We cannot view this utterly humiliating event, which we justly deserve, separately from the prevailing global reality. Not voting for the Philippines is a big slap in the face of the Americans, and most importantly, a rebuke to Israel.
It also shows the shift in the dynamics of the global balance of power. The Philippines received only 49 votes. It was reported that Kyrgyzstan, backed by Iran and the Global South, roundly defeated the Philippines to win the sole Asia-Pacific seat at the United Nations Security Council.
The Central Asian nation now becomes a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.
Most people in the West have never heard of the country, but the United States was concerned about the vote, because the Kyrgyz Republic has friendly and peaceful relations with their Chinese and Russian neighbors.
The US spends billions of dollars a year to demonize China and Russia. The United Kingdom voted with the US, which is the usual case. There was more bad news for the US-Israel bloc, too. Germany was defeated by Austria and Portugal in the European vote. There is no shadow of a doubt that the principal reason is their defense of Israel against all laws, conventions, and international rules, to the dismay and anger of the community of nations.
The German foreign minister, despite his frustrations, candidly admitted that ‘it is a bitter defeat.’ Yet, instead of learning from and acting on this repudiation, he vowed that Germany will maintain its so-called ‘historical responsibility.’
After the US-Israel attack on Iran, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shocked the world by echoing the far right Israeli view that international law did not apply to the Iranians. The result of the vote clearly shows the application of international law and the revelation of the sentiments of the people of the world. The way the international community voted is also a slap in the face of the German leader.
The victory of Kyrgyzstan and the defeat of the Philippines indubitably show the emergence of a multipolar world.
This is a wake-up call for us. Internationally, we are at a crossroads. We must now reconsider and reconfigure our overall foreign policy that is commensurate with the prevailing political reality in the new global order if we wish to remain relevant on the international stage.
The time has now come for us to chart our own course and control our destiny. Either we craft and decide our independent foreign policy or forever remain in the disappearing shadow of a dying, decadent empire.
The choice is ours!