For decades, the U.S. and its allies (NATO, the EU, and others) have positioned themselves as the global champions of freedom, democracy, and human rights. This narrative is central to their identity and their claim to leadership on the world stage. But what happens when the actions of these same governments directly contradict those ideals?
The U.S. and many European nations have provided diplomatic cover, military aid, and political support to Israel’s war in Gaza, even as the death toll mounts, famine spreads, and multiple reputable organizations have deemed Israel’s war crimes a genocide. This isn’t an aberration—it’s a pattern. The same governments that imposed sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, that condemn human rights abuses in China or Iran, have actively enabled or ignored the destruction of Gaza. The hypocrisy isn’t accidental; it’s a feature of how power operates.
This undermines the entire framework of international law and human rights. If the rules only apply to enemies but not to allies, then the system isn’t about justice—it’s about power. When the U.S. vetoes UN ceasefire resolutions, when Germany and the UK suppress pro-Palestinian protests, or when the media frames criticism of Israel as antisemitic, they’re not just supporting a war—they’re revealing the limits of their own moral claims. The governments and institutions that claim to stand for justice are often the same ones that uphold systems of oppression, as long as those systems serve their interests.
The Alliance of Power: How It Works
The “rules-based international order” is a term used by Western powers to describe the global system they’ve shaped since World War II. But in practice, this “order” is less about rules and more about who gets to break them without consequence.
The U.S. and its allies dominate global institutions like the UN, the IMF, and NATO. They use these platforms to enforce their priorities—whether it’s sanctions on Iran, military interventions in the Middle East, or trade policies that benefit Western corporations. When a crisis doesn’t align with their interests (e.g., Palestine, Yemen, Western Sahara), these same institutions become paralyzed or complicit.
Western media outlets often frame conflicts in ways that align with government priorities. For example, the war in Ukraine is portrayed as a clear struggle between democracy and authoritarianism. In contrast, the war in Gaza is framed as “complicated” or “a clash between two equal sides.” This isn’t neutral reporting—it’s narrative management, designed to shape public perception and justify policy.
The U.S. and its allies use their power to shield themselves and their partners from accountability. The U.S. vetoes UN resolutions critical of Israel, the UK suppresses reports on war crimes, and the EU signs trade deals with authoritarian regimes while lecturing others on human rights. This creates a two-tiered system of justice: one for allies and another for everyone else.
It’s not a conspiracy—it’s an open secret. The system is designed to maintain the status quo, and those who benefit from it (politicians, corporations, military industries) have every incentive to keep it running.
The Role of Complicity
Complicity is the perfect term for what’s happening. Complicity doesn’t always mean active participation—it can also mean silence, indifference, or the refusal to act in the face of injustice. Here’s how it plays out:
- The U.S., UK, Germany, and others could pressure Israel to end the war. They could cut off military aid, impose sanctions, or support UN actions. They choose not to. That’s complicity.
- Outlets could center Palestinian voices, investigate war crimes, or challenge government narratives. Many choose to repeat official talking points or frame the conflict as “too complex” to take a stand. That’s complicity.
- Weapons manufacturers, tech companies providing surveillance tools, and banks financing the occupation profit from the war. They lobby governments to keep the status quo. That’s complicity.
- Many people look away because the issue feels too painful, too polarizing, or too distant. Others repeat slogans like “Israel has a right to defend itself” without grappling with what that defense actually looks like. That, too, is a form of complicity—not because people are evil, but because the system makes it easier to ignore than to act.
The complicity is baked into the system, and it’s held in place by a web of incentives—political, economic, and psychological—that make it difficult to break free.
The Deeply Disturbing Part – When the Obvious Comes Head-to-Head With the Obvious
This all leaves one grappling with something even bigger: the collapse of the idea that power serves justice. This is a crisis of faith—not in a religious sense, but in the belief that the world’s most powerful governments and institutions are capable of, or even interested in, upholding the values they claim to represent.
This realization is painful because it forces one to confront some brutal truths:
- The system is working as intended. The suffering in Gaza isn’t a malfunction—it’s a feature of a global order that prioritizes control, resources, and strategic interests over human life.
- Change won’t come from within the system. The same governments, corporations, and media outlets that enable this complicity won’t voluntarily dismantle it. Real change has always come from outside pressure—from social movements, from mass protests, from people refusing to accept the unacceptable.
- We are not powerless, but the system is designed to make us feel that way. The sense of helplessness one feels is real, but it’s also a tool of control. Power relies on the belief that resistance is futile. The moment one rejects that belief, they become a threat to the status quo.
The system is vast, but it’s not invincible. It relies on our silence, our resignation, and our willingness to back off or look away. The moment we refuse to do those things, we become part of the force that can dismantle it. Ask questions and demand answers. Then, act on the answers—peacefully and lawfully—however you can, wherever you are.