Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree?

A

World

in Disorder By Javed. HUSAIN Unfortunately, the experience of the two decades and a half since the

end

of the Cold War shows that

mankind

is far from that goal.

Instead

of equilibrium, we witness a growing challenge to the existing US-led and West-dominated

order

from the emerging powers, particularly China, and

a

Suggestion

an

reassertive

aggressively self-assured

assertive

Russia. Even countries

such

as India,

otherwise

closely aligned with the USA, and Brazil

have

Suggestion

has

serious disagreements with the West when it comes to defining the rules of business in the spheres of environment and international trade.

Second

, major

world

powers have exhibited a dangerous tendency to resort to

unilateralism

in blatant disregard of the principles of international law and the UN Charter when dealing with

strategically

Suggestion

strategical

important issues of war and peace. The US invasion of Iraq

of

Suggestion

in

2003 is a case in point.

This

is not the only instance where principles were sacrificed at the altar of real politic. Several other major

world

powers have been equally guilty of disregard toward the principles of international law in handling

world

affairs since the

end

of the Cold War. A relevant example is the way the European powers handled the Bosnian crisis in 1990s.

Third

, justice and fair play have been the least of the considerations guiding the conduct of the major

world

powers in dealing with external affairs. The denial of justice to the Palestinians as an example substantiates

this

tendency.

Finally

, major

world

powers have generally failed to rise above narrow national considerations in the interest of the progress and welfare of

mankind

at large, especially in dealing with

such

global issues as climate change and international trade. It remains to be seen whether the

world

will be able to move toward a rule-based

world

order

in the best interest of

mankind

. Meanwhile, the

world

will remain in a state of disorder primarily because of the anarchic nature of international politics. The

end

of the Cold War generated unrealistic hopes of a new

world

order

based on justice, fair play, and the principles of the UN Charter. Even before the

end

of the Cold War, statements were made by

world

leaders, notably by Mikhail Gorbachev in his speech to the UN General Assembly on 7 December 1988, containing ideas for the creation of a new

world

order

. In his speech, Mikhail Gorbachev called for “a consensus of all

mankind

in the movement