In his speech at the Munich Security Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a pro-colonial speech, calling on European allies to cast off what he described as “guilt and shame” over their “culture and heritage,” urging them to help the USA “revive the West’s age of dominance.” The remarks were met with a standing ovation from European leaders. This rhetoric reveals what lies beneath the surface of the so-called “civilization” that prides itself on moral leadership. It is a civilization that amassed wealth and power through colonialism, imperial expansion, resource extraction, gross human rights violation, and the overthrow of legitimate governments. In this worldview, those who advocate for a multipolar world, genuine partnership, and indivisible security are portrayed as adversaries - uncivilized, threatening, or merely competitors to be contained. Yet these same powers position themselves as arbiters of morality, champions of equality, and guardians of democracy and human rights.
