US foreign policy driven by game-theoretic analyses not by morals or fair-play
Posted on March 1st, 2012

by R Chandrasoma Courtesy The IslandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

March 1, 2012, 7:44 pm

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Notice that vast areas of the globe that wallow in misery and strife are ignored because there is no security threat to the Global Leader. Mexico is a classic example of the social chaos caused by drug-dealing, rampant corruption and poverty-driven social chaos. Has the Great Power to the North done anything about this social breakdown in a nation at its doorstep? Has the poverty and chaos in large parts of Africa stirred the social conscience of the Great Powers that see Sri Lanka as an errant state? It is our misfortune that we are sraddling potentially vital sea-routes necessary to support the burgeoning Sino-African Trade. This makes our ‘political landscape’ of concern to the Global Leader fearful of a tilt towards the rising great power in the East.


by R Chandrasoma


If political decision-making is based on moral obligation and fair-play, it makes no sense at all for the USA to destabilize a country such as Sri Lanka which has been a good friend and trading partner of this great power for decades. The charge that our country must be held accountable for the heavy loss of human life in the war against the terrorist forces of Prabhakaran is laughable given the horrendous record of the USA in dealing with its ‘enemies’. Indeed the strategy of this superpower is to kill pre-emptively – that is to destroy fancied enemies first and offer explanations later. To throw light on this wicked and globally-destabilizing ‘policy’ we must understand its rationale. Briefly, this ‘rationale’ is the Machiavellian hypothesis that the security and safety of the State is paramount and that this prime goal must be achieved by any means – fair or foul. In keeping with this grounding political axiom, foreign policy becomes a ‘game’ and the role of the leadership is to make the best ‘move’ to secure at least cost the safety and great-power status of the USA. In a game pawns and even weightier things on one’s own side are sacrificed to safeguard the King. Translated into political demarches, a morally reprehensible move is deemed ‘good’ if it prevents enemies from stealing a march on the established global leader.


Let us review this strategy by referring to the current global power-play in which the USA is the King. Who are the enemies? In Machiavellian terms, there are no permanent friends – nor are there inveterate enemies. Friend and foe are strategic identifications that change with the game. While arguably irrational or even paranoid when viewed objectively, the great fear of the current global superpower is the rise of mighty and richly populous nations in Asia – chiefly the so-called Middle Kingdom – better known as China. Another great worry is energy-security which translates into a fear that the vast reservoirs of gas and oil in the “Arab’ part of the world will pass into the sphere of influence of an alien plenipotentiary. The fear that an Islamic state will acquire the wherewithal to make a nuclear weapon is also a powerful motivator in shaping the foreign policy of the USA. The former super-power and great challenger – the Soviet Union – is now a defanged and lackluster player in world politics. This is a nation still rich in land and resources but imploding demographically and totally lacking in that idealism that made it a world leader in the recent past.


Notice that vast areas of the globe that wallow in misery and strife are ignored because there is no security threat to the Global Leader. Mexico is a classic example of the social chaos caused by drug-dealing, rampant corruption and poverty-driven social chaos. Has the Great Power to the North done anything about this social breakdown in a nation at its doorstep? Has the poverty and chaos in large parts of Africa stirred the social conscience of the Great Powers that see Sri Lanka as an errant state? It is our misfortune that we are sraddling potentially vital sea-routes necessary to support the burgeoning Sino-African Trade. This makes our ‘political landscape’ of concern to the Global Leader fearful of a tilt towards the rising great power in the East. We are also a potential ‘lever’ in the effort to diminish India – as part of a geopolitical strategy designed to thwart that Asian resurgence the West greatly fears. An India- China ‘block’ -a hugely unlikely event – is a dreadful spectre for the West. As things are, India is politically fragile and is very far from being a monolithis state with global clout. The hope of the strategists in the USA is that fissiparous trndencies will grow with the ‘Eelam infection’ spreading to India from a racially fractured Sei Lanka. The sad truth is that – given these political realities – we can expect the USA and its Western friends – notably the UK, the ‘White Commonwealth and the leading European powers – to step up its ‘cold war’ against Sri Lanka. They will do this because of their own difficulties in staying afloat in a world that is no longer the play-ground of the Anglo-Saxon Imperialists. Our planetary world is overcrowded and fast running out of non-renewable resources. This ecological threat makes conventional global politics a foolish game – this fact has not, however, sufficed to erase the combative engrams inherited from long ages of white dominance in our world. That our future as Sri Lankans is not safe and assured is a truth that we must live with.

6 Responses to “US foreign policy driven by game-theoretic analyses not by morals or fair-play”

  1. nandimitra Says:

    As long as the media both local and foreign surpress the truth about the economic exploitation and american interferance this policy will continue. Only when the real truth comes out and their is a public uprising against the system ,only then will america change its foregn policy.

  2. Ananda-USA Says:

    Bullseye, Mr. Chandrasoma!

    You hit the nail squarely on its head!

    When US officials shed crocodile tears at the UN claiming that they are “only trying to assist” Sri Lanka avoid a resumption of war, as in Time is slipping away in Sri Lanka for lasting peace, US concerned they are only trying to cover their true Neo-Colonialist agenda …. as you have elegantly outlined.

    False, Mealy-Mouthed, Self-Serving Statements such as this, from those attempting to destabilize and undermine the Patriotic Government of Sovereign Sri Lanka that rescued its people from the grasp of terrorists, by countries seeking to impose their Neo-Colonialist hegemony over the developing world are COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT to us who have colonial double talk deeply etched in our Sri Lankan brains.

    The US wants to curry favor with India, and with Tamil Nadu in case it secedes from India, in its global strategy to confront the growing power of China in the Indian Ocean region, and exclude China from access to natural resources worldwide. It is that simple.

    So, the US is throwing Sri Lanka, otherwise a natural democratic free-market loving, human rights honoring ally, to the wolves, while preaching “democracy” , “human rights” , and “war against terrorism” even as it wages a global war against its own enemies.

    If Sri Lanka, the Oldest Democracy in Asia, with the exercise of universal franchise going back to the 1920’s, is not allowed to defend itself, within its own territory, against foreign inspired terrorism, what is the meaning of this “democracy”, “human rights” and “war against terrorism” that is being preached so vociferously?

    Do those things only apply to these hegemonic Western Powers?

    Double Standards by Bloody Hypocrites, pure and simple! Different Strokes for Different Folks!

  3. Ananda-USA Says:

    Why are US Special Forces operating in Sri Lanka, when the US is undermining and charging Sri Lanka with “war crimes” at the United Nations?

    Pentagon commander says US special forces in India

    Does not make ANY SENSE to allow such activities in Sri Lanka! Is ANYONE minding the security store?

    ……………………..
    These deals while making India dependent on US arms that can can be shut-off at will if the relationship goes sour leaving India high and dry, what other quid-pro-quos underlie them?

    Why India-US defence deals have become big business

    GOSL, Please take note!

    …………

  4. Ananda-USA Says:

    I had questioned the wisdom of having US Special Forces in Sri Lanka at a time when the US is dragging Sri Lanka into UNHCR “war crimes” hearings.

    Apparently, according to the following news report, the earlier news report was untrue, and no US Special Forces are operating/based in Sri Lanka.

    However, a four-nation Special Forces training exercise is scheduled for September of this year.

    ………….
    Military denies presence of US troops

    DailyMirror.lk
    March 03, 2012

  5. Ananda-USA Says:

    What is GOING ON?

    Is the Pentagon lying to the US Congress on basing US Special Forces in South Asia?

    This is causing waves in four South Asian nations!
    ………….
    “No U.S. special forces in India”

    TheHindu.com
    March 03, 2012

  6. Ananda-USA Says:

    Is INDIA going to stab Sri Lanka in the back …. AGAIN?

    India initiated, trained, funded, delivered, and defended Tamil terrorists in Sri Lanka, before it ran afoul of its surrogates in protecting the integrity of India itself.

    Every assistance India gave Sri Lanka to defeat the LTTE … after India advanced to the rear after incurring massive losses … should be viewed as “War Reparations” due Sri Lanka to compensate Sri Lanka for the grievous hard India inflicted upon us.

    Now, is India REVERTING to its former role to placate the Racists of Tamil Nadu?

    WE HOPE NOT, but will watch VERY CAREFULLY what India does!

    ……………..
    PM’s assurance to DMK on Sri Lanka issue

    By J. Balaji
    TheHindu.com
    March 03, 2012

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