Why is Washington scared of BRICS?

Pars Today- As BRICS expands to the key countries of Global South, the United States again threatened the group and said that it doesn't consider it as a merely economic group but a "threat" to the "international order" under the American hegemony.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House Spokesperson, noting that President Donald Trump is determined to make sure that the US is being treated fairly in the global scene, stressed that Trump believes that BRICS is intent to undermine Washington's interests; hence, he will take any measure needed to prevent "abuse" of the US and its people.

The US president wrote on his personal page of Truth Social, "Any country which coordinates its anti-US policies with the BRICS member states, will receive the additional %10 tariff. There will be no exception in this policy. Thanks for your attention to this issue!"

The remarks of the White House press secretary and Trump's post indicate the extent of Washington's concern over formation of a new and multipolar order; an order which will not capitulate to the unilateral and oppressive regulations of Western powers, especially the US, and intend to redefine global equations with the voices of ignored nations.

But, why is the US scared and concerned? The global order has been shaped for decades at the behest and under the hegemony of the American financial and political system and many small countries have been forced to play within the framework determined and drawn up by Washington. In such circumstances, the emergence of institutions such as BRICS naturally challenge the US-dominated foundations as they are based on political and economic independence. The recent reactions by Trump against the growth of this group not only are not an indicative of power, but reveal the depth of horror in Washington, as it is witnessing that the unipolar order has broken up and a multipolar order is being formed instead which will not follow the American dictates.

In view of this, BRICS which was built up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in the beginning, has turned into a geopolitical bloc which is effective in the world arena. The group, concentering on de-dollarization, tries to reform the United Nations structure, set up independent financial institutions like New Development Bank (NDB) and promote South-South cooperation in a bid to replace traditional West-oriented bodies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The US, abusing the dollar privilege and tools like sanction, tariffs and threatening, has paved the way for its own interests. But, now it has faced BRICS as a serious obstacle. The recent BRICS meeting in Rio de Janeiro was a landmark event as the member states decided to set up an international financial system independent on the US dollar and called for more using of local currencies in commercial dealings. Admission of new members such as Egypt and the UAE was also an indicative of expansion of the group's influence.

This extent of expansion of BRICS has concerned Washington because the increase in the number of members, especially those with huge energy reserves and important geopolitical location, will enhance BRICS' power of bargaining in the global arena. Furthermore, BRICS's demanding for reformation of the UNSC structure and revising the global voting system are considered direct threats to the US and its allies in the international organizations.

While the US is persisting in the principles of economic liberalism on its own axis, BRICS stresses that the current system is an outcome of the post-WWII era and cannot cater to the needs of many countries any more. This directly opposes Trump's view of considering the US as the main profiteer of every agreement and international structure. In view of the Trump administration, BRICS is a hostile structure which aims at undermining the US, rather than a merely independent economic alliance.

In fact, the US hostile stance against BRICS stems from the real fear of the future of international order. The world that used to stand on the shoulders of the West is facing new and more balanced equations. BRICS intends to create fundamental changes in the ineffective structures. As long as Washington resorts to a conflicting approach in foreign policy, every effort for creation of a fairer order will face resistance.

Washington had better revise its status in the global order and interact with nations according to the principles of multilateralism. 

RM/ME