From diplomatic arm-twisting and economic and political blackmail to wars and hegemonic trade and tariff mechanisms, Yankee imperialism and its European minion lapdogs continue to wreak havoc on the lives of working people—destroying their homes, happiness, and livelihoods. The deliberate creation of crises, fear, death, destitution, and hopelessness is not merely a consequence of imperialist actions, but an integral part of their strategic design—inseparable from their motives and mechanisms. There is no such thing as “collateral damage” when it comes to the calculated, strategic operations of imperialism across the globe. There is no fundamental difference between old and new forms of imperialism. Both rely on brute force to dominate people, seize resources, and undermine global peace and prosperity. From creating and sponsoring terrorism and terrorist groups to supporting dictatorial, authoritarian, and reactionary regimes, imperialism remains the lifeblood of anti-democratic forces across the world. Contemporary imperialism is every bit as brutal as its historical predecessors.
According to the RULAC (Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts) initiative by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, there are currently 110 armed conflicts ongoing around the world. Of all these conflicts, 45 are in the Middle East and North Africa, 35 in sub-Saharan Africa, 21 in Asia, 7 in Europe, and 6 in Latin America. Some of these conflicts have lasted for over 50 years. Meanwhile, the Council on Foreign Relations’ Global Conflict Tracker identifies 32 active wars and conflicts worldwide. Behind many of these conflicts—both visibly and invisibly—are the hands of Yankee imperialism and its European allies. From the wars between Ukraine and Russia, Pakistan and India, and Iran and Israel, to the destruction of Palestine and military operations in Baluchistan, as well as various regions across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, imperialist influence is pervasive in creating and sustaining these conflicts. The devastation of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya stands as a testament to the role of American and European imperialism, driven by lies, manipulation, and unlawful military interventions disguised as democratic diplomacy.
All these violent conflicts and wars are orchestrated by imperialist forces to exploit natural resources, while the working masses are made to fight each other in the name of territory, nationalism, religion, culture, and ethnicity. Imperialist powers not only initiate but also actively promote wars and conflicts, ensuring that their factories producing weapons of mass destruction remain profitable—at the cost of human lives and livelihoods. The global arms trade, driven by American and European interests, fundamentally depends on the expansion and perpetuation of conflict. Without war, their arms industries would collapse. To keep these “arms shops” open, American and European imperialism continues to manufacture and sustain conflict around the world. The imperialist wars and conflicts are imposed on people to create conditions for the continuation of imperialist hegemony.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Fact Sheet (March 2025), European and American states remain the dominant exporters of arms. The United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and China were the major arms exporters between 2020 and 2024. The same report reveals that U.S. arms exports increased by 21 percent from 2015 to 2024, while France saw an 11 percent increase. In contrast, Russian arms exports declined by 64 percent over the same period. On the receiving end, Ukraine, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan were the largest arms importers during 2020–2024. The SIPRI Fact Sheet discloses that “states in Asia and Oceania accounted for 33 per cent of all arms imports in 2020–24, followed by those in Europe (28 per cent), the Middle East (27 per cent), the Americas (6.2 per cent) and Africa (4.5 per cent)”. American and European imperialists, along with their military-industrial complexes, lay the foundations for this global arms trade. These weapons are not designed to win or lose wars—they are designed to kill people, destroy homes, and undermine peace, happiness, and prosperity. Meanwhile, imperialist nations reap profits at the expense of both people and the planet.
According to conservative estimates, more than 7 million people have died as a result of recent imperialist wars and conflicts. The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University (USA) reports that over 940,000 people were killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and Pakistan during the post-9/11 “War on Terror” led by imperialist powers. Of these, more than 432,000 were civilians killed between 2001 and 2023. An additional 3.6 to 3.8 million people are estimated to have died indirectly in these war zones, bringing the total death toll to at least 4.5 to 4.7 million—and still rising. More than 1.5 million people have been killed in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. Since October 7, 2023, over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military operations—including 17,492 children—and more than 111,588 have been injured. In contrast, 1,139 people have been killed in Israel. These deaths and the widespread devastation they represent are entirely avoidable. Yet American and European imperialist powers continue to manufacture and promote new conflicts and wars to sustain their hegemonic dominance and profit-driven capitalist systems. These humanitarian crises are not just tragic outcomes—they are systemic conditions through which imperialist nations generate profit and consolidate power.
The human, social, political, economic, environmental, and emotional costs of imperialist wars and conflicts are staggering and incalculable. For imperialist powers, working people are reduced to mere statistics—disposable bodies in coffins or marginalised and voiceless workers in the factories and farms. What ultimately matters to them is profit and the preservation of hegemonic power. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, American imperialism opened a new economic front by unilaterally imposing tariffs on numerous countries, aiming to control and dominate international trade. Such imperialist economic strategies have led to increased costs of essential goods and services, further marginalising working people. There is no escaping from the pervasive and destructive consequences of imperialism on the daily lives of people and the health of the planet. In this context, the anti-imperialist movement is not only significant but inevitable essential for the survival of both humanity and the Earth. The defeat of imperialism in all its forms is central to achieving lasting global peace, happiness and shared prosperity.
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Bhabani Shankar Nayak is a political commentator
