also an opportunity for a more peaceful and stable global order. The envisioned multipolar world order could benefit all nations, including the United States. The time for neoconservative fantasies and discretionary wars has passed. A new era of diplomacy aimed at resolving ongoing global conflicts is now imperative.