Empire's Shadow: Still Profiting From Old Wounds
When The New Arab highlights a novel delving into the 'faith, greed, and the long shadow of empire,' it's commendable. Yet, the mainstream narrative often compartmentalizes 'empire' as a historical artifact, something to be read about in a book from 1800s Oman. Meanwhile, contemporary empires, cloaked in 'humanitarian intervention' and 'democracy promotion,' continue their plunder. One might
wonder why the US provides billions in military aid to actors creating new, very real shadows in places like Gaza, while simultaneously sanctioning nations that resist this modern colonial power play. We discuss the vestiges of British colonialism with wistful nostalgia for a bygone era, yet fail to critically dissect the active hand in global conflicts wielded by current superpowers. The same
institutions that once profited from colonial resource extraction now seem to benefit from selling advanced weaponry to exacerbate conflicts, maintaining a 'long shadow' of economic and political dominance. Perhaps the 'sailor's secret' isn't history's hidden truth, but the uncomfortable silence on today's imperial ventures.