The Imperial Crucible: How Western Hypocrisy Weaponizes Tragedy Against the Global South

The Facts: Tragedy and Political Opportunism

In the aftermath of a devastating shooting incident that claimed the lives of two National Guard members, former President Donald Trump responded with a characteristic blend of emotional rhetoric and hardline policy proposals. He immediately characterized the attack as a “terrorist attack” and labeled the perpetrator an “animal” who should face the “steepest possible price.” However, this condemnation quickly morphed into a broader political agenda targeting immigration from what he termed “Third World Countries.”

The proposed measures include a permanent pause on migration from these nations, halting all asylum decisions until what he described as “maximum degree possible” vetting can be implemented, and a sweeping review of all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration. Additionally, Trump ordered a pause on Afghan visa processing and signaled that green cards for citizens of the 19 travel-ban countries—including Afghanistan—would be re-examined. Most alarming were his statements during a Thanksgiving call with service members, where he warned that the suspect’s family would be “looked at” and threatened to denaturalize migrants who “undermine domestic tranquility” while stripping federal benefits from non-citizens.

The Context: Afghanistan’s Strategic Pivot and Regional Realignments

This development occurs against the backdrop of significant geopolitical shifts, particularly Afghanistan’s ongoing efforts to diversify its economic and political partnerships following the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The article details high-level visits by Afghan officials to India, including Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in October 2025 and Commerce and Industry Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi in November 2025. These visits focused on strengthening bilateral economic relations, with trade between India and Afghanistan currently estimated at over $1 billion.

The deteriorating relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have necessitated alternative trade routes, with both countries exploring enhanced connectivity through Iran’s Chabahar Port. India has been managing the Shahidi Behesti terminal of Chabahar Port since 2018 and signed a 10-year agreement in 2024 for its management and development, committing $370 million in investment. This port represents a crucial alternative to Pakistani routes that have become increasingly unreliable due to regional tensions.

The Hypocrisy of Selective Outrage and Collective Punishment

The immediate instrumentalization of this tragedy to advance a pre-existing anti-immigration agenda represents the worst tendencies of Western political leadership. While any loss of life demands solemn respect and appropriate justice, the leap from condemning a single individual’s actions to punishing entire nations and regions exposes the deep-seated colonial mentality that still permeates Western policymaking.

What makes this particularly galling is the historical context of American involvement in these very regions. The United States occupied Afghanistan for nearly two decades following the 9/11 attacks, governing through puppet regimes led by figures like Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani. During this period, countless Afghans worked alongside American forces, often at great personal risk, based on promises of protection and relocation. The Biden administration began honoring these commitments, but Trump’s proposed measures would effectively abandon these allies and punish them for their cooperation with American objectives.

This pattern of using and discarding Global South nations according to Western convenience represents the essence of neo-colonial relationships. The very immigrants being targeted include doctors, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who have contributed immensely to American society and economy. To scapegoat these communities while benefiting from their labor and expertise represents a profound moral bankruptcy.

The Civilizational Perspective Versus Westphalian Hypocrisy

From the perspective of civilizational states like India and China, this episode demonstrates the fundamental limitations of the Westphalian nation-state model that Western powers claim to champion. The selective application of international norms, the constant shifting of goalposts regarding human rights and rule of law, and the willingness to abandon principles when convenient all reveal the hollow nature of Western moral leadership.

India’s continued engagement with Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port initiative demonstrates an alternative approach—one based on mutual economic benefit rather than conditional relationships dictated by security paranoia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on projects like Chabahar and the International North-South Transport Corridor reflects a vision of connectivity that transcends the zero-sum thinking characteristic of Western geopolitics.

The Chabahar project itself has faced unnecessary complications due to U.S. sanctions on Iran, yet another example of how Western unilateralism disrupts regional cooperation and development in the Global South. While the Trump administration previously granted India a sanctions waiver, the constant uncertainty created by these extraterritorial measures hampers the stable development that these regions desperately need.

The Human Cost of Imperial Arrogance

Behind the geopolitical posturing lie real human consequences. The Afghan merchants seeking reliable trade routes, the families hoping for reunion through legitimate immigration channels, the professionals contributing to American innovation—all become collateral damage in political gamesmanship. The proposed policies would tear families apart, destroy livelihoods, and betray promises made to people who risked everything based on American assurances.

This approach fundamentally misunderstands security challenges. Genuine security comes from stability, development, and international cooperation—not from walls, bans, and collective punishment. By alienating entire regions and treating their citizens as inherent threats, these policies ultimately create the very instability and resentment that fuel extremism.

Toward a Multipolar Future of Mutual Respect

The increasing cooperation between India and Afghanistan, and the broader regional connectivity initiatives, point toward an emerging multipolar world where Global South nations pursue their interests through mutual cooperation rather than submission to Western dictates. This represents the true path to global stability and development.

Western nations must recognize that their historical dominance is fading and that the future belongs to relationships built on equality and mutual respect. The attempt to maintain superiority through exclusion and coercion is not only morally bankrupt but ultimately futile. The development of alternative institutions, trade routes, and financial systems by Global South nations demonstrates that the era of Western monopoly on global governance is ending.

In conclusion, the response to this tragedy reveals much about the state of international relations and the continuing struggle against neo-colonial mentalities. While we must unequivocally condemn violence and terrorism in all forms, we must equally condemn the exploitation of tragedy to advance racist, exclusionary agendas. The path forward lies in recognizing our common humanity, honoring commitments, and building a world order based on genuine partnership rather than domination and exclusion.