With Friends like These…

In global politics there are often numerous words and terms been thrown around to describe supposedly undesirable elements – state sponsors of terror, rogue states and dictator among other things. But recently I’ve been thinking about a very simple word that is seemingly easy to understand – enemy. But what is an enemy?

One definition I came across suggests that an enemy is “a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent” or more generally speaking it is “something destructive or injurious in its effects”. Now I look at the state of global politics and economics (after all, we can’t separate those two) and I have to wonder who the real enemies of freedom are? Sure there are countries who perhaps don’t live up to the expectations of others within their own borders, but whose economic and other policies keep the rest of the world on the back foot? Yes it s true that this is a complex issue but at the very least there are those who claim to be on the side of freedom and democracy whose actions can at times be regarded as “antagonistic activities” and or are “destructive or injurious in its effects” even though they claim benevolence.

When then hear terms like “leaders of the free world” or “defenders of freedom” I can’t help but laugh (at the very least) at the gall of those using these terms. And, I have to ask the question: who are the real enemies of global freedom and human rights? After all, with friends like these who needs enemies?