US counter terrorism policy cloaked in double standard

The United States, who likes to see itself as a global guardian, often disregards international norms while pursuing its interests and seeking revenge, a behavior not commonly seen in other countries.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The most prominent and significant figures that exemplify this is Osama Bin Laden, the chief of Al-Qaeda, followed by Abu Bakr AI Baghdadi, the chief of the Islamic State or Daesh. These are just two names in the long list of 'freedom fighters', 'religious preachers', or terrorists, depending on whom you are asking, who have been killed on the orders of the White House.

None of them were U.S citizens, nor were they inside the jurisdiction of the United States when they were killed by the Special Forces, the announcement of which was made by no less than the office of the US President.

The other significant names who met a similar fate, of being killed without being tried in a court of law, are Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was killed in Afghanistan, Maher alAgal, an Islamic State member killed in Northwest Syria, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, another IS operative who was killed in Syria along with 13 people, including six children and four women, Hamza bin Laden, one of the son of alQaeda founder Osama bin Laden who was killed in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, and Abu Musab alZarqawi, al-Qaeda's leader who was killed north of Baghdad.

Significantly, Hamza was killed despite not being named in any terror attack, but as a 'pre-emptive' measure as the US agencies believed he was going to emerge as the leader of AlQaeda.

This method of disregarding the borders of other nations is not something that can be attributed just to Bush (Senior and Junior), Obama, Trump, or the Biden administration, who have occupied the White House since the horrific September 11, 2001, attack on US soil.

Washington's policy, for a long time, has come under scrutiny for its propensity and habit to easily transcend borders and carry out overt and covert actions in other countries to secure its interests.