Modern American colonialism is not limited to imposing military and economic hegemony; instead, it is an octopus-like system that delivers its initial and most lethal blow to the human intellect, the mode of thinking, and the overarching worldview of vulnerable peoples. Subjugation to this hegemonic power is nothing less than a voluntary acceptance of the shackles of intellectual and political dependency; relying on Western colonialism—under any pretext—undermines independence and transforms states into instruments stripped of their will, serving America’s interests.

The following is a brief overview of five critical consequences resulting from this fatal subjugation:

First: The Erosion of Intellectual and Cultural Identity

The primary destructive consequence of this dependency is the assimilation of the Islamic Ummah’s culture and foundational beliefs into the Western melting pot. America employs various tools—such as promoting secularism, nationalist sentiments, and political realism, alongside projects designed to distort identity—like the Abraham Accords and the misleading “Abrahamic Federalism” thesis—to strip the Ummah of its identity and extinguish the spark of resistance within its people. Furthermore, America seeks to prevent the unification of Muslims—as well as the restoration of their glory, honor, and geographical and political cohesion under the Rayah banner of the Khilafah Caliphate—by altering the Ummah’s political mindset, co-opting its rulers, and utilizing both “soft” and “hard” colonialist tools to extend its influence across the lands of Muslims. This aggressive policy aims to replace Islamic ‘aqeedah (creed) with Western materialistic values ​​and to suppress any independent political thought rooted in Islam, thereby ensuring the sustainability of Western hegemony over Muslim lands.

Second: The Illusion of “Interest” and Systematic Betrayal

Certain elites and political parties—cloaked in alluring yet misleading slogans like “realism” and “political interest”—advocate for close ties with the West and the United States. They argue that one must first acquire economic and military power before pursuing the Ummah’s aspirations. However, the events of the past century have thoroughly refuted these claims; this flawed premise is akin to appeasing the Shaytan in the hope of gathering enough strength to overthrow him later. Driven by this utilitarian logic, the regimes in Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan, and Egypt are committing blatant acts of betrayal against Gaza and the causes of the Ummah. Instead of mobilizing armies to aid the oppressed, these regimes have become a safety valve for the United States, limiting themselves to mediation roles designed to rescue the Jewish entity and contain American crises, all while signing military agreements.

Third: The Violation of Pledges and Treaties

American diplomacy strips pledges and treaties of all moral value, treating them merely as tactical tools to deceive adversaries, buy time, and navigate crises. Numerous international examples confirm this systemic pattern of violation, such as the unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, the exit from the Paris Climate Agreement, and the persistent breaches of the Doha Agreement with the Taliban. The most heinous manifestations of this treachery are evident in the provision of weaponry and financial support to the Jewish entity, as well as the repeated use of the veto to shield the Jewish entity during the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip. While America hypocritically pays lip service to human rights, it continues to supply the occupation’s arsenal, thereby becoming a direct partner in the bloodshed of tens of thousands of Muslim women and children.

Fourth: The Inevitable Fate of Collaborators and Tools

Collaborators who rely on America to perpetuate occupation and colonialism ultimately meet shameful ends. Beyond the ignominious flight of US-backed technocrats—exemplified by Ashraf Ghani’s escape from Afghanistan and the repeated, public blame cast upon them by Zalmay Khalilzad—the political landscape in Pakistan stands as irrefutable evidence. America exploited former Prime Minister Imran Khan to consolidate its regional influence; yet, once he had outlived his usefulness, it conspired against him—using the secretive Cypher No. I-0678 and colluding with the Pakistani military leadership—leading to his ouster and imprisonment. America abandons its tools without a shred of mercy once they are spent, often foisting upon them the consequences of the failure, corruption, and chaos that plague societies.

Fifth: America as a Global Threat

The cancer of American colonialism is not confined to the borders of Muslim lands; rather, all of humanity groans under its weight. The Ukraine crisis—and the use of Kyiv as a sacrificial pawn in NATO’s geopolitical struggle—serves as glaring proof of this. In Latin America, recent events in Venezuela have exposed the predatory nature of this hegemony; After years of a crippling economic blockade imposed on Caracas, America has asserted its hegemony and plundered Venezuela’s oil. This colonialist encroachment is the primary cause plunging peoples into structural poverty and pervasive corruption.

The legacy of a full century of humiliation—and the millions of Muslim victims—demonstrates with certainty that liberation from the shackles of colonialism is impossible without completely breaking away from the imposed Western system and establishing the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly-guided Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood. Beyond the humiliation and degradation America imposes on its global subordinates, it lures rulers and armies in Muslim lands toward the gates of hell; in exchange for abandoning Islamic political thought, forsaking the establishment and public manifestation of the faith, and ceasing to aid the oppressed, they are dragged into this disastrous fate. Only the Khilafah (Caliphate)—through its genuine political independence and the restoration of pioneering Islamic political thought—is capable of crippling this Western colonialist octopus and rescuing humanity from the tyranny of capitalism, leading it instead to the justice and expansiveness of Islam.

* Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Afghanistan