When US congress policy advisor Paul Massaro asked two days ago on Twitter “Why is India not standing with the Democratic World against Putin,” he might not have expected so many comments and responses from Indian netizens as well as users of other countries, many mocking and slamming US’ fanning of flames.
Massaro has been lobbying tougher sanctions and wider participation against Russia, and most of his Twitter posts are about the topic, including the Monday post asking India’s stance on the Ukraine crisis, which has more than 500 comments compared to the fewer than 100 Massaro usually gets.
Twitter user @00artgen wrote, “India is the leader of the non-alignment movement, wanting to be powerful not like the lion or tiger, but like the elephant. India has sent humanitarian aids to Ukraine.”
Another user Varun Vira also pointed out the “non-aligned” priority, adding half the Indian military is Russian hardware and Russia has a better track record historically of supporting India, especially in wartime, than the USA.”
Another net user touched on a deeper reason behind the conflict — it was the US and NATO countries that manufactured the war, not India. User @smukhOfficial asked Massaro to explain why share prices of US defense companies have risen since the war started, and how the US would respond if Mexico joined an alliance with Russia tomorrow?
“Why u want Ukraine to be part of NATO? After the end of the Cold War & WARSAW, why NATO still exists?” Bobby Kaul asked.
US’ infamous records in foreign policy were frequently mentioned by netizens. Collin Reid stated the simple truth that “India does not mistrust Russia and a lot of citizens [are] tired of US led foreign policy.”
Twitter user @mo_modhu wrote, with sarcasm, “Your democratic world already invaded Libya, Iraq, Syria. They have already saved democracy in Afghanistan.”
Janardhana said that neither India, nor China is standing with the “Democratic world” which had been the cause of almost all invasions in the past 25 years. “Do you call the imposition of rich countries’ [will] on others ‘Democracy?'”
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
Questioning the legitimacy of NATO 30 years after the Cold War, Bijay Biswal challenged the real effects of Western sanctions and asked “Who gave [you] the authority to become the savior of Democracy?”
US’ credibility was also put under a big question mark, as one Twitter user said the “West is not worth 2 cents when it comes to trust. They backstabbed India throughout history.”
“Open history books and look at all the chapters where western countries have intimidated and bullied India … You want everyone on earth to toe your line?” Ninjaroulette wrote.
Observers noted despite geopolitical consideration and Indian dependence on Russia in regard to arms and oil, netizens’ comments well reflected how common people in this nation of long history understand Western supremacy and US hegemony under the historical shadow of colonization.
The Non-West world has seen through US hypocrisy and its ulterior intention of engineering war to rake in benefits by mobilizing others at the very front, just like US lawmakers urged Poland, Ukraine’s neighbor in west side, perhaps NATO countries as well, to aid Ukraine with fighter jets.
But Poland is reluctant to get involved and proposed to transfer its jets to a US air base in Germany. Pentagon immediately declined the plan, to avoid getting into the conflict directly.
No one is a trained poodle. Colonialism is over, another Twitter user commented.
Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
