In a long and in-depth analysis, the British newspaper describes today’s reality as an unstoppable slide towards global chaos, where the old order no longer functions, international institutions are paralyzed and state actors are using violence without restraint.
In a week where former allies of World War II separately commemorated the 80th anniversary of its end, The Guardian raises the alarm that the world is closer than ever to the start of World War III. In a long and in-depth analysis, the British newspaper describes today’s reality as an unstoppable slide towards global chaos, where the old order no longer functions, international institutions are paralyzed and state actors are using violence without restraint.
“PAX AMERICANA” IS DISSOLVED
According to the analysis, the era of American dominance – known as “Pax Americana” – has entered a phase of dissolution, creating a geopolitical vacuum that is being exploited by actors such as Russia, China, Iran and others. Conflicts that were once local have become intertwined, globalized and more dangerous. From Kashmir to Gaza, from Port Sudan to Ukraine, the only thing that is heard are explosions – not the voice of diplomacy. British expert Fiona Hill, a strategic advisor to the British government, goes even further: “World War III has already started – we just refuse to admit it.”
AN OLD ORDER THAT IS COLLAPSING
The Guardian points out that international institutions that were established after 1945, such as the United Nations or the International Court of Justice, are proving powerless in the face of blatant violations. In Gaza, for example, Israel has rejected binding ICJ orders to allow humanitarian aid, while continuing to bomb Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria – while seeking permission from the US to strike Iran.
Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called this crisis of global diplomacy an act of foreign policy vandalism, warning that “the world can no longer count on America.” Former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, in a speech at Chatham House, also stressed that the world is at a turning point as significant as the end of the Cold War: “You know the world is always changing, but this is a real moment of geopolitical crisis. We know what we are leaving behind – a world dominated by the US – but we do not yet know what we are heading towards.”
GAZA, SUDAN, KASHMIR… A WORLD ON FIRE
The analysis paints a grim picture of the dramatic situations in many conflict zones: In Gaza, the humanitarian blockade continues in defiance of international orders. In Sudan, UAE-backed forces are destroying aid infrastructure in Port Sudan. In Kashmir, India and Pakistan – both nuclear-armed states – are exchanging missiles and fighter jets, without any American mediation.
UKRAINE, THE POINT WHERE ALL THREADS COME TOGETHER
In Fiona Hill’s analysis, Ukraine represents the focal point of all the forces that are changing the global system. With 900 Russian casualties reported, the war has taken on shocking proportions. China, North Korea and Iran are helping Russia, while many other countries are keeping its economy afloat. Trump, according to The Guardian, has always seen the world as a game between great powers, and has sought a new kind of agreement like Yalta in 1945, where Ukraine is sacrificed in the name of a new order.
EUROPE WAKES UP WITHOUT AMERICA
Faced with an indecisive and increasingly isolated US, Europe is realizing that it can no longer rely on Washington. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a speech on Victory Day (VE Day), emphasized: “The end of the old order comes not only from Russia’s war, but also from the US’s own abandonment of Western values. This is a double epochal turning point.” For this reason, plans are being made to build a European force that can react independently to Russian threats. France and Britain have taken the lead, with the support of Germany and Poland.
CONCLUSION: A WORLD WITHOUT A COMPASS, AN ORDER WITHOUT RULES
The Guardian’s analysis is clear: there is no longer a credible world order, and the lack of American leadership has accelerated this disintegration. As wars spread, the world is searching for a new balance, but no one has a clear vision for the future. Europe is reaching out for cooperation and independence, while America, according to The Guardian, is at a crossroads – between the past as a leading power and an uncertain future as a spectator.
